But what most contributed to my comfort was that I was accompanied by an agreeable, intelligent young Russian, who kindly undertook to make all the necessary arrangements, and I was thereby freed from those annoyances and worries which are always encountered in primitive countries where travelling is not yet a recognised institution.

To him I left the entire control of our movements, passively acquiescing in everything, and asking no questions as to what was coming.

Taking advantage of my passivity, he prepared for me one evening a pleasant little surprise.
About sunset we had left a village called Morsha, and shortly afterwards, feeling drowsy, and being warned by my companion that we should have a long, uninteresting drive, I had lain down in the tarantass and gone to sleep.

On awaking I found that the tarantass had stopped, and that the stars were shining brightly overhead.

A big dog was barking furiously close at hand, and I heard the voice of the yamstchik informing us that we had arrived.