“Yes, I ought to.⁠ ⁠… But they’ll do like this. It isn’t far!” and he ran out into the yard.

“Won’t you be cold, Nikíta?” said the mistress as he came up to the sledge.

“Cold? No, I’m quite warm,” answered Nikíta as he pushed some straw up to the forepart of the sledge so that it should cover his feet, and stowed away the whip, which the good horse would not need, at the bottom of the sledge.

Vasíli Andréevich, who was wearing two fur-lined coats one over the other, was already in the sledge, his broad back filling nearly its whole rounded width, and taking the reins he immediately touched the horse. Nikíta jumped in just as the sledge started, and seated himself in front on the left side, with one leg hanging over the edge.