About the book: 1910 / The worst autumn evening came when our ill-fated wanderers arrived at a provincial town, from which they expected profit. All the time, a fine, frequent rain, mixed with snow, fell from the sky, and a cold wind blew. When it came in a sudden squall, it was as if from a bucket it splashed out a mass of icy water on the poor travelers and doused them with such cold that even the unfortunate nag, who was hardly dragging the cart through the mud, trembled from it..