The only sentiment of love felt by Michael Strogoff was that which
he entertained for his mother, the aged Marfa, who could never be
induced to leave the house of the Strogoffs, at Omsk, on the banks of
the Irtish, where the old huntsman and she had lived so long together.
When her son left her, he went away with a full heart, but promising
to come and see her whenever he could possibly do so; and this promise
he had always religiously kept.

When Michael was twenty, it was decided that he should enter
the personal service of the Emperor of Russia, in the corps
of the couriers of the Czar. The hardy, intelligent, zealous,
well-conducted young Siberian first distinguished himself especially,
in a journey to the Caucasus, through the midst of a difficult country,
ravaged by some restless successors of Schamyl; then later,
in an important mission to Petropolowski, in Kamtschatka,
the extreme limit of Asiatic Russia. During these long journeys
he displayed such marvelous coolness, prudence, and courage,
as to gain him the approbation and protection of his chiefs,
who rapidly advanced him in his profession.

The furloughs which were his due after these distant missions,
he never failed to devote to his old mother. Having been much employed
in the south of the empire, he had not seen old Marfa for three years--
three ages!--the first time in his life he had been so long absent
from her. Now, however, in a few days he would obtain his furlough,
and he had accordingly already made preparations for departure
for Omsk, when the events which have been related occurred.
Michael Strogoff was therefore introduced into the Czar's presence
in complete ignorance of what the emperor expected from him.