,BOOK #a1 ,*APT] #bc 

#ahfiahfi 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TEXT 3 

,PI]RE WELL KNEW ?IS L>GE ROOM DIVID$ BY COLUMNS & AN >*1 ITS WALLS 
 HUNG R\ND ) ,P]SIAN C>PETS4 ,! P>T ( ! ROOM BEH9D ! COLUMNS1 
 ) A HI< SILK-CURTA9$ MAHOGANY B$/EAD ON ONE SIDE & ON ! O!R 
 AN IMM5SE CASE CONTA9+ ICONS1 WAS BRI<TLY ILLUM9AT$ ) R$ LI<T 
 LIKE A ,RUSSIAN *UR* DUR+ EV5+ S]VICE4 ,UND] ! GLEAM+ ICONS 
 /OOD A LONG 9VALID *AIR1 & 9 ?AT *AIR ON SN[Y-:ITE SMOO? 
 PILL[S1 EVID5TLY FRE%LY *ANG$1 ,PI]RE SAW--COV]$ TO ! WAI/ 
 BY A BRI<T GRE5 QUILT--! FAMILI>1 MAJE/IC FIGURE ( HIS FA!R1 
 ,C\NT ,BEZUKHOV1 ) ?AT GRAY MANE ( HAIR ABOVE HIS BROAD =EHEAD :I* 
 REM9D$ ONE ( A LION1 & ! DEEP *>ACT]I/ICALLY NOBLE WR9KLES ( 
 HIS H&SOME1 RUDDY FACE4 ,HE LAY JU/ UND] ! ICONS2 HIS L>GE ?ICK 
 H&S \TSIDE ! QUILT4 ,9TO ! RI<T H&1 :I* WAS LY+ PALM 
 D[NW>D1 A WAX TAP] HAD BE5 ?RU/ BETWE5 =EF+] & ?UMB1 & 
 AN OLD S]VANT1 B5D+ OV] FROM BEH9D ! *AIR1 HELD IT 9 POSITION4 
 ,BY ! *AIR /OOD ! PRIE/S1 !IR LONG HAIR FALL+ OV] !IR 
 MAGNIFIC5T GLITT]+ VE/M5TS1 ) LI<T$ TAP]S 9 !IR H&S1 
 SL[LY & SOLEMNLY CONDUCT+ ! S]VICE4 ,A LITTLE BEH9D !M /OOD ! 
 TWO Y\NG] PR9CESSES HOLD+ H&K]*IEFS TO !IR EYES1 & JU/ 9 
 FRONT ( !M !IR ELDE/ SI/]1 ,CATI*E1 ) A VICI\S & DET]M9$ 
 LOOK /EADILY FIX$ ON ! ICONS1 AS ?\< DECL>+ TO ALL ?AT %E 
 C\LD NOT ANSW] = H]SELF %\LD %E GLANCE R\ND4 ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA1 
 ) A MEEK1 SORR[FUL1 & ALL-=GIV+ EXPRESSION ON H] FACE1 /OOD BY 
 ! DOOR NE> ! /RANGE LADY4 ,PR9CE ,VASILI 9 FRONT ( ! DOOR1 NE> 
 ! 9VALID *AIR1 A WAX TAP] 9 HIS LEFT H&1 WAS LEAN+ HIS LEFT >M 
 ON ! C>V$ BACK ( A VELVET *AIR HE HAD TURN$ R\ND = ! PURPOSE1 
 & WAS CROSS+ HIMSELF ) HIS RI<T H&1 TURN+ HIS EYES UPW>D EA* 
 TIME HE T\*$ HIS =EHEAD4 ,HIS FACE WORE A CALM LOOK ( PIETY & 
 RESIGNATION TO ! WILL ( ,GOD4 0,IF Y\ DO NOT UND]/& !SE 
 S5TIM5TS10 HE SEEM$ TO BE SAY+1 0SO MU* ! WORSE = Y\60 

,BEH9D HIM /OOD ! AIDE-DE-CAMP1 ! DOCTORS1 & ! M5S]VANTS2 ! 
 M5 & WOM5 HAD SEP>AT$ AS 9 *UR*4 ,ALL W]E SIL5TLY CROSS+ 
 !MSELVES1 & ! READ+ ( ! *UR* S]VICE1 ! SUBDU$ *ANT+ ( 
 DEEP BASS VOICES1 & 9 ! 9T]VALS SI<S & ! %UFFL+ ( FEET 
 W]E ! ONLY S\NDS ?AT C\LD BE HE>D4 ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA1 ) AN AIR ( 
 IMPORTANCE ?AT %[$ ?AT %E FELT %E QUITE KNEW :AT %E WAS AB\T1 
 W5T ACROSS ! ROOM TO :]E ,PI]RE WAS /&+ & GAVE HIM A TAP]4 ,HE 
 LIT IT &1 DI/RACT$ BY OBS]V+ ?OSE >\ND HIM1 BEGAN CROSS+ 
 HIMSELF ) ! H& ?AT HELD ! TAP]4 

,SOPHIE1 ! ROSY1 LAU<T]-LOV+1 Y\NGE/ PR9CESS ) ! MOLE1 
 WAT*$ HIM4 ,%E SMIL$1 HID H] FACE 9 H] H&K]*IEF1 & REMA9$ 
 ) IT HIDD5 = A:ILE2 !N LOOK+ UP & SEE+ ,PI]RE %E AGA9 
 BEGAN TO LAU<4 ,%E EVID5TLY FELT UNABLE TO LOOK AT HIM )\T LAU<+1 
 BUT C\LD NOT RESI/ LOOK+ AT HIM3 SO TO BE \T ( TEMPTATION %E 
 SLIPP$ QUIETLY BEH9D ONE ( ! COLUMNS4 ,9 ! MID/ ( ! S]VICE ! 
 VOICES ( ! PRIE/S SUDD5LY CEAS$1 !Y :ISP]$ TO ONE ANO!R1 & 
 ! OLD S]VANT :O WAS HOLD+ ! C\NT'S H& GOT UP & SAID SOME?+ 
 TO ! LADIES4 ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA /EPP$ =W>D &1 /OOP+ OV] ! 
 DY+ MAN1 BECKON$ TO ,LORRA9 FROM BEH9D H] BACK4 ,! ,FR5* DOCTOR 
 HELD NO TAP]2 HE WAS LEAN+ AGA9/ ONE ( ! COLUMNS 9 A RESPECTFUL 
 ATTITUDE IMPLY+ ?AT HE1 A =EIGN]1 9 SPITE ( ALL DIFF]5CES ( 
 FAI?1 UND]/OOD ! FULL IMPORTANCE ( ! RITE N[ BE+ P]=M$ & 
 EV5 APPROV$ ( IT4 ,HE N[ APPROA*$ ! SICK MAN ) ! NOISELESS 
 /EP ( ONE 9 FULL VIGOR ( LIFE1 ) HIS DELICATE :ITE F+]S RAIS$ 
 FROM ! GRE5 QUILT ! H& ?AT WAS FREE1 & TURN+ SIDEWAYS FELT ! 
 PULSE & REFLECT$ A MOM5T4 ,! SICK MAN WAS GIV5 SOME?+ TO DR9K1 
 !RE WAS A /IR >\ND HIM1 !N ! PEOPLE RESUM$ !IR PLACES & ! 
 S]VICE CONT9U$4 ,DUR+ ?IS 9T]VAL ,PI]RE NOTIC$ ?AT ,PR9CE ,VASILI 
 LEFT ! *AIR ON :I* HE HAD BE5 LEAN+1 &--) AN AIR :I* 
 9TIMAT$ ?AT HE KNEW :AT HE WAS AB\T & IF O!RS DID NOT UND]/& 
 HIM IT WAS SO MU* ! WORSE = !M--DID NOT GO UP TO ! DY+ 
 MAN1 BUT PASS$ BY HIM1 JO9$ ! ELDE/ PR9CESS1 & MOV$ ) H] TO 
 ! SIDE ( ! ROOM :]E /OOD ! HI< B$/EAD ) ITS SILK5 
 HANG+S4 ,ON LEAV+ ! B$ BO? ,PR9CE ,VASILI & ! PR9CESS PASS$ 
 \T BY A BACK DOOR1 BUT RETURN$ TO !IR PLACES ONE AFT] ! O!R 
 BE=E ! S]VICE WAS CONCLUD$4 ,PI]RE PAID NO MORE ATT5TION TO ?IS 
 OCCURR5CE ?AN TO ! RE/ ( :AT W5T ON1 HAV+ MADE UP HIS M9D ONCE 
 = ALL ?AT :AT HE SAW HAPP5+ >\ND HIM ?AT EV5+ WAS 9 SOME WAY 
 ESS5TIAL4 

,! *ANT+ ( ! S]VICE CEAS$1 & ! VOICE ( ! PRIE/ WAS HE>D 
 RESPECTFULLY CONGRATULAT+ ! DY+ MAN ON HAV+ RECEIV$ ! 
 SACRAM5T4 ,! DY+ MAN LAY AS LIFELESS & IMMOVABLE AS BE=E4 ,>\ND 
 HIM EV]YONE BEGAN TO /IR3 /EPS W]E AUDIBLE & :ISP]S1 AMONG :I* 
 ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA'S WAS ! MO/ DI/9CT4 

,PI]RE HE>D H] SAY3 

0,C]TA9LY HE MU/ BE MOV$ ONTO ! B$2 H]E IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE4440 

,! SICK MAN WAS SO SURR\ND$ BY DOCTORS1 PR9CESSES1 & S]VANTS ?AT 
 ,PI]RE C\LD NO LONG] SEE ! R$DI%-YELL[ FACE ) ITS GRAY MANE--:I*1 
 ?\< HE SAW O!R FACES AS WELL1 HE HAD NOT LO/ SI<T ( = A S+LE 
 MOM5T DUR+ ! :OLE S]VICE4 ,HE JUDG$ BY ! CAUTI\S MOVEM5TS ( 
 ?OSE :O CR[D$ R\ND ! 9VALID *AIR ?AT !Y HAD LIFT$ ! DY+ 
 MAN & W]E MOV+ HIM4 

0,CAT* HOLD ( MY >M OR Y\'LL DROP HIM60 HE HE>D ONE ( ! S]VANTS 
 SAY 9 A FRI<T5$ :ISP]4 0,CAT* HOLD FROM UND]NEA?4 ,H]E60 EXCLAIM$ 
 DIFF]5T VOICES2 & ! HEAVY BREA?+ ( ! BE>]S & ! %UFFL+ 
 ( !IR FEET GREW MORE HURRI$1 AS IF ! WEI<T !Y W]E C>RY+ W]E 
 TOO MU* = !M4 

,AS ! BE>]S1 AMONG :OM WAS ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA1 PASS$ ! Y\NG MAN HE 
 CAU<T A MOM5T>Y GLIMPSE BETWE5 !IR HEADS & BACKS ( ! DY+ 
 MAN'S HI<1 /\T1 UNCOV]$ *E/ & P[]FUL %\LD]S1 RAIS$ BY ?OSE 
 :O W]E HOLD+ HIM UND] ! >MPITS1 & ( HIS GRAY1 CURLY1 LEON9E 
 HEAD4 ,?IS HEAD1 ) ITS REM>KABLY BROAD BR[ & *EEKBONES1 ITS 
 H&SOME1 S5SUAL M\?1 & ITS COLD1 MAJE/IC EXPRESSION1 WAS NOT 
 DISFIGUR$ BY ! APPROA* ( DEA?4 ,IT WAS ! SAME AS ,PI]RE REMEMB]$ 
 IT ?REE MON?S BE=E1 :5 ! C\NT HAD S5T HIM TO ,PET]SBURG4 ,BUT N[ 
 ?IS HEAD WAS SWAY+ HELPLESSLY ) ! UNEV5 MOVEM5TS ( ! BE>]S1 
 & ! COLD LI/LESS GAZE FIX$ ITSELF UPON NO?+4 

,AFT] A FEW M9UTES' BU/LE BESIDE ! HI< B$/EAD1 ?OSE :O HAD 
 C>RI$ ! SICK MAN DISP]S$4 ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA T\*$ ,PI]RE'S H& & 
 SAID1 0,COME40 ,PI]RE W5T ) H] TO ! B$ ON :I* ! SICK MAN HAD 
 BE5 LAID 9 A /ATELY POSE 9 KEEP+ ) ! C]EMONY JU/ COMPLET$4 
 ,HE LAY ) HIS HEAD PROPP$ HI< ON ! PILL[S4 ,HIS H&S W]E 
 SYMMETRICALLY PLAC$ ON ! GRE5 SILK QUILT1 ! PALMS D[NW>D4 ,:5 
 ,PI]RE CAME UP ! C\NT WAS GAZ+ /RAI<T AT HIM1 BUT ) A LOOK ! 
 SIGNIFICANCE ( :I* C\LD NOT BE UND]/OOD BY MORTAL MAN4 ,EI!R ?IS 
 LOOK MEANT NO?+ BUT ?AT AS LONG AS ONE HAS EYES !Y MU/ LOOK 
 SOME:]E1 OR IT MEANT TOO MU*4 ,PI]RE HESITAT$1 NOT KN[+ :AT TO DO1 
 & GLANC$ 9QUIR+LY AT HIS GUIDE4 ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA MADE A HURRI$ SIGN 
 ) H] EYES1 GLANC+ AT ! SICK MAN'S H& & MOV+ H] LIPS AS IF 
 TO S5D IT A KISS4 ,PI]RE1 C>EFULLY /RET*+ HIS NECK SO AS NOT TO 
 T\* ! QUILT1 FOLL[$ H] SUGGE/ION & PRESS$ HIS LIPS TO ! L>GE 
 BON$1 FLE%Y H&4 ,NEI!R ! H& NOR A S+LE MUSCLE ( ! C\NT'S 
 FACE /IRR$4 ,ONCE MORE ,PI]RE LOOK$ QUE/ION+LY AT ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA TO 
 SEE :AT HE WAS TO DO NEXT4 ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA ) H] EYES 9DICAT$ A 
 *AIR ?AT /OOD BESIDE ! B$4 ,PI]RE OB$I5TLY SAT D[N1 HIS EYES 
 ASK+ IF HE W]E DO+ RI<T4 ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA NODD$ APPROV+LY4 ,AGA9 
 ,PI]RE FELL 9TO ! NAIVELY SYMMETRICAL POSE ( AN ,EGYPTIAN /ATUE1 
 EVID5TLY DI/RESS$ ?AT HIS /\T & CLUMSY BODY TOOK UP SO MU* ROOM 
 & DO+ HIS UTMO/ TO LOOK AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE4 ,HE LOOK$ AT ! C\NT1 
 :O /ILL GAZ$ AT ! SPOT :]E ,PI]RE'S FACE HAD BE5 BE=E HE SAT 
 D[N4 ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA 9DICAT$ BY H] ATTITUDE H] CONSCI\SNESS ( ! 
 PA!TIC IMPORTANCE ( !SE LA/ MOM5TS ( MEET+ BETWE5 ! FA!R 
 & SON4 ,?IS LA/$ AB\T TWO M9UTES1 :I* TO ,PI]RE SEEM$ AN H\R4 
 ,SUDD5LY ! BROAD MUSCLES & L9ES ( ! C\NT'S FACE BEGAN TO TWIT*4 
 ,! TWIT*+ 9CREAS$1 ! H&SOME M\? WAS DRAWN TO ONE SIDE 7ONLY 
 N[ DID ,PI]RE REALIZE H[ NE> DEA? HIS FA!R WAS71 & FROM ?AT 
 DI/ORT$ M\? ISSU$ AN 9DI/9CT1 HO>SE S\ND4 ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA 
 LOOK$ ATT5TIVELY AT ! SICK MAN'S EYES1 TRY+ TO GUESS :AT HE WANT$2 
 %E PO9T$ FIR/ TO ,PI]RE1 !N TO SOME DR9K1 !N NAM$ ,PR9CE ,VASILI 
 9 AN 9QUIR+ :ISP]1 !N PO9T$ TO ! QUILT4 ,! EYES & FACE ( 
 ! SICK MAN %[$ IMPATI5CE4 ,HE MADE AN EF=T TO LOOK AT ! S]VANT 
 :O /OOD CON/ANTLY AT ! HEAD ( ! B$4 

0,WANTS TO TURN ON ! O!R SIDE10 :ISP]$ ! S]VANT1 & GOT UP TO 
 TURN ! C\NT'S HEAVY BODY T[>D ! WALL4 

,PI]RE ROSE TO HELP HIM4 

,:ILE ! C\NT WAS BE+ TURN$ OV]1 ONE ( HIS >MS FELL BACK 
 HELPLESSLY & HE MADE A FRUITLESS EF=T TO PULL IT =W>D4 ,:E!R HE 
 NOTIC$ ! LOOK ( T]ROR ) :I* ,PI]RE REG>D$ ?AT LIFELESS >M1 
 OR :E!R SOME O!R ?\<T FLITT$ ACROSS HIS DY+ BRA91 AT ANY RATE 
 HE GLANC$ AT ! REFRACTORY >M1 AT ,PI]RE'S T]ROR-/RICK5 FACE1 & 
 AGA9 AT ! >M1 & ON HIS FACE A FEEBLE1 PITE\S SMILE APPE>$1 QUITE 
 \T ( KEEP+ ) HIS FEATURES1 ?AT SEEM$ TO D]IDE HIS [N 
 HELPLESSNESS4 ,AT SI<T ( ?IS SMILE ,PI]RE FELT AN UNEXPECT$ QUIV]+ 
 9 HIS BREA/ & A TICKL+ 9 HIS NOSE1 & TE>S DIMM$ HIS EYES4 ,! 
 SICK MAN WAS TURN$ ON TO HIS SIDE ) HIS FACE TO ! WALL4 ,HE SI<$4 

0,HE IS DOZ+10 SAID ,ANNA ,MIKHAYLOVNA1 OBS]V+ ?AT ONE ( ! 
 PR9CESSES WAS COM+ TO TAKE H] TURN AT WAT*+4 0,LET US GO40 

,PI]RE W5T \T4 

,FROM 3 ,GUT5B]G4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,NOVEMB] #c1 #ahfh 3 ,BOOK #a1 ,*APT] #bc -- ,PUBLICATION4 
,FEBRU>Y #a1 #bag 3 ,BOOK #a1 ,*APT] #bc -- ,ADD$4 

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