第511章

第511章butnatashawouldnotgivein.shepulledeverythingout,andbeganrapidlypackingthemagain,decidingthatthecommonerrugsandcrockeryshouldnotbetakenatall.whenshehadtakeneverythingout,shebeganrepackingwhatwastogo;andbysortingoutalmostallthecheapergoodswhichwerenotworthtaking,allthatwasofvaluewasgotintotwoboxes.onlythelidoftheboxfullofrugswouldnotshut.afewthingsmighthavebeentakenout,butnatashawantedtomanageitinherownway.sheunpacked,repacked,squeezedthethingsin,madethefootmanandpetya,whomshehaddrawnintoassistinginthework,pressonthelid,andherselftrieddesperatelytodothesame.

“thatwilldo,natasha,”sonyasaidtoher.“iseeyouarequiteright,buttakeoutjustthetopone.”

“iwon’t,”criednatasha,withonehandholdingherdisorderedhairoffherperspiringface,whilewiththeothershesqueezeddowntherugs.“pressit,petya,pressit！vassilitch,presshard！”shecried.therugsyielded,andthelidclosed.natasha,clappingherhands,shriekedwithdelight,andtearsstartedintohereyes.butthatlastedonlyasecond.shesettoworkatonceonafreshjob;andnowtheservantsputcompletefaithinher,andthecountdidnottakeitamisswhentheytoldhimthatnatalyailyinitshnahadgivensomedirectionsupersedinghisorders;andtheservantscametonatashatoaskwhetheracartwaspackedfullenoughandwhethertheloadsweretobetiedon.thepackingwentonfastnow,thankstonatasha’ssupervision;everythinguselesswasleftbehind,andthemostvaluablegoodswerepackedascompactlyaspossible.

butwithalltheirexertions,evenlateatnighteverythingwasnotready.thecountesshadfallenasleep,andthecountputofftheirdeparturetillmorningandwenttobed.

sonyaandnatashasleptinthedivan-room,withoutundressing.

thatnightanotherwoundedofficerwasdrivenalongpovarskystreet,andmavrakuzminishna,whowasstandingatthegate,hadhimbroughtintotherostovs’yard.thewoundedofficermust,mavrakuzminishnathought,beamanofverygreatconsequence.hewasinacoachwiththehoodletdownandacarriageaproncompletelycoveringit.anoldman,amostrespectable-lookingvalet,wassittingontheboxwiththedriver.adoctorandtwosoldiersfollowedthecarriageinanotherconveyance.

“comeintoourhouse,comein.themastersaregoingaway,thewholehouseisempty,”saidtheoldwoman,addressingtheoldservant.

“well,”answeredthevalet,sighing,“andindeedwehavenohopeofgettinghimhomealive！wehaveahouseofourowninmoscow,butitisalongwayfurther,andthere’snoonelivinginiteither.”

“praycomein,ourmastershaveplentyofeverything,andyouarewelcome,”saidmavrakuzminishna.“isthegentlemanverybad,then？”sheasked.

“there’snohope！imustaskthedoctor.”andthevaletgotdownandwenttothevehiclebehind.

“verygood,”saidthedoctor.

thevaletwentuptothecoachagain,peepedintoit,shookhishead,toldthecoachmantoturnintotheyard,andstoodstillbesidemavrakuzminishna.

“lordjesuschrist,havemercy！”shemurmured.

mavrakuzminishnaestedthewoundedmanbeingcarriedintothehouse.

“themasterswon’tsayanything…”saidshe.

buttheyhadtoavoidliftinghimupthesteps,andsotheycarriedthewoundedmantothelodge,andputhimintheroomthathadbeenmadameschoss’s.thiswoundedofficerwasprinceandreybolkonsky.