returned, taken some tea and slept till morning; the storm would
have been over, and we could then have set out. Why this haste?
as if you were going to your wedding?"

Saveliitch was right. What was to be done? The snow continued
to fall; it was heaped up around the kibitka; the horses stood
motionless, now and then shivering. The coachman walked around
them adjusting their harness, as if he had nothing else to do.

Saveliitch grumbled.

I strained my eyes in every direction, hoping to see signs of a
dwelling, or of a road, but I could only see the whirling of the
snow-drift. All at once I thought I saw some thing black. "Halloo!
coachman," I cried out, "what is that black thing yonder?"

The coachman looked attentively where I indicated. "God knows, my
lord," he replied, re-mounting to his seat; "it is not a kibitka,
nor a tree; it seems to be moving. It must be a wolf or a man!"

I ordered him to go in the direction of the unknown object which was
coming toward us. In two minutes we were on a line with it, and I
recognized a man.

"Halloo! good man!" shouted my coachman; "tell us, do you know the
road?"

"This is the road," replied the man. "I am on solid ground, but what
the devil is the good of that."