第346章

第346章“oh,letmebe;whydidyouhindereverything！why？why？whoaskedyouto？”criednatasha,gettingupfromthesofa,andlookingvindictivelyatmaryadmitryevna.

“butwhatwasityouwanted？”screamedmaryadmitryevna,gettinghotagain.“why,youweren’tshutup,wereyou？whohinderedhiscomingtothehouse？whycarryyouoff,likesomegypsywench？…ifhehadcarriedyouoff,doyousupposetheywouldn’thavecaughthim？yourfather,orbrother,orbetrothed？he’sawretch,ascoundrel,that’swhatheis！”

“he’sbetterthananyofyou,”criednatasha,gettingup.“ifyouhadn’tmeddled…omygod,whatdoesitmean？sonya,whydidyou？goaway！…”andshesobbedwithadespairwithwhichpeopleonlybewailatroubletheyfeeltheyhavebroughtonthemselves.

maryadmitryevnawasbeginningtospeakagain;butnatashacried,“goaway,goaway,youallhatemeanddespiseme！”andsheflungherselfagainonthesofa.

maryadmitryevnawentonforsometimelongerlecturingnatasha,andurgingonherthatitmustallbekeptfromthecount,thatnoonewouldknowanythingofitifnatashawouldonlyundertaketoforgetitall,andnottoshowasigntoanyoneofanythinghavinghappened.natashamadenoanswer.shedidnotsobanymore,butshewastakenwithshiveringfitsandtrembling.maryadmitryevnaputapillowunderherhead,laidtwoquiltsoverher,andbroughthersomelime-flowerwaterwithherownhands;butnatashamadenoresponsewhenshespoketoher.

“well,lethersleep,”saidmaryadmitryevna,asshewentoutoftheroom,supposinghertobeasleep.butnatashawasnotasleep,herwide-openeyesgazedstraightbeforeheroutofherpaleface.allthatnightnatashadidnotsleep,anddidnotweep,andsaidnotawordtosonya,whogotupseveraltimesandwentintoher.

nextday,atlunchtime,ashehadpromised,countilyaandreitcharrivedfromhisestateintheenvirons.hewasinverygoodspirits：hehadcometotermswiththepurchaser,andtherewasnothingnowtodetainhiminmoscowawayfromhiscountess,forwhomhewaspining.maryadmitryevnamethim,andtoldhimthatnatashahadbeenveryunwellonthepreviousday,thattheyhadsentforadoctor,andthatnowshewasbetter.natashadidnotleaveherroomthatmorning.withtightlyshut,parchedlips,anddry,staringeyes,shesatatthewindowuneasilywatchingthepassers-byalongthestreet,andhurriedlylookingroundatanyonewhoenteredherroom.shewasobviouslyexpectingnewsofhim,expectingthathewouldcomehimselforwouldwritetoher.

whenthecountwentintoher,sheturneduneasilyatthesoundofhismanlytread,andherfaceresumeditspreviouscoldandevenvindictiveexpression.shedidnotevengetuptomeethim.

“whatisit,myangel;areyouill？”askedthecount.

natashawassilentamoment.

“yes,iamill,”sheanswered.

inanswertothecount’sinquirieswhyshewasdepressedandwhetheranythinghadhappenedwithherbetrothed,sheassuredhimthatnothinghad,andedhimnottobeuneasy.maryadmitryevnaconfirmednatasha’sassurancesthatnothinghadhappened.fromthepretenceofillness,fromhisdaughter’sagitatedstate,andthetroubledfacesofsonyaandmaryadmitryevna,thecountsawclearlythatsomethinghadhappenedinhisabsence.butitwassoterribletohimtobelievethatanythingdisgracefulhadhappenedtohisbeloveddaughter,andhesoprizedhisowncheerfulserenity,thatheavoidedinquiriesandtriedtoassurehimselfthatitwasnothingveryoutoftheway,andonlygrievedthatherindispositionwoulddelaytheirreturntothecountry.