第37章

第37章whileintherostovs’halltheyweredancingthesixthanglaise,whilethewearyorchestraplayedwrongnotes,andthetiredfootmenandcooksweregettingthesupper,countbezuhovhadjusthadhissixthstroke.thedoctorsdeclaredthattherewasnohopeofrecovery;thesickmanreceivedabsolutionandthesacramentwhileunconscious.preparationswerebeingmadeforadministeringextremeunction,andthehousewasfullofthebustleandthrillofsuspenseusualatsuchmoments.outsidethehouseundertakerswerecrowdingbeyondthegates,tryingtoescapethenoticeofthecarriagesthatdroveup,buteagerlyanticipatingagoodorderforthecount’sfuneral.thegovernorofmoscow,whohadbeenconstantlysendinghisadjutantstoinquireafterthecount’scondition,camehimselfthateveningtosaygood-byetotherenownedgrandeeofcatherine’scourt,countbezuhov.

themagnificentreception-roomwasfull.everyonestooduprespectfullywhenthegovernor,afterbeinghalfanhouralonewiththesickman,cameoutofthesick-room.bestowingscantyrecognitiononthebowswithwhichhewasreceived,hetriedtoescapeasquicklyaspossiblefromthegazeofthedoctors,ecclesiasticalpersonages,andrelations.princevassily,whohadgrownpalerandthinnerduringthelastfewdays,escortedthegovernorout,andsoftlyrepeatedsomethingtohimseveraltimesover.

afterseeingthegovernor,princevassilysatdownonachairinthehallalone,crossingoneleghighovertheother,leaninghiselbowonhisknee,andcoveringhiseyeswithhishand.aftersittingsoforsometimehegotup,andwithstepsmorehurriedthanhiswont,hecrossedthelongcorridor,lookingroundhimwithfrightenedeyes,andwenttothebackpartofthehousetotheapartmentsoftheeldestprincess.

thepersonshehadleftinthedimlylightedreception-room,nexttothesick-room,talkedinbrokenwhispersamongthemselves,pausing,andlookingroundwitheyesfullofsuspenseandinquirywheneverthedoorthatledintothedyingman’sroomcreakedassomeonewentinorcameout.

“man’slimitation,”saidalittleman,anecclesiasticofsomesort,toalady,whowassittingnearhimlisteningna？velytohiswords—“hislimitationisfixed,thereisnooversteppingit.”

“iwonderifitwon’tbelateforextremeunction？”inquiredthelady,usinghisclericaltitle,andapparentlyhavingnoopinionofherownonthematter.

“itisagreatmystery,ma’am,”answeredtheclerk,passinghishandsoverhisbaldhead,onwhichlayafewtressesofcarefullycombed,halfgreyhair.

“whowasthat？wasitthegovernorhimself？”theywereaskingattheotherendoftheroom.“whatayoung-lookingman！”

“andhe’soversixty！.…what,dotheysay,thecountdoesnotknowanyone？dotheymeantogiveextremeunction？”

“iknewamanwhoreceivedextremeunctionseventimes.”

thesecondprincesscameoutofthesick-roomwithtearfuleyes,andsatdownbesidedoctorlorrain,whowassittinginagracefulposeundertheportraitofcatherine,withhiselbowonthetable.

“veryfine,”saidthedoctorinreplytoaquestionabouttheweather;“veryfine,princess,andbesides,atmoscow,onemightsupposeoneselfinthecountry.”

“mightonenot？”saidtheprincess,sighing.“somayhehavesomethingtodrink？”lorrainthoughtamoment.

“hehastakenhismedicine？”

“yes.”

thedoctorlookedathismemoranda.

“takeaglassofboiledwaterandputinapinch”（heshowedwithhisdelicatefingerswhatwasmeantbyapinch）“ofcreamoftartar.”

“therehasneverbeenacase,”saidthegermandoctortotheadjutant,speakingbrokenrussian,“ofrecoveryafterhavingathirdstroke.”

“andwhatavigorousmanhewas！”saidtheadjutant.“andtowhomwillhisgreatwealthgo？”headdedinawhisper.

“candidateswillbefound,”thegermanreplied,smiling.everyonelookedroundagainatthedoor;itcreaked,andthesecondprincesshavingmadethedrinkaccordingtolorrain’sdirection,carrieditintothesick-room.thegermandoctorwentuptolorrain.

“canitdragontillto-morrowmorning？”askedthegerman,withavilefrenchaccent.

lorrain,withcompressedlipsandasternface,movedhisfingerbeforehisnosetoexpressanegative.

“to-night,notlater,”hesaidsoftly,andwithadecoroussmileofsatisfactionatbeingabletounderstandandtoexpresstheexactpositionofthesickman,hewalkedaway.

meanwhileprincevassilyhadopenedthedooroftheprincess’sroom.

itwashalfdarkintheroom;therewereonlytwolampsburningbeforetheholypictures,andtherewasasweetperfumeofincenseandflowers.thewholeroomwasfurnishedwithminiaturefurniture,littlesideboards,smallbookcases,andsmalltables.behindascreencouldbeseenthewhitecoveringsofahighfeather-bed.alittledogbarked.

“ah,isthatyou,moncousin？”

shegotupandsmoothedherhair,whichwasalways,evennow,soextraordinarilysmooththatitseemedasthoughmadeoutofonepiecewithherheadandcoveredwithvarnish.

“hasanythinghappened？”sheasked.“iamincontinualdread.”

“nothing,everythingisunchanged.ihaveonlycometohavealittletalkwithyou,katish,aboutbusiness,”saidtheprince,sittingdownwearilyinthelowchairfromwhichshehadjustrisen.“howwarmitishere,though,”hesaid.“come,sithere;letustalk.”

“iwonderedwhetheranythinghadhappened,”saidtheprincess,andwithherstonilysevereexpressionunchanged,shesatdownoppositetheprince,preparingherselftolisten.“ihavebeentryingtogetsomesleep,moncousin,butican’t.”

“well,mydear？”saidprincevassily,takingtheprincess’shand,andbendingitdownwardsashishabitwas.

itwasplainthatthis“well？”referredtomuchthattheybothcomprehendedwithoutmentioningitinwords.