When the cock crowed the third time she was obliged to get up to attend to the fire.
Day was just dawning and the church-bells had begun to ring.

Soon all the children were also up, but there was still no tidings of the missing husband and father.
In the morning the chill blasts of winter entered their humble home, and on looking out they saw that the houses, fields, and roads were thickly covered with snow.

The day was clear and cold, as if befitting the holy-day they were about to celebrate.

They were able to see a long distance from the house, but no one was in sight.
Akulina was busy baking cakes, and had it not been for the joyous shouts of the children she would not have known that Polikey was coming up the road, for a few minutes later he came in with a bundle in his hand and walked quietly to his corner.

Akulina noticed that he was very pale and that his face bore an expression of suffering--as if he would like to have cried but could not do so.