“That’sallright；itissmooth“hesaid。“Godgiveyouhealth。That’sallright。“
　　Theylaidonthetablethreefive-kopeckpiecesandwentoutofthetavern；theoldmanlookedimmovablystraightbeforehimasthoughhewereblind，andperfecttrustfulnesswaswrittenonhisface；butasVasilisacameoutofthetavernshewavedangrilyatthedog，andsaidangrily:
　　“Ugh，theplague。“
　　Theoldwomandidnotsleepallnight；shewasdisturbedbythoughts，andatdaybreakshegotup，saidherprayers，andwenttothestationtosendofftheletter。
　　Itwasbetweeneightandninemilestothestation。
　　II
　　Dr。B。O。Mozelweiser’shydropathicestablishmentworkedonNewYear’sDayexactlyasonordinarydays；theonlydifferencewasthattheporter，AndreyHrisanfitch，hadonauniformwithnewbraiding，hisbootshadanextrapolish，andhegreetedeveryvisitorwith“AHappyNewYeartoyou！“
　　Itwasthemorning；AndreyHrisanfitchwasstandingatthedoor，readingthenewspaper。Justatteno’clocktherearrivedageneral，oneofthehabitualvisitors，anddirectlyafterhimthepostman；AndreyHrisanfitchhelpedthegeneraloffwithhisgreat-coat，andsaid:
　　“AHappyNewYeartoyourExcellency！“
　　“Thankyou，mygoodfellow；thesametoyou。“
　　Andatthetopofthestairsthegeneralasked，noddingtowardsthedoorheaskedthesamequestioneverydayandalwaysforgottheanswer:
　　“Andwhatisthereinthatroom？“
　　“Themassageroom，yourExcellency。“
　　Whenthegeneral’sstepshaddiedawayAndreyHrisanfitchlookedatthepostthathadcome，andfoundoneaddressedtohimself。Hetoreitopen，readseverallines，then，lookingatthenewspaper，hewalkedwithouthastetohisownroom，whichwasdownstairsclosebyattheendofthepassage。HiswifeYefimyawassittingonthebed，feedingherbaby；anotherchild，theeldest，wasstandingby，layingitscurlyheadonherknee；athirdwasasleeponthebed。
　　Goingintotheroom，Andreygavehiswifetheletterandsaid:
　　“Fromthecountry，Isuppose。“
　　Thenhewalkedoutagainwithouttakinghiseyesfromthepaper。
　　HecouldhearYefimyawithashakingvoicereadingthefirstlines。Shereadthemandcouldreadnomore；theselineswereenoughforher。Sheburstintotears，andhugginghereldestchild，kissinghim，shebegansaying——anditwashardtosaywhethershewerelaughingorcrying:
　　“It’sfromgranny，fromgrandfather，“shesaid。“Fromthecountry。TheHeavenlyMother，SaintsandMartyrs！Thesnowliesheapedupundertheroofsnowthetreesareaswhiteaswhite。Theboysslideonlittlesledgesanddearoldbaldgrandfatherisonthestoveandthereisalittleyellowdog。Myowndarlings！“
　　AndreyHrisanfitch，hearingthis，recalledthathiswifehadonthreeorfouroccasionsgivenhimlettersandaskedhimtosendthemtothecountry，butsomeimportantbusinesshadalwayspreventedhim；hehadnotsentthem，andtheletterssomehowgotlost。
　　“Andlittleharesrunaboutinthefields，“Yefimyawentonchanting，kissingherboyandsheddingtears。“Grandfatheriskindandgentle；grannyisgood，too——kind-hearted。Theyarewarm-heartedinthecountry，theyareGod-fearingandthereisalittlechurchinthevillage；thepeasantssinginthechoir。QueenofHeaven，HolyMotherandDefender，takeusawayfromhere！“
　　AndreyHrisanfitchreturnedtohisroomtosmokealittletilltherewasanotherringatthedoor，andYefimyaceasedspeaking，subsided，andwipedhereyes，thoughherlipswerestillquivering。Shewasverymuchfrightenedofhim——oh，howfrightenedofhim！Shetrembledandwasreducedtoterrorbythesoundofhissteps，bythelookinhiseyes，anddarednotutterawordinhispresence。
　　AndreyHrisanfitchlightedacigarette，butatthatverymomenttherewasaringfromupstairs。Heputouthiscigarette，and，assumingaverygraveface，hastenedtohisfrontdoor。
　　Thegeneralwascomingdownstairs，freshandrosyfromhisbath。
　　“Andwhatisthereinthatroom？“heasked，pointingtoadoor。
　　AndreyHrisanfitchputhishandsdownswiftlytotheseamsofhistrousers，andpronouncedloudly:
　　“Charcotdouche，yourExcellency！“
　　ITwasgettingdark；itwouldsoonbenight。
　　Gusev，adischargedsoldier，satupinhishammockandsaidinanundertone:
　　“Isay，PavelIvanitch。AsoldieratSutchantoldme:whiletheyweresailingabigfishcameintocollisionwiththeirshipandstoveaholeinit。“
　　Thenondescriptindividualwhomhewasaddressing，andwhomeveryoneintheship’shospitalcalledPavelIvanitch，wassilent，asthoughhehadnotheard。
　　AndagainastillnessfollowedThewindfrolickedwiththerigging，thescrewthrobbed，thewaveslashed，thehammockscreaked，buttheearhadlongagobecomeaccustomedtothesesounds，anditseemedthateverythingaroundwasasleepandsilent。Itwasdreary。Thethreeinvalids——twosoldiersandasailor——whohadbeenplayingcardsallthedaywereasleepandtalkingintheirdreams。
　　Itseemedasthoughtheshipwerebeginningtorock。ThehammockslowlyroseandfellunderGusev，asthoughitwereheavingasigh，andthiswasrepeatedonce，twice，threetimes。
　　Somethingcrashedontothefloorwithaclang:itmusthavebeenajugfallingdown。
　　“Thewindhasbrokenloosefromitschain。“saidGusev，listening。
　　ThistimePavelIvanitchclearedhisthroatandansweredirritably:
　　“Oneminuteavessel’srunningintoafish，thenext，thewind’sbreakingloosefromitschain。Isthewindabeastthatitcanbreakloosefromitschain？“
　　“That’showchristenedfolktalk。“
　　“Theyareasignorantasyouarethen。Theysayallsortsofthings。Onemustkeepaheadonone’sshouldersanduseone’sreason。Youareasenselesscreature。“
　　PavelIvanitchwassubjecttosea-sickness。Whentheseawasroughhewasusuallyill-humoured，andthemeresttriflewouldmakehimirritable。AndinGusev’sopiniontherewasabsolutelynothingtobevexedabout。Whatwastherestrangeorwonderful，forinstance，inthefishorinthewind’sbreakingloosefromitschain？Supposethefishwereasbigasamountainanditsbackwereashardasasturgeon:andinthesameway，supposingthatawayyonderattheendoftheworldtherestoodgreatstonewallsandthefiercewindswerechaineduptothewallsiftheyhadnotbrokenloose，whydidtheytearaboutalloverthesealikemaniacs，andstruggletoescapelikedogs？Iftheywerenotchainedup，whatdidbecomeofthemwhenitwascalm？
　　Gusevponderedforalongtimeaboutfishesasbigasamountainandstout，rustychains，thenhebegantofeeldullandthoughtofhisnativeplacetowhichhewasreturningafterfiveyears’
　　serviceintheEast。Hepicturedanimmensepondcoveredwithsnow。Ononesideofthepondthered-brickbuildingofthepotterieswithatallchimneyandcloudsofblacksmoke；ontheotherside——avillage。HisbrotherAlexeycomesoutinasledgefromthefifthyardfromtheend；behindhimsitshislittlesonVankainbigfeltover-boots，andhislittlegirlAkulka，alsoinbigfeltboots。Alexeyhasbeendrinking，Vankaislaughing，Akulka’sfacehecouldnotsee，shehadmuffledherselfup。
　　“Youneverknow，he’llgetthechildrenfrozen“thoughtGusev。“Lordsendthemsenseandjudgmentthattheymayhonourtheirfatherandmotherandnotbewiserthantheirparents。“
　　“Theywantre-soleing，“adelirioussailorsaysinabassvoice。
　　“Yes，yes！“
　　Gusev’sthoughtsbreakoff，andinsteadofapondtheresuddenlyappearsaproposofnothingahugebull’sheadwithouteyes，andthehorseandsledgearenotdrivingalong，butarewhirlingroundandroundinacloudofsmoke。Butstillhewasgladhehadseenhisownfolks。Heheldhisbreathfromdelight，shuddersranalloverhim，andhisfingerstwitched。
　　“TheLordletusmeetagain，“hemutteredfeverishly，butheatonceopenedhiseyesandsoughtinthedarknessforwater。
　　Hedrankandlayback，andagainthesledgewasmoving，thenagainthebull’sheadwithouteyes，smoke，clouds。Andsoontilldaybreak。