第569章

第569章inthehostelofthemonasterythreebigroomswereassignedtotherostovs,oneofwhichwasoccupiedbyprinceandrey.thewoundedmanwasbythistimeagreatdealbetter.natashawassittingwithhim.inthenextroomwerethecountandthecountessreverentlyconversingwiththesuperior,whowaspayingavisittohisoldacquaintancesandpatrons.sonyawassittingwiththem,frettedbycuriosityastowhatprinceandreyandnatashaweresaying.sheheardthesoundsoftheirvoicesthroughthedoor.thedoorofprinceandrey’sroomopened.natashacameoutwithanexcitedface,andnotnoticingthemonk,whorosetomeether,andpulledbackhiswidesleeveoffhisrighthand,shewentuptosonyaandtookherbythearm.

“natasha,whatareyouabout？comehere,”saidthecountess.

natashawentuptoreceivetheblessing,andthesuperiorcounselledhertoturnforaidtogodandtohissaint.

immediatelyafterthesuperiorhadgoneout,natashatookherfriendbythearm,andwentwithherintotheemptythirdroom.

“sonya,yes,hewilllive,”shesaid.“sonya,howhappyiam,andhowwretched！sonya,darling,everythingisjustasitusedtobe.ifonlyheweregoingtolive.hecannot,…because…be…cause…”andnatashaburstintotears.

“yes！iknewitwouldbe！thankgod,”saidsonya.“hewilllive.”

sonyawasnolessexcitedthanherfriend,bothbythelatter’sgriefandfears,andbyherownpersonalreflections,ofwhichshehadspokentonoone.sobbing,shekissedandcomfortednatasha.“ifonlyheweretolive！”shethought.afterweeping,talkingalittle,andwipingtheirtears,thetwofriendswenttowardsprinceandrey’sdoor.natasha,cautiouslyopeningthedoor,glancedintotheroom.sonyastoodbesideheratthehalf-opendoor.

princeandreywaslyingraisedhighonthreepillows.hispalefacelookedpeaceful,hiseyeswereclosed,andtheycouldseehisquiet,regularbreathing.

“ah,natasha！”sonyaalmostshriekedallofasudden,clutchingathercousin’sarm,andmovingbackawayfromthedoor.

“what！whatisit？”askednatasha

“it’sthesame,thesame,youknow…”saidsonya,withawhitefaceandquiveringlips.

natashasoftlyclosedthedoorandwalkedawaywithsonyatothewindow,notyetunderstandingwhatshewastalkingof.

“doyouremember,”saidsonya,withascaredandsolemnface,“doyourememberwhenilookedintothemirrorforyou…atotradnoeatchristmastime…doyourememberwhatisaw？”…

“yes,yes,”saidnatasha,openinghereyeswide,andvaguelyrecallingthatsonyahadsaidsomethingthenaboutseeingprinceandreylyingdown.

“doyouremember？”sonyawenton.“isawhimthen,andtoldyouallsoatthetime,youanddunyasha.isawhimlyingonabed,”shesaid,ateachdetailmakingagesturewithherliftedfinger,“andthathehadhiseyesshut,andthathewascoveredwithapinkquilt,andthathehadhishandsfolded,”saidsonya,convincedasshedescribedthedetailsshehadjustseenthattheyweretheverydetailsshehadseenthen.atthetimeshehadseennothing,buthadsaidshewasseeingthefirstthingthatcameintoherhead.butwhatshehadinventedthenseemedtohernowasrealamemoryasanyother.shenotonlyrememberedthatshehadsaidatthetimethathelookedroundatherandsmiled,andwascoveredwithsomethingred,butwasfirmlyconvincedthatshehadseenandsaidatthetime,thathewascoveredwithapinkquilt—yes,pink—andthathiseyeshadbeenclosed.

“yes,yes,pinkitwas,”saidnatasha,whobegannowtofancytoothatsherememberedhersayingitwasapinkquilt,andsawinthatdetailthemoststrikingandmysteriouspointintheprediction.

“butwhatdoesitmean？”saidnatashadreamily.

“ah,idon’tknow,howextraordinaryitallis！”saidsonya,clutchingatherhead.

***

afewminuteslater,princeandreyranghisbell,andnatashawentintohim;whilesonya,inastateofexcitementandemotionsuchasshehadrarelyexperienced,remainedinthewindow,ponderingoverallthestrangenessofwhatwashappening.

thatdaytherewasanopportunityofsendingletterstothearmy,andthecountesswrotealettertoherson.

“sonya,”saidthecountess,raisingherheadfromherletter,asherniecepassedbyher.“sonya,won’tyouwritetonikolenka？”saidthecountess,inasoftandtremblingvoice;andinthetiredeyes,thatlookedatheroverthespectacles,sonyareadallthatthecountessmeantbythosewords.thoseeyesexpressedentreatyanddreadofarefusalandshameathavingtobeg,andreadinessforunforgivinghatredincaseofrefusal.

sonyawentuptothecountess,andkneelingdown,kissedherhand.

“iwillwrite,mamma,”shesaid.

sonyawassoftened,excited,andmovedbyallthathadpassedthatday,especiallybythemysteriousfulfilmentofherdivination,whichshehadjustseen.now,whensheknewthatincaseoftherenewalofnatasha’sengagementtoprinceandrey,nikolaycouldnotbemarriedtoprincessmarya,shefeltwithdelightareturnofthatself-sacrificingspiritinwhichshewasaccustomedandlikedtolive.andwithtearsinhereyes,andwithagladsenseofperformingamagnanimousaction,shesatdown,andseveraltimesinterruptedbythetearsthatdimmedhervelvetyblackeyes,shewrotethetouchingletterthereceptionofwhichhadsoimpressednikolay.