第345章

第345章maryadmitryevnacominguponsonyaweepinginthecorridorhadforcedhertoconfesseverything.snatchingupnatasha’sletterandreadingit,maryadmitryevnawentintonatasha,withtheletterinherhand.

“vilegirl,shamelesshussy！”shesaidtoher.“iwon’thearaword！”pushingasidenatasha,whogazedatherwithamazedbuttearlesseyes,shelockedherintotheroom,andgivingorderstohergateportertoadmitthepersonswhowouldbecomingthatevening,butnottoallowthemtopassoutagain,andgivinghergroomsorderstoshowthosepersonsuptoher,sheseatedherselfinthedrawing-roomawaitingtheabductors.

whengavrilocametoannouncetomaryadmitryevnathatthepersonswhohadcomehadrunaway,shegotupfrowning,andclaspingherhandsbehindher,walkedalongwhileupanddownthroughherrooms,ponderingwhatshewastodo.atmidnightshewalkedtowardsnatasha’sroom,feelingthekeyinherpocket.sonyawassittingsobbinginthecorridor,“maryadmitryevna,do,forgod’ssake,letmegointoher！”shesaid.

maryadmitryevna,makinghernoreply,openedthedoorandwentin.“hateful,disgusting,inmyhouse,thenastyhussy,onlyi’msorryforherfather！”maryadmitryevnawasthinking,tryingtoallayherwrath.“hardasitmaybe,iwillforbidanyonetospeakofit,andwillconcealitfromthecount.”maryadmitryevnawalkedwithresolutestepsintotheroom.

natashawaslyingonthesofa;shehadherheadhiddeninherhandsanddidnotstir.shewaslyinginexactlythesamepositioninwhichmaryadmitryevnahadlefther.

“you’reanicegirl,averynicegirl！”saidmaryadmitryevna.“encouragingmeetingswithloversinmyhouse！there’snouseining.youlistenwhenispeaktoyou.”maryadmitryevnatouchedheronthearm.“youlistenwhenispeak.you’vedisgracedyourselflikethelowestwench.idon’tknowwhaticouldn’tdotoyou,butifeelforyourfather.iwillhideitfromhim.”

natashadidnotchangeherposition,onlyherwholebodybegantowrithewithnoiseless,convulsivesobs,whichchokedher.maryadmitryevnalookedroundatsonya,andsatdownontheedgeofthesofabesidenatasha.

“it’sluckyforhimthatheescapedme;buti’llgetholdofhim,”shesaidinhercoarsevoice.“doyouhearwhatisay,eh？”sheputherbighandundernatasha’sface,andturnedittowardsher.bothmaryadmitryevnaandsonyaweresurprisedwhentheysawnatasha’sface.hereyeswereglitteringanddry;herlipstightlycompressed;hercheekslookedsunken.

“letmebe…whatdoi…ishalldie.…”shearticulated,withangryeffort,toreherselfawayfrommaryadmitryevna,andfellbackintothesameattitudeagain.

“natalya！…”saidmaryadmitryevna.“iwishforyourgood.liestill;come,liestilllikethatthen,iwon’ttouchyou,andlisten.…i’mnotgoingtotellyouhowwronglyyouhaveacted.youknowthatyourself.butnowyourfather’scomingbackto-morrow.whatamitotellhim？eh？”

againnatasha’sbodyheavedwithsobs.

“well,hewillhearofit,yourbrother,yourbetrothed！”

“ihavenobetrothed;ihaverefusedhim,”criednatasha.

“thatmakesnodifference,”pursuedmaryadmitryevna.“well,theyhearofit.doyousupposetheywillletthematterrest？supposehe—yourfather,iknowhim—ifhechallengeshimtoaduel,willthatbeallright？eh？”