Versta

The new and, to Mila, welcome détente almost came to an untimely end in Torzhok, where Varya insisted on stopping for ‘an hour or so’ to buy gloves, boots and slippers from the famous leather-workers of the town, despite Maxim’s terse remark that they were still about 60 versty from Tver, where the jäger had recommended they stay for dinner and lodging.

The law mandated that provincial authorities resettle those who had committed a criminal offense 60 versty (63.6 kilometers) from the nearest provincial city, while it allowed free volunteers to return home, but only under guard.

We arrived at another village, this is 8 versty [1 versta = 3500 ft.] to the southwest—it is more convenient for us here because we are stationed alone[, i.e., apart from the other units in this area] and are all together, and there are 2 companions there and machine guns are placed every 3 and 6 versty.

[A]s soon as one travelled more than a hundred versty from any of [the] country’s larger cities, all political issues simply vanished into utter silence.