ly roasted to make the odour
more inviting, and packed up with cords and straw in a pretty tight
parcel, which was fastened to the sledge by a long rope twisted to
almost iron hardness. Away they drove at full speed; and when fairly
in the forest, the pork was thrown down, and allowed to drag after the
sledge, the smell of it bringing wolves from every quarter, while the
hunters fired at them as they advanced. I have seen a score of skins
collected in this manner, not to speak of the fun, the excitement, and
the opportunities for exhibiting one's marksmanship and courage where
one would most wish to have them seen.

The peasants said it was never lucky when Christmas came without a
wolf-hunt: but that year it was like to be so; for, as I have said,
the snow kept falling at intervals, with days of fog and thaw between,
till the night before the vigil. In my youth, the Lithuanians kept
Christmas after the fashion of old northern times. It began with great
devotion, and ended in greater feasting. The eve was considered
particularly sacred: many traditional ceremonies and strange beliefs
hung about it, and the more pious held that no one should engage in
any profane occupation, or think of going to sleep after sunset. When
it came, our disappointment concerning the wolf-hunt lay heavy on many
a mind as well as mine; but a strong frost had set in before daybreak,
and at the early nightfall a finer prospect for sledging could not be
desired--over the broad plain, and far between the forest pines; the
ice stretched away as smooth and bright as a mirror. The moon was
full, and the stars were out by thousands: you could have read large
print by the cold, clear light, as my cousins and I stood at my
uncle's door, fervently wishing it had been any other evening.
Suddenly, our ears caught the sound of bells and laughing voices, and
in a few minutes up drove the Lorenski sledge in its gayest trappings,
with Constanza, the Russian countess, and the young cousins, all
looking blithe, and rosy in the frosty air, while Emerich and Theodore
sat in true hunter's trim, and Father Cassimer himself in charge of
the reins, with the well-covered pork beside him. They had two noble
horses of the best Tatar blood, unequalled in the province, as we
knew, for speed and strength; and Emerich's cheerful voice first
saluted us with: 'Ho! friends, it is seven hours yet till midnight:
won't you come with us?--it is a shame to let Christmas in without a