第26章

第26章“iamgladihavebeenabletodoyouanyservice，mydearannamihalovna，”saidprincevassily，pullinghislacefrillstraight，andinvoiceandmannermanifestinghereinmoscow，beforeannamihalovna，whowasunderobligationtohim，anevengreatersenseofhisowndignitythaninpetersburgatannapavlovna’ssoirée.

“trytodoyourdutyintheservice，andtobeworthyofit.”headded，turningseverelytohim.“iamglad…youarehereonleave？”heaskedinhisexpressionlessvoice.

“iamawaitingorders，yourexcellency，tojoinmynewregiment，”answeredboris，showingnosigneitherofresentmentattheprince’sabruptmanner，norofdesiretogetintoconversation，butspeakingwithsuchrespectfulcomposurethattheprincelookedathimattentively.

“youarelivingwithyourmother？”

“iamlivingatcountessrostov’s，”saidboris，againadding：“yourexcellency.”

“theilyarostov，whomarriednatalieshinshin，”saidannamihalovna.

“iknow，iknow，”saidprincevassilyinhismonotonousvoice.“ihaveneverbeenabletounderstandhownatalieshinshincouldmakeuphermindtomarrythatunlickedbear.acompletelystupidandridiculousperson.andagamblertoo，iamtold.”

“butaveryworthyman，prince，”observedannamihalovna，withapatheticsmile，asthoughshetoorecognisedthatcountrostovdeservedthiscriticism，butedhimnottobetoohardonthepooroldfellow.“whatdothedoctorssay？”askedtheprincess，afterabriefpause，andagaintheexpressionofdeepdistressreappearedonhertear-wornface.

“thereislittlehope，”saidtheprince.

“and，iwassolongingtothankuncleoncemoreforallhiskindnesstomeandtoboris.heishisgodson，”sheaddedinatonethatestedthatprincevassilywouldbehighlydelightedtohearthisfact.

princevassilyponderedandfrowned.annamihalovnasawhewasafraidoffindinginherarivalwithclaimsoncountbezuhov’swill.shehastenedtoreassurehim.“ifitwerenotformygenuineloveanddevotionforuncle，”shesaid，utteringthelastwordwithpeculiarassuranceandcarelessness，“iknowhischaracter，—generous，upright；butwithonlytheprincessesabouthim.…theyareyoung.…”shebentherheadandaddedinawhisper：“hasheperformedhislastduties，prince？howpricelessaretheselastmoments！heisasbadashecouldbe，itseems；itisabsolutelynecessarytopreparehim，ifheissoill.wewomen，prince，”shesmiledtenderly，“alwaysknowhowtosaythesethings.iabsolutelymustseehim.hardasitwillbeforme，iamusedtosuffering.”

theprinceevidentlyunderstood，andunderstood，too，ashehadatannapavlovna’s，thatitwasnoeasytasktogetridofannamihalovna.

“wouldnotthisinterviewbetryingforhim，chèreannamihalovna？”hesaid.“letuswaittilltheevening；thedoctorshavepredictedacrisis.”

“butwaiting’soutofthequestion，prince，atsuchamoment.think，itisaquestionofsavinghissoul.ah！howterrible，thedutiesofachristian.…”

thedoorfromtheinnerroomsopened，andoneofthecount’sniecesenteredwithacoldandforbiddingface，andalongwaiststrikinglyoutofproportionwiththeshortnessofherlegs.

princevassilyturnedtoher.“well，howishe？”

“stillthesame.whatcanyouexpectwiththisnoise？…”saidtheprincess，scanningannamihalovna，asastranger.

“ah，dear，ididnotrecogniseyou，”saidannamihalovna，withadelightedsmile，andsheambledlightlyuptothecount’sniece.“ihavejustcome，andiamatyourservicetohelpinnursingmyuncle.iimaginewhatyouhavebeensuffering，”sheadded，sympatheticallyturninghereyesup.

theprincessmadenoreply，shedidnotevensmile，butwalkedstraightaway.annamihalovnatookoffhergloves，andentrenchedherselfasitwereinanarmchair，invitingprincevassilytositdownbesideher.

“boris！”shesaidtoherson，andshesmiledathim，“iamgoingintothecount，topooruncle，andyoucangotopierre，monami，meanwhile，anddon’tforgettogivehimtherostovs’invitation.theyaskhimtodinner.isupposehewon’tgo？”shesaidtotheprince.

“onthecontrary，”saidtheprince，visiblycastdown.“ishouldbeverygladifyouwouldtakethatyoungmanoffmyhands.…hesticksonhere.thecounthasnotonceaskedforhim.”

heedhisshoulders.afootmanconductedtheyouthdownstairsandupanotherstaircasetotheapartmentsofpyotrkirillovitch.