Page:Tolstoy - Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/100

Tales from Tolstoi "Oh, I'll find a place," said Nikita, "but I must first cover the horse, the poor thing is all over sweat. Pray let go!" he added; and approaching the sledge, he drew out the large sack from beneath Vasily Andreich, and having got hold of it, he folded it in two, and covered Brownie with it, first of all unloosening and taking off his harness.

"You'll be all the warmer for it, you little fool," said he, placing over the horse, on the top of the sack, the saddle and the heavy harness.

"And now, if you don't want it, I'll have the big apron, and let me have some straw too," said Nikita, and having finished with the horse he turned back to the sledge.

And taking both apron and straw from beneath Vasily Andreich, he went to the back of the sledge, dug himself out a hole in the snow, filled it with straw, and pressing his hat down over his eyes, wrapping himself round in his kaftan and covering himself over with the apron, he sat on the heaped-up straw, leaning against the back of the sledge, which protected him from the wind and the snow.

Vasily Andreich shook his head disapprovingly at what Nikita was doing (he disapproved in general of the stupidity and want of culture of all muzhiks), and then he set about making himself comfortable for the night.

He smoothed out all the straw remaining in the sledge, tucked it more closely beneath and around him, drew his hands up his sleeves, and disposed his head comfortably in the front corner of the sledge, where he was sheltered from the wind and snow. 50