riotous
boisterous, rowdy, unruly; wild and unhinged behavior
spree
a period of indulgent, unruly drinking
adjoining
rooms, buildings, or land joined together or situated next to
samovar
an embellished tea urn, meaning in Russian "self-boiler"
troika
derived from the Russian word for "set of three," a carriage vehicle pulled by three horses, or a group of three people working together
rubles
the basic unit of Russian currency, equivalent to one hundred kopeks
czar (also tsar, tzar)
a Russian emperor (prior to 1917)
meekness
submissiveness; easily imposed upon
downcast
downward-looking eyes; more generally, the bearing of someone feeling despondent
sledge
a sled-like vehicle pulled by animals over snow
fortnight
a period of two weeks (from "fourteen nights")
Nizhny
a Russian city, renamed Gorky from the 1930s to 1990
alight
to get down from something, often a train, bus, or other vehicle
enquiries (inquiries)
questions asked in a formal investigation
flog
to beat someone with a whip, stick, or knotted rope as a means of torture or punishment
