from the scorching Dragon and from cold that kills, men will erect a
new life full of wisdom."

Elena whispered:

"When the earth grows cold, men will die."

"The earth will not die," answered Elisaveta no less quietly.

The sisters fell into a sleep. They did not sleep long, and when both
awakened quite suddenly, everything that had just happened seemed like
a dream. They made haste.

"We must hurry home," said Elena in an anxious voice.

They ran quickly. The door of the underground passage was open. Just
outside the door, in the road, stood a cart. Kirsha sat in it and held
the reins. The sisters seated themselves. Elisaveta took the reins.
Kirsha spoke a word now and then. They said little on the way, in odd,
disjointed words.

Arrived at their destination, they got out of the cart. They were in a
half-somnolent state. Kirsha was off before they realized that they
had not thanked him. When they looked for him they could only see a
cloud of dust and hear the clatter of hoofs and the rattle of wheels
on the cobblestones.