第296章

第296章whenilagintookleaveofthemintheevening，nikolayfoundhimselfsogreatadistancefromhomethatheacceptedtheuncle’sinvitationtostophuntingandtostaythenightattheuncle’slittleplace，mihailovka.

“andifyouallcometome—forward，quickmarch！”saidtheuncle，“itwouldbeevenbetter；yousee，theweather’sdamp，youcouldrest，andthelittlecountesscouldbedrivenbackinatrap.”theinvitationwasaccepted；ahuntsmanwassenttootradnoeforatrap，andnikolay，natasha，andpetyarodetotheuncle’shouse.

fivemenservants—littleandbig—ranoutontothefrontstepstomeettheirmaster.dozensofwomen，oldandbigandlittle，poppedoutatthebackentrancetohavealookatthehuntsmenastheyarrived.thepresenceofnatasha—awoman，alady，onhorseback—excitedthecuriosityoftheuncle’shouse-serfstosuchapitchthatmanyofthemwentuptoher，staredherintheface，and，unrestrainedbyherpresence，maderemarksabouther，asthoughsheweresomeprodigyonshow，notahumanbeing，andnotcapableofhearingandunderstandingwhatwassaidabouther.

“arinka，look-ée，shesitssideways！sitsonso，whileherskirtfliesabout.…andlookatthelittlehorn！”

“sakesalive！andtheknifetoo.…”

“aregulartatarwoman！”

“howdoyoumanagenottotumbleoff？”saidtheforwardestofthem，addressingnatashaboldly.

theunclegotoffhishorseatthestepsofhislittlewoodenhouse，whichwasshutinbyanovergrowngarden.lookingfromonetoanotherofhishousehold，heshoutedperemptorilytothosewhowerenotwantedtoretire，andfortheotherstodoallthatwasneededforthereceptionofhisguests.

theyallranoffindifferentdirections.theunclehelpednatashatodismount，andgaveherhisarmuptheshaky，planksteps.

inside，thehouse，withboarded，unplasteredwalls，wasnotveryclean；therewasnothingtoshowthatthechiefaimofthepersonslivinginitwastheremovalofeveryspot，yettherewerenotsignsofneglect.therewasasmelloffreshapplesintheentry，andthewallswerehungwithfoxskinsandwolfskins.

theuncleledhisgueststhroughthevestibuleintoalittlehallwithafolding-tableandredchairs，thenintoadrawing-roomwitharoundbirchwoodtableandasofa，andthenintohisstudy，withaedsofa，athreadbarecarpet，andportraitsofsuvorov，ofhisfatherandmother，andofhimselfinmilitaryuniform.thestudysmeltstronglyofoanddogs.inthestudytheuncleaskedhisgueststositdownandmakethemselvesathome，andheleftthem.rugaycamein，hisbackstillcoveredwithmud，andlayonthesofa，cleaninghimselfwithhistongueandhisteeth.therewasacorridorleadingfromthestudy，andinittheycouldseeascreenwithedcurtains.behindthescreentheyheardfemininelaughterandwhispering.natasha，nikolay，andpetyatookofftheirwrapsandsatdownonthesofa.petyaleanedonhisarmandfellasleepatonce；natashaandnikolaysatwithoutspeaking.theirfaceswereburning；theywereveryhungryandverycheerful.theylookedatoneanother—nowthatthehuntwasoverandtheywereindoors，nikolaydidnotfeelcalledupontoshowhismasculinesuperiorityoverhissister.natashawinkedatherbrother；andtheycouldneitherofthemrestrainthemselveslong，andbrokeintoaringinglaughbeforetheyhadtimetoinventapretextfortheirmirth.

afterabriefinterval，theunclecameinwearingacossackcoat，bluebreeches，andlittletop-boots.andthisverycostume，atwhichnatashahadlookedwithsurpriseandamusementwhentheuncleworeitatotradnoe，seemedtohernowtherightcostumehere，andinnowayinferiortofrockcoatsorordinaryjackets.theuncle，too，wasingoodspirits；farfromfeelingmortifiedatthelaughterofthebrotherandsister（hewasincapableofimaginingthattheycouldbelaughingathismodeoflife），hejoinedintheircauselessmirthhimself.

“well，thisyoungcountesshere—forward，quickmarch！—ihaveneverseenherlike！”hesaid，givingalongpipetorostov，whilewithapractisedmotionofthreefingershefilledanother—ashortbrokenone—forhimself.

“she’sbeeninthesaddleallday—somethingforamantoboastof—andshe’sjustasfreshasifnothinghadhappened！”

soonthedoorwasopenedobviously，fromthesound，byabarefootservant-girl，andastout，red-cheeked，handsomewomanofaboutforty，withadoublechinandfullredlips，walkedin，withabigtrayinherhands.withhospitabledignityandcordialityinhereyesandineverygesture，shelookedroundattheguests，andwithagenialsmilebowedtothemrespectfully.

inspiteofherexceptionalstoutness，whichmadeherholdherheadflungback，whileherbosomandallherportlypersonwasthrustforward，thiswoman（theuncle’shousekeeper）steppedwithextremelightness.shewenttothetable，putthetraydown，anddeftlywithherplump，whitehandssetthebottlesanddishesonthetable.whenshehadfinishedthistaskshewentaway，standingforamomentinthedoorwaywithasmileonherface.“hereiam—iamshe！nowdoyouunderstandtheuncle？”herappearancehadsaidtorostov.whocouldfailtounderstand？notnikolayonly，butevennatashaunderstoodtheunclenowandthesignificanceofhisknittedbrows，andthehappy，complacentsmile，whichpuckeredhislipsasanisyafyodorovnacamein.onthetraytherewereliqueurs，herb-brandy，mushrooms，biscuitsofryeflourmadewithbuttermilk，honeyinthecomb，foamingmeadmadefromhoney，apples，nutsrawandnutsbaked，andnutspreservedinhoney.thenanisyafyodorovnabroughtinpreservesmadewithhoneyandwithsugar，andhamandachickenthathadjustbeenroasted.

allthesedelicacieswereofanisyafyodorovna’spreparing，cookingorpreserving.allseemedtosmellandtaste，asitwere，ofanisyafyodorovna.allseemedtorecallherbuxomness，cleanliness，whiteness，andcordialsmile.