Father Vassily fell about three versts away from the village in the center of the broad highway. He fell prone, his haggard face buried in the grey dust which had been ground fine by the wheels of traffic, trampled by the feet of men and beasts. And in his pose he had retained the impetuousness of his flight: the white dead hands outstretched, one leg curled up under the body, the other—clad in an old tattered boot with the sole worn through—long, straight and sinewy, thrown back tense and taut, as though even in death he still continued his flight.
[1] Popadya, the wife of a Russian village priest or “pope,” is a distinct type in the social world of the Russian village.
[2] Pet name for Vassily.
[3] Diminutive of Anastasia.
[4] The day in the church calendar dedicated to the saint for whom a Russian child is named. It is celebrated with more solemnity than the birthday.
[5] Diminutive of Anastasia.
[6] 1 pood = 36 lbs.
[7] A Russian card game, similar to “Old Maid.”
[8] Contemptuous diminutive for Vassily.
[9] The village church bell is rung during a snowstorm to guide any team or wanderer that may be seeking the road.