第513章

第513章“count，domeagreatfavour，allowme…forgod’ssake…togetintooneofyourons.ihavenothingherewithme…icangoquitewellwiththeage…”

beforetheofficerfinishedspeaking，theorderlycameuptomakethesamerequestforhismaster.

“oh！yes，yes，yes，”saidthecounthurriedly.“ishallbeverygladindeed.vassilitch，youseetoit；youhaveaonortwocleared，well…well…what’sneeded…？”thecountmurmuredsomevagueorders.buttheglowinglookofgratitudeontheofficer’sfaceinstantlyputthesealontheorder.thecountlookedabouthim；everywhereintheyard，atthegates，atthewindowsofthelodge—hesawwoundedmenandorderlies.theywereallgazingathimandmovinguptowardsthesteps.

“willyoupleasewalkintothegallery，yourexcellency；whatareyourordersaboutthepicturesthere？”saidthebutler.andthecountwentintothehousewithhim，repeatinghisinstructionsthattheywerenottorefusethewoundedmenwhoedtogowiththem.

“youcantakesomethingoutoftheloads，youknow，”headded，inasubduedandmysteriousvoice，asthoughhewereafraidofbeingoverheard.

atnineo’clockthecountesswokeup，andmatronatimofyevna，whohadbeenhermaidbeforehermarriage，andnowperformedthedutiesofasortofchefdegendarmesforthecountess，cameintoreporttoherthatmadameschosswasverymuchaggrieved，andthattheyoungladies’summerdressescouldnotpossiblybeleftbehind.onthecountessinquiringthecauseofmadameschoss’sresentment，itappearedthatthatlady’strunkhadbeentakenoutoftheon，andthatalltheonswerebeingunloaded，andthattheagewasbeingtakenout，astheonsweretobegivenuptothewoundedmen，whomthecount，withhisusualreadinesstobeimposedupon，hadconsentedtotakeawaywiththem.thecountesssentforherhusbandtocometoher.

“what’sthis，mydear？iheartheageisbeingunloaded.”

“doyouknow，machère，iwantedtospeaktoyouaboutit…dearlittlecountess…anofficercameuptome—theyareimploringustoletthemhaveafewonsforthewounded.it’sallaquestionofmoneylosstous，ofcourse，buttobeleftbehind…thinkwhatitmeanstothem！…heretheyareinourveryyard；weaskedtheminourselves；hereareofficers.…youknow，ireallythink，machère…well，letthemtakethem.weareinnohurry.”

thecountspoketimidly，ashealwaysdidwhenthesubjectwasinanywayconnectedwithmoney.thecountesswasusedtothattone，whichalwaysusheredinsomematterprejudicialtoherchildren’sinterests，suchasthebuildingofanewgallery，orconservatory，oranewtheatreinthehouse，orthetrainingofanorchestra；andshemadeitahabit，andregardeditasaduty，toopposeeverythingthatwascommunicatedinthattone.

sheassumedherairoftearfulresignation，andsaidtoherhusband：

“listen，count，youhavemismanagedthingsso，thatwearegettingnothingforthehouse，andnowyouwanttothrowawayallour—allthechildren’s—property.why，youtoldmeyourselfthatwehaveahundredthousandroubles’worthofvaluablesinthehouse.iprotest，andprotest，mylove.whatwouldyouhave！it’sforthegovernmenttolookafterthewounded.theyknowthat.onlythink，thelopuhinsoppositeclearedeverythingtothelaststickoutoftheirhousethedaybeforeyesterday.that’showotherpeoplemanage.it’sonlywewhoaresuchfools.ifyouhavenoconsiderationforme，doatleastthinkofyourchildren.”

thecountwavedhishandsindespair，andwentoutoftheroomwithoutaword.

“papa！whydoyoudothat？”saidnatasha，whohadfollowedhimintohermother’sroom.

“nothing！it’snobusinessofyours！”thecountsaidangrily.

“butiheard，”saidnatasha.“whywon’tmammahaveit？”

“it’snobusinessofyours！”criedthecount.

natashawalkedawaytothewindowandpondered.

“papa，here’sbergcomingtoseeus，”shesaid，lookingoutofthewindow.