“TheFatherordersit！“answeredMichael，forthefirsttimeinvokingtheall-powerfulnameoftheEmperor。
“Forward，myswallows！“criedtheiemschik，seizingonehorse，whileMichaeldidthesametotheother。
Thusurged，thehorsesbegantostruggleonward。
Theycouldnolongerrear，andthemiddlehorsenotbeinghamperedbytheothers，couldkeepinthecenteroftheroad。
Itwaswiththegreatestdifficultythateithermanorbeastscouldstandagainstthewind，andforeverythreestepstheytookinadvance，theylostone，andeventwo，bybeingforcedbackwards。