Matters were now very plain to me: the village had been covered with snow overnight; a sudden change of weather had taken place; I had sunk down to the churchyard whilst asleep, gently, and in the same proportion as the snow had melted away; and what in the dark I had taken to be a stump of a little tree appearing above the snow, to which I had tied my horse, proved to have been the cross or weather-cock of the steeple! Without long consideration I took one of my pistols, shot the bridle in two, brought the horse, and proceeded on my journey.

[Here the Baron seems to have forgot his feelings; he should certainly have ordered his horse a feed of corn, after fasting so long.] He carried me well--advancing into the interior parts of Russia.

I found travelling on horseback rather unfashionable in winter, therefore I submitted, as I always do, to the custom of the country, took a single horse sledge, and drove briskly towards St.Petersburg.I do not exactly recollect whether it was in Eastland or Jugemanland, but I remember that in the midst of a dreary forest I spied a terrible wolf making after me, with all the speed of ravenous winter hunger.

He soon overtook me.

There was no possibility of escape.