Description

In a quiet Russian village on the day after St. Nicholas, the innkeeper‑merchant Wasili Andrejitsch is racing against city traders to seal a deal for a modest forest. The holiday has just freed him from his duties as church elder, and he hurriedly gathers his money to travel to the neighboring estate. The urgency of the purchase creates a palpable tension that drives the opening act.

At his side is Nikita, a fifty‑year‑old farmhand who has managed to stay sober for a month despite a reputation for heavy drinking. Known for his hard work and good nature, he nevertheless erupts into violence when intoxicated, a fact that has cost him his wages and strained his marriage. His wife Marfa, living with a new partner and terrified of his occasional rage, represents the fragile domestic world that shadows his labor.

Together, the merchant’s ambitious venture and the servant’s turbulent personal life set up a contrast between ambition and restraint. As they prepare to leave the village, the story hints at how loyalty, greed, and the struggle for self‑control will shape the days to come.

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