第180章

第180章thelittleprincesswaslyingonthepillowsinherwhitenightcap（theagonyhadonlyamomentlefther）.herblackhairlayincurlsaboutherswollenandperspiringcheeks;herrosy,charminglittlemouth,withthedownylip,wasopen,andshewassmilingjoyfully.princeandreywentintotheroom,andstoodfacingheratthefootofthebedonwhichshelay.theglitteringeyes,staringinchildishterrorandexcitement,restedonhimwithnochangeintheirexpression.“iloveyouall,ihavedonenooneanyharm;whyamisuffering？helpme,”herfaceseemedtosay.shesawherhusband,butshedidnottakeinthemeaningofhisappearancenowbeforeher.princeandreywentroundthebedandkissedherontheforehead.

“myprecious,”hesaid,awordhehadneverusedspeakingtoherbefore.“godismerciful.…”shestaredathimwithafaceofinquiry,ofchildishreproach.

“ihopedforhelpfromyou,andnothing,nothing,youtoo！”hereyessaid.shewasnotsurprisedathishavingcome;shedidnotunderstandthathehadcome.hiscominghadnothingtodowithheragonyanditsalleviation.thepainsbeganagain,andmaryabogdanovnaadvisedprinceandreytogooutoftheroom.

thedoctorwentintotheroom.princeandreycameout,and,meetingprincessmarya,wenttoheragain.theytalkedinwhispers,buteverymomenttheirtalkwashushed.theywerewaitingandlistening.

“go,monami,”saidprincessmarya.princeandreywentagaintohiswifeandsatdownintheadjoiningroom,waiting.awomanranoutofthebedroomwithafrightenedface,andwasdisconcertedonseeingprinceandrey.hehidhisfaceinhishandsandsatsoforsomeminutes.piteous,helpless,animalgroanscamefromthenextroom.princeandreygotup,wenttothedoor,andwouldhaveopenedit.someonewasholdingthedoor.

“can’tcomein,can’t！”afrightenedvoicesaidfromwithin.hebeganwalkingabouttheroom.thescreamsceased;severalsecondspassed.suddenlyafearfulscream—notherscream,couldshescreamlikethat？—camefromtheroom.princeandreyrantothedoor;thescreamceased;heheardthecryofababy.

“whathavetheytakenababyintherefor？”princeandreywonderedforthefirstsecond.“ababy？whatbaby？…whyababythere？oristhebabyborn？”

whenhesuddenlyrealisedallthejoyfulsignificanceofthatcry,tearschokedhim,andleaningbothelbowsonthewindow-sillhecried,sobbingaschildrencry.thedooropened.thedoctorwithhisshirtsleevestuckedup,andnocoaton,cameoutoftheroom,pale,andhislowerjawtwitching.princeandreyaddressedhim,butthedoctor,lookingathiminadistractedway,passedbywithoututteringaword.awomanranout,and,seeingprinceandrey,stoppedhesitatinginthedoor.hewentintohiswife’sroom.shewaslyingdeadinthesamepositioninwhichhehadseenherfiveminutesbefore,andinspiteofthefixedgazeandwhitecheeks,therewasthesameexpressionstillonthecharmingchildishfacewiththelittlelipcoveredwithfinedarkhair.“iloveyouall,andhavedonenoharmtoanyone,andwhathaveyoudonetome？”saidhercharming,piteous,deadface.inacorneroftheroomwassomethingredandtiny,squealingandgruntinginthetremblingwhitehandsofmaryabogdanovna.

twohourslaterprinceandreywentwithsoftstepsintohisfather’sroom.theoldmankneweverythingalready.hewasstandingnearthedoor,and,assoonasitopened,hisrougholdarmsclosedlikeaviceroundhisson’sneck,andwithoutawordheburstintosobslikeachild.

threedaysafterwardsthelittleprincesswasburied;andprinceandreywenttothestepsofthetombtotakehislastfarewellofher.eveninthecoffinthefacewasthesame,thoughtheeyeswereclosed.“ah,whathaveyoudonetome？”itstillseemedtosay;andprinceandreyfeltthatsomethingwasbeingtornoutofhissoul,thathewasguiltyofacrimethathecouldneversetrightnorforget.hecouldnotweep.theoldman,too,wentinandkissedthelittlewaxenhandthatlaysopeacefullycrossedovertheother,andtohim,too,herfacesaid：“ah,whathaveyoudonetome,andwhy？”andtheoldmanturnedangrilyaway,whenhecaughtsightoftheface.

inanotherfivedaystherefollowedthechristeningoftheyoungprince,nikolayandreitch.thenurseheldtheswaddlingclothesuptoherchin,whilethepriestwithagoosefeatheranointedthebaby’sred,wrinkledhandsandfeet.

hisgrandfather,whowashisgodfather,tremblingandafraidofdroppingthebaby,carriedhimroundthebatteredtinfont,andhandedhimovertothegodmother,princessmarya.faintwithterrorthattheywouldletthebabydrowninthefont,princeandreysatinanadjoiningroom,waitingfortheconclusionoftheceremony.helookedjoyfullyatthebabywhenthenursebroughthimout,andnoddedapprovinglywhenthenursetoldhimthatabitofwaxwiththebaby’shairsinit,thrownintothefont,hadnotsunkinthewaterbutfloatedonthesurface.