The world went like this now: Polotzk--more Polotzk--more Polotzk--Vitebsk! And Vitebsk was not so different, only bigger and brighter and more crowded.

And Vitebsk was not the end.

The Dvina, and the railroad, went on beyond Vitebsk,--went on to Russia.
Then was Russia more Polotzk?
Was here also no dividing fence?
How I wanted to see Russia! But very few people went there.

When people went to Russia it was a sign of trouble; either they could not make a living at home, or they were drafted for the army, or they had a lawsuit.

No, nobody went to Russia for pleasure.