large, warm drops, now ceased. The road could not be distinguished in
the field, and it was pitch dark in the woods. Although Katiousha was
familiar with the road she lost her way in the woods, and reached a
sub-station, where the train only stopped for three minutes. Running
on the platform, she espied Nekhludoff through the window of a
first-class car. The car was brightly illuminated. Two officers sat on
plush seats playing cards. On the table near the window two thick
candles were burning. Nekhludoff sat on the arm of the seat, his elbow
resting on the back, laughing. As soon as she recognized him she
tapped on the window with her cold hand. But at that moment the third
bell rang, and the train began to move, the cars jostling each other
forward. One of the players rose with the cards in his hands and began
to look through the window. She tapped again, and pressed her face
against the window-pane. At that moment the car beside which she stood
was tugged forward, and it moved along. She ran alongside, looking in
the window. The officer tried to lower the window, but could not.
Nekhludoff rose, and, pushing the officer aside, began lowering it.
The train went faster, so that Katiousha was obliged to run. The train
moved still faster when the window was lowered. At that moment the
conductor pushed her aside and jumped on the car. She fell back, but
continued to run along the wet boards of the platform, and when she
reached the end of the platform and began to descend the steps to the
ground, she almost fell exhausted. The first-class car was far ahead
of her, and while she was running the second-class cars passed her,
then came with greater speed those of the third class. When the last
car with the lanterns flew by her she was already beyond the
water-tank, unsheltered from the wind which lashed her, blowing the
shawl from her head and tangling her feet in her skirt. But still she
ran on.