translation: results 25–28 of 28

Ow when of comely mien the son came into the chamber,

Turned with a searching look the eyes of the preacher upon him,

And, with the gaze of the student, who easily fathoms expression,

Scrutinized well his face and form and his general bearing.

Truly, I never have seen the market and street so deserted!

How as if it were swept looks the town, or had perished!

For several days in succession fragments of a defeated army had passed through the town. They were mere disorganized bands, not disciplined forces.

On 25 March an unusually strange event occurred in St. Petersburg.