Such were the Steppes
as I drove through them at night-fall or in the early morn; and
where, fatigued by want of sleep, my eye searched eagerly, but
in vain, for a station.
On arriving at the halting-place, which was about twenty-seven
versts from Orsk, Nazar came to me, and said, "I am very sleepy; I
have not slept for three nights, and shall fall off if we continue
the journey."
When I began to think of it, the poor fellow had a good deal of
reason on his side. I could occasionally obtain a few moments'
broken slumber, which was out of the question for him. I felt rather
ashamed that in my selfishness I had over-driven a willing horse,
and the fellow had shown first-class pluck when we had to pass
the night out on the roadside; so, saying that he ought to have
told me before that he wanted rest, I sent him to lie down, when,
stretching his limbs alongside the stove, in an instant he was
fast asleep.
The inspector was a good-tempered, fat old fellow, with red cheeks
and an asthmatic cough.
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