“Storms with mist the sky conceal,

Snowy circles wheeling wild.

Now like savage beast ’twill howl,

And now ’tis wailing like a child.”

“Storms with mist the sky conceal, Snowy circles wheeling wild. Now like savage beast ’twill howl, And now ’tis wailing like a child.”

Nikíta nodded approvingly as he arranged the reins.

The old man, seeing Vasíli Andréevich off, brought a lantern into the passage to show him a light, but it was blown out at once. And even in the yard it was evident that the snowstorm had become more violent.