It is yellow in the
sky, although March is nearly gone."
The landlord of the hotel (a good enough resting-place facing the broad
Volga) had urged upon M. le Prince the advisability of waiting, as is
the way of landlords all the world over. But Etta had shown a strange
restlessness, a petulant desire to hurry forward at all risks. She hated
Tver; the hotel was uncomfortable, there was an unhealthy smell about
the place.
Paul acceded readily enough to her wishes. He rather liked Tver. In a
way he was proud of this busy town--a centre of Russian civilization. He
would have liked Etta to be favorably impressed with it, as any
prejudice would naturally reflect upon Osterno, 140 miles across the
steppe. But with a characteristic silent patience he made the necessary
preparations for an immediate start.
The night express from St. Petersburg had deposited them on the platform
in the early morning. Steinmetz had preceded them. Closed sleighs from
Osterno were awaiting them. A luxurious breakfast was prepared at the
hotel. Relays of horses were posted along the road. The journey to
Osterno had been carefully planned and arranged by Steinmetz--a king
among organizers. The sleigh drive across the steppe was to be
accomplished in ten hours.
The snow had begun to fall as they clattered across the floating bridge
of Tver.
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