“...When the dog came very close to them, they, as if on command, bent down behind the hard lumps of snow. And for some reason, just at that moment the ice floe, which until now seemed strong, suddenly cracked in an arc, separating the two fishermen from the main ice, and immediately broke into small pieces. People plunged into the water, raising a fountain of spray, plunged headlong into the unexpectedly terrible cold and emerged after endlessly long seconds with crazy, confused eyes...”