第178章

第178章“mabonneamie,”saidthelittleprincess,afterbreakfast,onthemorningofthe19thofmarch,andherlittledownylipwasliftedasofold;butasinthathousesincetheterriblenewshadcome,smiles,tonesofvoice,movementsevenborethestampofmourning,sonowthesmileofthelittleprincess,whowasinfluencedbythegeneraltemperwithoutknowingitscause,wassuchthatmorethanallelseitwaseloquentofthecommonburdenofsorrow.

“mydear,iamafraidthatthismorning’sfruschtique（asfokacallsit）hasdisagreedwithme.”

“whatisthematterwithyou,mydarling？youlookpale.oh,youareverypale,”saidprincessmaryainalarm,runningwithhersoft,ponderoustreaduptohersister-in-law.

“shouldn’twesendformaryabogdanovna,yourexcellency？”saidoneofthemaidswhowaspresent.maryabogdanovnawasamidwifefromadistricttown,whohadbeenforthelastfortnightatbleakhills.

“yes,truly,”assentedprincessmarya,“perhapsitisreallythat.i’llgoandgether.courage,myangel.”shekissedlizaandwasgoingoutoftheroom.

“oh,no,no！”andbesidesherpallor,thefaceofthelittleprincessexpressedachildishterrorattheinevitablephysicalsufferingbeforeher.

“no,itisindigestion,sayitisindigestion,sayso,marie,sayso！”andthelittleprincessbegantocry,wringingherlittlehandswithchildishmiseryandcapriciousnessandaffectederationtoo.princessmaryaranoutoftheroomtofetchmaryabogdanovna.

“mondieu！mondieu！oh！”sheheardbehindher.themidwifewasalreadyonherwaytomeether,rubbingherplump,smallwhitehands,withafaceofsignificantcomposure.

“maryabogdanovna！ithinkithasbegun,”saidprincessmarya,lookingwithwide-open,frightenedeyesatthemidwife.

“well,ithankgodforit,”saidmaryabogdanovna,nothasteningherstep.“youyoungladieshavenoneedtoknowanythingaboutit.”

“buthowisitthedoctorhasnotcomefrommoscowyet？”saidtheprincess.（inaccordancewiththewishesoflizaandprinceandrey,theyhadsenttomoscowforadoctor,andwereexpectinghimeveryminute.）

“it’snomatter,princess,don’tbeuneasy,”saidmaryabogdanovna;“weshalldoverywellwithoutthedoctor.”

fiveminuteslatertheprincessfromherroomheardsomethingheavybeingcarriedby.shepeepedout;thefootmenwereforsomereasonmovingintothebedroomtheleathersofawhichstoodinprinceandrey’sstudy.therewasasolemnandsubduedlookonthemen’sfaces.

princessmaryasataloneinherroom,listeningtothesoundsofthehouse,nowandthenopeningthedoorwhenanyonepassedbyandlookingatwhatwastakingplaceinthecorridor.severalwomenpassedtoandfrotreadingsoftly;theyglancedattheprincessandturnedawayfromher.shedidnotventuretoaskquestions,andgoingbacktoherroomclosedthedoorandsatstillinanarmchair,ortookupherprayer-book,orkneltdownbeforetheshrine.toherdistressandastonishmentshefeltthatprayerdidnotsootheheremotion.allatoncethedoorofherroomwassoftlyopened,andshesawonthethresholdheroldnurse,praskovyasavvishna,withakerchiefoverherhead.theoldwomanhardlyever,owingtotheoldprince’sprohibition,cameintoherroom.

“i’vecometositabitwiththee,mashenka,”saidthenurse;“andherei’vebroughttheprince’sweddingcandlestolightbeforehissaint,myangel,”shesaid,sighing.

“ah,howgladiam,nurse！”