第585章

第585章“yes,thatwasdeath.idiedandiwakedup.yes,deathisanawakening,”flashedwithsuddenlightintohissoul,andtheveilthathadtillthenhiddentheunknownwasliftedbeforehisspiritualvision.hefelt,asitwere,setfreefromsomeforcethatheldhiminbondage,andwasawareofthatstrangelightnessofbeingthathadnotlefthimsince.

whenhewakedupinacoldsweatandmovedonthecouch,natashawentupandaskedhimwhatwasthematter.hedidnotanswer,andlookedatherwithstrangeeyes,notunderstandingher.

thatwasthechangethathadcomeoverhimtwodaysbeforeprincessmarya’sarrival.thedoctorsaidthatfromthatdaythewastingfeverhadassumedamoreseriousaspect,butnatashapaidlittleheedtowhatthedoctorsaid;shesawtheterriblemoralsymptoms,thatforherwerefarmoreconvincing.

withhisawakeningfromsleepthatdaytherebeganforprinceandreyanawakeningfromlife.andinrelationtothedurationoflifeitseemedtohimnotmoreprolongedthantheawakeningfromsleepinrelationtothedurationofadream.therewasnothingviolentorterribleinthisrelativelyslowawakening.

hislastdaysandhourspassedinasimpleandcommonplaceway.princessmaryaandnatasha,whoneverlefthisside,bothfeltthat.theydidnotweepnorshudder,andtowardsthelasttheybothfelttheywerewaitingnotonhim（hewasnomore;hehadgonefarawayfromthem）,butonthenearestmemoryofhim—hisbody.thefeelingsofbothofthemweresostrongthattheexternal,horriblesideofdeathdidnotaffectthem,andtheydidnotfinditneedfultoworkuptheirgrief.theydidnotweepeitherinhispresencenorawayfromhim,andtheynevereventalkedofhimtogether.theyfeltthattheycouldnotexpressinwordswhattheyunderstood.

theybothsawthathewasslowlyandquietlyslippingfurtherandfurtherawayfromthem,andbothknewthatthismustbeso,andthatitwaswell.hereceivedabsolutionandextremeunction;everyonecametobidhimgood-bye.whenhissonwasbroughtintohim,hepressedhislipstohimandturnedaway,notbecauseitwaspainfulorsadtohim（princessmaryaandnatashasawthat）,butsimplybecausehesupposedhehaddoneallthatwasrequiredofhim.buthewastoldtogivehimhisblessing,hedidwhatwasrequired,andlookedroundasthoughtoaskwhethertherewasanythingelsehemustdo.whenthebody,desertedbythespirit,passedthroughitslastles,princessmaryaandnatashawerethere.

“itisover！”saidprincessmarya,afterthebodyhadlainforsomemomentsmotionless,andgrowingcoldbeforethem.natashawentclose,glancedatthedeadeyes,andmadehastetoshutthem.sheclosedthem,anddidnotkissthem,buthungoverwhatwasthenearestmemoryofhim.“wherehashegone？whereishenow？…”

whenthebodylay,dressedandwashed,inthecoffinonthetableeveryonecametotakeleaveofhim,andeveryonecried.nikolushkacriedfromtheagonisingbewildermentthatwasrendinghisheart.thecountessandsonyacriedfrompityfornatasha,andfromgriefthathewasgone.theoldcountcriedbecausehefeltthathetoomustsoontakethesameterriblestep.

natashaandprincessmaryawepttoonow.buttheydidnotweepfortheirpersonalsorrow;theyweptfromtheemotionandawethatfilledtheirsoulsbeforethesimpleandsolemnmysteryofdeaththathadbeenaccomplishedbeforetheireyes.