A lifetime of susceptibility to the cold means that Tuo has taken certain measures to ensure that the wagon that serves as his home is properly equipped to handle the worst that winter can throw at him. That was the guarantee by the builder, and for the last several years, Tuo has had no reason to complain.
Even this year, he can't blame the builder. It was his own fault that the damp got into his store of firewood. What good is a wood-burning stove if the wood won't catch light?
No good at all, although he finds he has little energy to spare in chastising himself. Instead, he has nested himself in his bed under as many furs and cloaks as he owns, doing what he can to keep himself and the magpie Alvi from freezing during the night. In the morning, he resolves he will make the trek past the soldiers' encampment to reach the Town Hall. He has no choice.
III.
The howl wakes him up from his shallow sleep. Tuo sits up abruptly on the sleeping pallet that had been set aside for him within the chapel sanctuary, and looks around in alarm to see if he is alone in having heard the noise.
A few other people are stirring where they sleep, but none wake fully. Gathering up cloak, he hastily wraps his headscarf around his head and shoulders, stuffs his feet into his boots, and ventures outside just beyond the threshold of the church to look about outside.
(A fool indeed. Who hears a mysterious animal's cry and decides to investigate it all on his own? This one, apparently.)
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A lifetime of susceptibility to the cold means that Tuo has taken certain measures to ensure that the wagon that serves as his home is properly equipped to handle the worst that winter can throw at him. That was the guarantee by the builder, and for the last several years, Tuo has had no reason to complain.
Even this year, he can't blame the builder. It was his own fault that the damp got into his store of firewood. What good is a wood-burning stove if the wood won't catch light?
No good at all, although he finds he has little energy to spare in chastising himself. Instead, he has nested himself in his bed under as many furs and cloaks as he owns, doing what he can to keep himself and the magpie Alvi from freezing during the night. In the morning, he resolves he will make the trek past the soldiers' encampment to reach the Town Hall. He has no choice.
III.
The howl wakes him up from his shallow sleep. Tuo sits up abruptly on the sleeping pallet that had been set aside for him within the chapel sanctuary, and looks around in alarm to see if he is alone in having heard the noise.
A few other people are stirring where they sleep, but none wake fully. Gathering up cloak, he hastily wraps his headscarf around his head and shoulders, stuffs his feet into his boots, and ventures outside just beyond the threshold of the church to look about outside.
(A fool indeed. Who hears a mysterious animal's cry and decides to investigate it all on his own? This one, apparently.)