Page:Tolstoy - Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/107

Rh sledge at the form of Nikita, which was all covered with snow.

And thus Vasily Andreich rose and changed his place twenty times. It seemed to him as if this night would never come to an end. "It ought to be quite near to morning now," thought he on one of these occasions, raising himself up and looking around. " If I could only look at a watch. A fellow might freeze here if he unbuttoned. If I only knew that morning was close at hand I should feel all right. We could then inspan." Now at the bottom of his soul Vasily Andreich was well aware that it could not yet be morning; but he was beginning to be more and more violently afraid, and would fain prove and deceive himself at the same time. He cautiously unfastened the little hook of his pelisse, and thrusting his arm into his bosom, he groped about for a long time till he managed to reach his waistcoat. With great difficulty—with great, great difficulty—he drew forth his silver flower-enamelled watch, and began a-staring at it. Without a light nothing was visible. Again he lay down on one side, just as when he had begun smoking, managed to get the matches, and fell a-striking them. He now set about the business more methodically, and groping with his fingers, so as to pick out the match with the largest bit of phosphorus on it, he struck it alight at the first attempt. Thrusting the face of the watch beneath the light, he looked and did not believe his own eyes. It was only ten minutes past one. The whole night still lay before him.

"Oh, the long, long night!" thought Vasily 57