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reins and the cart rolled out of the yard。
THE POST
IT was three o'clock in the night。 The postman； ready to set off；
in his cap and his coat； with a rusty sword in his hand； was
standing near the door； waiting for the driver to finish putting
the mail bags into the cart which had just been brought round
with three horses。 The sleepy postmaster sat at his table； which
was like a counter； he was filling up a form and saying：
〃My nephew； the student； wants to go to the station at once。 So
look here； Ignatyev； let him get into the mail cart and take him
with you to the station： though it is against the regulations to
take people with the mail； what's one to do？ It's better for him
to drive with you free than for me to hire horses for him。〃
〃Ready！〃 they heard a shout from the yard。
〃Well； go then； and God be with you；〃 said the postmaster。 〃Which
driver is going？〃
〃Semyon Glazov。〃
〃Come； sign the receipt。〃
The postman signed the receipt and went out。 At the entrance of
the post…office there was the dark outline of a cart and three
hors es。 The horses were standing still except that one of the
tracehorses kept uneasily shifting from one leg to the other and
tossing its head； making the bell clang from time to time。 The
cart with the mail bags looked like a patch of darkness。 Two
silhouettes were moving lazily beside it： the student with a
portmanteau in his hand and a driver。 The latter was smoking a
short pipe； the light of the pipe moved about in the darkness；
dying away and flaring up again； for an instant it lighted up a
bit of a sleeve； then a shaggy moustache and big copper…red nose；
then stern…looking； overhanging eyebrows。 The postman pressed
down the mail bags with his hands； laid his sword on them and
jumped into the cart。 The student clambered irresolutely in after
him； and accidentally touching him with his elbow； said timidly
and politely： 〃I beg your pardon。〃
The pipe went out。 The postmaster came out of the post…office
just as he was； in his waistcoat and slippers； shrinking from the
night dampness and clearing his throat； he walked beside the cart
and said：
〃Well； God speed！ Give my love to your mother； Mihailo。 Give my
love to them all。 And you； Ignatyev； mind you don't forget to
give the parcel to Bystretsov。 。 。 。 Off！〃
The driver took the reins in one hand； blew his nose； and；
arranging the seat under himself； clicked to the horses。
〃Give them my love；〃 the postmaster repeated。
The big bell clanged something to the little bells； the little
bells gave it a friendly answer。 The cart squeaked； moved。 The
big bell lamented； the little bells laughed。 Standing up in his
seat the driver lashed the restless tracehorse twice； and the
cart rumbled with a hollow sound along the dusty road。 The little
town was asleep。 Houses and trees stood black on each side of the
broad street； and not a light was to be seen。 Narrow clouds
stretched here and there over the star…spangled sky； and where
the dawn would soon be coming there was a narrow crescent moon；
but neither the stars； of which there were many； nor the
half…moon； which looked white； lighted up the night air。 It was
cold and damp； and there was a smell of autumn。
The student； who thought that politeness required him to talk
affably to a man who had not refused to let him accompany him；
began：
〃In summer it would be light at this time； but now there is not
even a sign of the dawn。 Summer is over！〃
The student looked at the sky and went on：
〃Even from the sky one can see that it is autumn。 Look to the
right。 Do you see three stars side by side in a straight line？
That is the constellation of Orion； which； in our hemisphere；
only becomes visible in September。〃
The postman； thrusting his hands into his sleeves and retreating
up to his ears into his coat collar； did not stir and did not
glance at the sky。 Apparently the constellation of Orion did not
interest him。 He was accustomed to see the stars； and probably he
had long grown weary of them。 The student paused for a while and
then said：
〃It's cold！ It's time for the dawn to begin。 Do you know what
time the sun rises？〃
〃What？〃
〃What time does the sun rise now？〃
〃Between five and six；〃 said the driver。
The mail cart drove out of the town。 Now nothing could be seen on
either side of the road but the fences of kitchen gardens and
here and there a solitary willow…tree； everything in front of
them was shrouded in darkness。 Here in the open country the
half…moon looked bigger and the stars shone more brightly。 Then
came a scent of dampness； the postman shrank further into his
collar； the student felt an unpleasant chill first creeping about
his feet； then over the mail bags； over his hands and his face。
The horses moved more slowly； the bell was mute as though it were
frozen。 There was the sound of the splash of water； and stars
reflected in the water danced under the horses' feet and round
the wheels。
But ten minutes later it became so dark that neither the stars
nor the moon could be seen。 The mail cart had entered the forest。
Prickly pine branches were continually hitting the student on his
cap and a spider's web settled on his face。 Wheels and hoofs
knocked against huge roots； and the mail cart swayed from side to
side as though it were drunk。
〃Keep to the road；〃 said the postman angrily。 〃Why do you run up
the edge？ My face is scratched all over by the twigs！ Keep more
to the right！〃
But at that point there was nearly an accident。 The cart suddenly
bounded as though in the throes of a convulsion； began trembling；
and； with a creak； lurched heavily first to the right and then to
the left； and at a fearful pace dashed along the forest track。
The horses had taken fright at something and bolted。
〃Wo！ wo！〃 the driver cried in alarm。 〃Wo 。 。 。 you devils！
The student； violently shaken； bent forward and tried to find
something to catch hold of so as to keep his balance and save
himself from being thrown out； but the leather mail bags were
slippery； and the driver； whose belt the student tried to catch
at； was himself tossed up and down and seemed every moment on the
point of flying out。 Through the rattle of the wheels and the
creaking of the cart they heard the sword fall with a clank on
the ground； then a little later something fell with two heavy
thuds behind the mail cart。
〃Wo！〃 the driver cried in a piercing voice； bending backwards。
〃Stop！〃
The student fell on his face and bruised his forehead against the
driver's seat； but was at once tossed back again and knocked his
spine violently against the back of the cart。
〃I am falling！〃 was the thought that flashed through his mind；
but at that instant the horses dashed out of the forest into the
open； turned sharply to the right； and rumbling over a bridge of
logs； suddenly stopped dead； and the suddenness of this halt
flung the student forward again。
The driver and the student were both breathless。 The postman was
not in the cart。 He had been thrown out； together with his sword；
the student's portmanteau； and one of the mail bags。
〃Stop； you rascal！ Sto…op！〃 they heard him shout from the forest