Stumbling，andpowerlesstoretainmyfooting，Iblundereddownuponmykneesinhelplessastonishment；andthen，asIglancedupstream，feargrippedatmythroat，deprivedmeofspeech，anddarkenedallmyvision。Forthewholesubstanceofthegreyice-corehadcometolifeandbeguntoheaveitselfupwards！
　　Yes，thehithertolevelsurfacewasthrustingforthsharpangularridges，andtheairseemedfullofastrangesoundlikethetramplingofsomeheavybeingoverbrokenglass。
　　Withaquiettrickletherecameaswirlofwateraroundme，whileanadjacentpineboughcrackedandsqueakedasthoughittoohadcometolife。Mycompanionsshouted，andcollectedintoaknot；whereupon，atoncedominatingandquellingthetense，painfulhubbubofsounds，thererangforththevoiceofOssip。
　　“MotherofGod！“heshouted。“Scatter，lads！Getawayfromoneanother，andkeepeachtohimself！Now！Courage！“
　　Withthat，springingtowardsusasthoughwaspshadbeenafterhim，andgraspingthespirit-levelasthoughithadbeenaweapon，hejabbedittoeveryside，asthoughfightinginvisiblefoes，while，justasthequiveringtownbegan，seemingly，toglidepastus，andtheiceatmyfeetgaveascreechandcrumbledtofragmentsbeneathme，sothatwaterbubbledtomyknees。IleaptupfromwhereIwas，andrushedblindlyinOssip’sdirection。
　　“Whereareyoucomingto，fool？“washisshoutashebrandishedthespirit-level。“Standstillwhereyouare！“
　　Indeed，OssipseemednolongertobeOssipatall，butapersoncuriouslyyounger，apersoninwhomallthathadbeenfamiliarinOssiphadbecomeeffaced。Yes，theonceblueeyeshadturnedtogrey，andthefigureaddedhalfanarshintoitsstatureas，standingaserectasanewlymadenail，andpressingbothfeettogether，theforemanstretchedhimselftohisfullheight，andshoutedwithhismouthopentoitswidestextent:
　　“Don’tshuffleabout，norcrowdupononeanother，orI’llbreakyourheads！“
　　Whereafter，ofmyselfinparticular，heinquiredasheraisedthespirit-level:
　　“WhatisthematterwithYOU，pray？“
　　“Iamfeelingfrightened，“Imutteredinresponse。
　　“FeelingfrightenedofWHAT，indeed？“
　　“Ofbeingdrowned。“
　　“Pooh！Justyouholdyourtongue。“
　　Yetthenextmomentheglancedatme，andaddedinagentler，quietertone:
　　“Nonebutafoolgetsdrowned。Pickyourselfupandcomealong。“
　　Thenoncemoreheshoutedfull-throatedwordsofencouragementtohismen；andashedidso，hischestswelledandhisheadrockedwiththeeffort。
　　Yet，cracklingandcracking，theicewasbreakingup；andsoonitbeganslowlytobearuspastthetown。’Twasasthoughsomeunknownforceashorehadawakened，andwasstrivingtotearthebanksoftheriverintwo，somuchdidtheportionofthelandscapedownstreamseemtobestandingstillwhiletheportionlevelwithusseemedtoberecedingintheoppositedirection，andthuscausingabreaktotakeplaceinthemiddleofthepicture。
　　Andsoonthismovement，amovementagonisinglyslow，deprivedmeofmysenseofbeingconnectedwiththerestoftheworld，until，asthewholereceded，despairagaingrippedmyheartandunnervedmylimbs。Roseatecloudswereglidingacrosstheskyandcausingstrayfragmentsoftheice，which，seemingly，yearnedtoengulfme，toassumereflectedtintsofasimilarhue。Yes，itwasasthoughthebirthofspringhadreawakenedtheuniverse，andwascausingittostretchitself，andtoemitdeep，hurried，brokenpantsthatcrackeditsbonesastheriver，embeddedintheearth’sstoutframework，revivifiedthewholewiththick，turbulent，ebullientblood。
　　Andthissenseoflittleness，ofimpotenceamidthecalm，assuredmovementoftheearth’svastbulk，weigheduponmysoul，andevoked，andmomentarilyfannedtoflameinme，theshamelesshumanquestion:“WhatifIshouldstretchforthmyhandandlayituponthehillandthebanksoftheriver，andsay，’HaltuntilIcometoyou！’？“
　　Meanwhilethebellscontinuedthemournfulmoaningoftheirresonant，copperynotes；andthatmoaningledmetoreflectthatwithintwodaysonthenightofthemorrowtheywouldbepealingajoyouswelcometotheResurrectionFeast。
　　“Ohthatallofusmaylivetohearthatsound！“wasmyunspokenthought。
　　Beforemyvisiontherekeptquaveringsevendarkfigures——figuresshufflingovertheice，andbrandishingplankslikeoars。And，wrigglinglikealampreyinfrontofthemwasalittleoldfellow，anoldfellowresemblingSaintNicholastheWonder-Worker，anoldfellowwhokeptcryingsoftly，butauthoritatively:
　　“Donotstareaboutyou！“
　　Andevertheriverwasgrowingrougherandruder；everitsbackbonewasbeginningtopuiverandflounderlikeawhaleunderfoot，withitsliquescentbodyofcold，grey，murkywaterburstingwithincreasingfrequencyfromitsshellofice，andlappinghungrilyatourfeet。
　　Yes，wewerehumanbeingstraversing，asitwere，aslenderpoleoverabottomlessabyss；andaswewalked，thewater’ssoft，cantabilesplashsetmeinmindofthedepthsbelow，oftheinfinitetimeduringwhichabodywouldcontinuesinkingthroughdense，chillybulkuntilsightfadedandtheheartstoppedbeating。Yes，beforemymind’seyetherearosemendrownedanddevouredbycrayfish，menwithcrumblingskullsandswollenfeatures，andglassy，bulgingeyesandpuffyhandsandoutstretchedfingersandpalmsofwhichtheskinhadrottedoffwiththedamp。
　　ThefirsttofallinwasMokeiBudirin。HehadbeenwalkingnextaheadoftheMorduine，and，asamanhabituallysilentandabsorbed，proceedingonhiswaymorequietlythantherest。
　　Suddenlysomethinghadseemedtocatchathislegs，andhehaddisappeareduntilonlyhisheadandhishands，asthelatterclutchedathisplank，hadbeenleftabove-level。
　　“Runandhelphim，somebody！“wasOssip’sinstantcry。“Yes，butnotallofyou——justoneortwo。HelphimIsay！“
　　ThesplutteringMokei，however，saidtotheMorduineandmyself:
　　“No；doyoumoveaway，mates，forIshallbesthelpmyself。
　　Neveryoumind。“
　　And，sureenough，hedidsucceedindrawinghimselfoutontotheicewithoutassistance。Whereafterheremarkedasheshookhimself:
　　“Anicepickle，this，tobein！Imightaswellhavebeendrowned！“
　　And，infact，atthemomenthelooked，withhischatteringteethandgreattonguelickingadrippingmoustache，preciselylikealarge，good-natureddog。
　　ThenIrememberedhow，amonthearlier，hehadaccidentallydriventhebladeofhisaxethroughthejointofhisleftthumb，and，merelypickingupthewhitefragmentoffleshwiththenailturningblue，andscanningitwithhisunfathomableeyes，hadremarked，asthoughitwashehimselfthathadbeenatfault:
　　“HowoftenbeforeIhaveinjuredthatthumb，Icouldnotsay。
　　AndwhenonceIdislocatedit，Iwentonworkingwithitlongerthanwasright……NowIwillgoandburyit。“
　　Withwhich，carefullywrappingupthefragmentinsomeshavings，hehadthrustthewholeintohispocket，andbandagedthewoundedhand，Similarly，afterthat，didBoev，themannextinorderbehindMokei，contrivetowresthimselffromthegraspoftheice，though，onimmersion，hestartedbawling，“Mates，Ishalldrown！Iamdeadalready！Helpme，helpme！“andbecamesocrampedwithterrorastobeextricatedonlywithgreatdifficulty，whileamidthegeneralconfusiontheMorduinetoonearlyslippedintothewater。
　　“AnarrowshaveofsayingVesperstonightwiththedevilsinHell！“heremarkedasheclamberedback，andstoodgrinningwithanevenmoreangularandattenuatedappearancethanusual。
　　ThenextmomentBoevachievedasecondplunge，andscreamed，asbefore，forhelp。
　　“Don’tshout，yougoatofaYashka！“Ossipexclaimedashethreatenedhimwiththespirit-level。“Whyscarepeople？I’llgiveityou！Lookhere，lads。Leteverymantakeoffhisbeltandturnouthispockets。Thenhe’llwalklighter。“
　　Toothedjawsgapedandcrunchedatusateverystep，andvomitedthickspittle；ateverytenthsteptheirkeenbluefangsreachedforourlives。Meanwhile，thesoakedconditionofourbootsandclotheshadrenderedusasslimyasthoughsmearedwithpaste。Also，itsoweighedusdownastohinderanyactivemovement，andtocauseeachsteptobetakencautiously，slowly，silently，andwithponderousdiffidence。
　　Yet，soakedthoughwewere，Ossipmightverilyhaveknownthenumberofcracksinadvance，sosmoothandharelikewashisprogressfromfloetofloeasatintervalshefacedabout，watchedus，andcriedsonorously:
　　“That’sthewaytodoit，eh？“
　　Yes，heabsolutelyplayedwiththeriver，andthoughitkeptcatchingathisdiminutiveform，healwaysevadedit，circumventeditsmovements，andavoideditssnares。Nay，capableevenofdirectingitstrenddidheseem，andofthrustingunderourfeetonlythelargestandfirmestfloes。
　　“Lads，thereisnoneedtobedownhearted，“hewouldcryatintervals。
　　“Ah，thatbraveOssip！“theMorduineonceejaculated。“Inverytruthisheaman，andnomistake！Justlookathim！“
　　Thecloserweapproachedthefurthershore，thethinnerandthemorebrittledidtheicebecome，andthemoreliablewetobreakthroughit。Bythistimethetownhadnearlypassedus，andwewerebiddingfairtobecarriedoutintotheVolga，wheretheicewouldstillbesound，and，aslikelyasnot，drawusunderitself。