,EPILOGUE #a1 ,*APT] #ac 

#ahfiahfi 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TEXT 3 

,:5 ,PI]RE & HIS WIFE 5T]$ ! DRAW+ ROOM ! C\NTESS WAS 9 ONE 
 ( H] CU/OM>Y /ATES 9 :I* %E NE$$ ! M5TAL EX]TION ( PLAY+ 
 PATI5CE1 & SO--?\< BY =CE ( HABIT %E GREET$ HIM ) ! 
 WORDS %E ALWAYS US$ :5 ,PI]RE OR H] SON RETURN$ AFT] AN ABS5CE3 
 0,HI< TIME1 MY DE>1 HI< TIME6 ,WE W]E ALL WE>Y ( WAIT+ = Y\4 
 ,WELL1 ?ANK ,GOD60 & RECEIV$ H] PRES5TS ) ANO!R CU/OM>Y REM>K3 
 0,IT'S NOT ! GIFT ?AT'S PRECI\S1 MY DE>1 BUT ?AT Y\ GIVE IT TO ME1 
 AN OLD WOMAN4440--YET IT WAS EVID5T ?AT %E WAS NOT PLEAS$ BY 
 ,PI]RE'S >RIVAL AT ?AT MOM5T :5 IT DIV]T$ H] ATT5TION FROM ! 
 UNF9I%$ GAME4 

,%E F9I%$ H] GAME ( PATI5CE & ONLY !N EXAM9$ ! PRES5TS4 
 ,!Y CONSI/$ ( A BOX = C>DS1 ( SPL5DID WORKMAN%IP1 A BRI<T-BLUE 
 ,SEVRES TEA CUP ) %EPH]DESSES DEPICT$ ON IT & ) A LID1 & A 
 GOLD SNUFFBOX ) ! C\NT'S PORTRAIT ON ! LID :I* ,PI]RE HAD HAD 
 DONE BY A M9IATURI/ 9 ,PET]SBURG4 ,! C\NTESS HAD LONG WI%$ = SU* 
 A BOX1 BUT AS %E DID NOT WANT TO CRY JU/ !N %E GLANC$ 9DIFF]5TLY 
 AT ! PORTRAIT & GAVE H] ATT5TION *IEFLY TO ! BOX = C>DS4 

0,?ANK Y\1 MY DE>1 Y\ HAVE *E]$ ME UP10 SAID %E AS %E ALWAYS DID4 
 0,BUT BE/ ( ALL Y\ HAVE BR\<T Y\RSELF BACK--= ,I NEV] SAW 
 ANY?+ LIKE IT1 Y\ \<T TO GIVE Y\R WIFE A SCOLD+6 ,:AT >E WE TO 
 DO ) H]8 ,%E IS LIKE A MAD WOMAN :5 Y\ >E AWAY4 ,DOESN'T SEE 
 ANY?+1 DOESN'T REMEMB] ANY?+10 %E W5T ON1 REPEAT+ H] USUAL 
 PHRASES4 0,LOOK1 ,ANNA ,TIM(EEVNA10 %E ADD$ TO H] COMPANION1 0SEE :AT A 
 BOX = C>DS MY SON HAS BR\<T US60 

,BELOVA ADMIR$ ! PRES5TS & WAS DELI<T$ ) H] DRESS MAT]IAL4 

,?\< ,PI]RE1 ,NATA%A1 ,NI*OLAS1 ,C\NTESS ,M>Y1 & ,D5ISOV HAD MU* TO 
 TALK AB\T ?AT !Y C\LD NOT DISCUSS BE=E ! OLD C\NTESS--NOT 
 ?AT ANY?+ WAS HIDD5 FROM H]1 BUT BECAUSE %E HAD DROPP$ SO F> 
 BEH9DH& 9 MANY ?+S ?AT HAD !Y BEGUN TO CONV]SE 9 H] PRES5CE 
 !Y W\LD HAVE HAD TO ANSW] 9OPPORTUNE QUE/IONS & TO REPEAT :AT 
 !Y HAD ALREADY TOLD H] MANY TIMES3 ?AT SO-&-SO WAS DEAD & 
 SO-&-SO WAS M>RI$1 :I* %E W\LD AGA9 BE UNABLE TO REMEMB]--YET 
 !Y SAT AT TEA R\ND ! SAMOV> 9 ! DRAW+ ROOM FROM HABIT1 & 
 ,PI]RE ANSW]$ ! C\NTESS' QUE/IONS AS TO :E!R ,PR9CE ,VASILI HAD 
 AG$ & :E!R ,C\NTESS ,M>Y ,ALEXEEVNA HAD S5T GREET+S & /ILL 
 ?\<T ( !M1 & O!R MATT]S ?AT 9T]E/$ NO ONE & TO :I* %E 
 H]SELF WAS 9DIFF]5T4 

,CONV]SATION ( ?IS K9D1 9T]E/+ TO NO ONE YET UNAVOIDABLE1 
 CONT9U$ ALL ?R\< TEATIME4 ,ALL ! GR[N-UP MEMB]S ( ! FAMILY W]E 
 ASSEMBL$ NE> ! R\ND TEA TABLE AT :I* ,SONYA PRESID$ BESIDE ! 
 SAMOV>4 ,! *ILDR5 ) !IR TUTORS & GOV]NESSES HAD HAD TEA & 
 !IR VOICES W]E AUDIBLE FROM ! NEXT ROOM4 ,AT TEA ALL SAT 9 !IR 
 ACCU/OM$ PLACES3 ,NI*OLAS BESIDE ! /OVE AT A SMALL TABLE :]E HIS 
 TEA WAS H&$ TO HIM2 ,MILKA1 ! OLD GRAY BORZOI BIT* 7DAU<T] ( ! 
 FIR/ ,MILKA71 ) A QUITE GRAY FACE & L>GE BLACK EYES ?AT SEEM$ MORE 
 PROM95T ?AN EV]1 LAY ON ! >M*AIR BESIDE HIM2 ,D5ISOV1 :OSE CURLY 
 HAIR1 MU/A*E1 & :ISK]S HAD TURN$ HALF GRAY1 SAT BESIDE C\NTESS 
 ,M>Y ) HIS G5]AL'S TUNIC UNBUTTON$2 ,PI]RE SAT BETWE5 HIS WIFE & 
 ! OLD C\NTESS4 ,HE SPOKE ( :AT HE KNEW MI<T 9T]E/ ! OLD LADY & 
 ?AT %E C\LD UND]/&4 ,HE TOLD H] ( EXT]NAL SOCIAL EV5TS & ( 
 ! PEOPLE :O HAD =M$ ! CIRCLE ( H] CONTEMPOR>IES & HAD ONCE 
 BE5 A REAL1 LIV+1 & DI/9CT GR\P1 BUT :O W]E N[ = ! MO/ 
 P>T SCATT]$ AB\T ! WORLD & LIKE H]SELF W]E G>N]+ ! LA/ 
 E>S ( ! H>VE/S !Y HAD S[N 9 E>LI] YE>S4 ,BUT TO ! OLD 
 C\NTESS ?OSE CONTEMPOR>IES ( H]S SEEM$ TO BE ! ONLY S]I\S & 
 REAL SOCIETY4 ,NATA%A SAW BY ,PI]RE'S ANIMATION ?AT HIS VISIT HAD BE5 
 9T]E/+ & ?AT HE HAD MU* TO TELL !M BUT D>E NOT SAY IT BE=E 
 ! OLD C\NTESS4 ,D5ISOV1 NOT BE+ A MEMB] ( ! FAMILY1 DID NOT 
 UND]/& ,PI]RE'S CAUTION & BE+1 AS A MALCONT5T1 MU* 9T]E/$ 9 
 :AT WAS OCCURR+ 9 ,PET]SBURG1 KEPT URG+ ,PI]RE TO TELL !M AB\T 
 :AT HAD HAPP5$ 9 ! ,SEM5OVSK REGIM5T1 !N AB\T ,>AK*EEV1 & 
 !N AB\T ! ,BIBLE ,SOCIETY4 ,ONCE OR TWICE ,PI]RE WAS C>RI$ AWAY & 
 BEGAN TO SPEAK ( !SE ?+S1 BUT ,NI*OLAS & ,NATA%A ALWAYS BR\<T 
 HIM BACK TO ! HEAL? ( ,PR9CE ,IVAN & ,C\NTESS ,M>Y ,ALEXEEVNA4 

0,WELL1 & ALL ?IS IDIOCY--,GOSSN] & ,TATAW9OVA80 ,D5ISOV ASK$4 
 0,IS ?AT WEALLY /ILL GO+ ON80 

0,GO+ ON80 ,PI]RE EXCLAIM$4 0,:Y MORE ?AN EV]6 
 ,! ,BIBLE ,SOCIETY IS ! :OLE GOV]NM5T N[60 

0,:AT IS ?AT1 MON *] AMI80 ASK$ ! C\NTESS1 :O HAD 
 F9I%$ H] TEA & EVID5TLY NE$$ A PRETEXT = BE+ ANGRY 
 AFT] H] MEAL4 0,:AT >E Y\ SAY+ AB\T ! GOV]NM5T8 ,I DON'T 
 UND]/&40 

0,WELL1 Y\ KN[1 ,MAMAN10 ,NI*OLAS 9T]POS$1 KN[+ H[ TO TRANSLATE 
 ?+S 9TO HIS MO!R'S LANGUAGE1 0,PR9CE ,ALEX&] ,GOLITSYN HAS F\ND$ 
 A SOCIETY & 9 CONSEQU5CE HAS GREAT 9FLU5CE1 !Y SAY40 

0,>AK*EEV & ,GOLITSYN10 9CAUTI\SLY REM>K$ ,PI]RE1 0>E N[ ! :OLE 
 GOV]NM5T6 ,& :AT A GOV]NM5T6 ,!Y SEE TREASON EV]Y:]E & >E 
 AFRAID ( EV]Y?+40 

0,WELL1 & H[ IS ,PR9CE ,ALEX&] TO BLAME8 ,HE IS A MO/ E/IMABLE MAN4 ,I 
 US$ TO MEET HIM AT ,M>Y ,ANTONOVNA'S10 SAID ! C\NTESS 9 AN (F5D$ 
 TONE2 & /ILL MORE (F5D$ ?AT !Y ALL REMA9$ SIL5T1 %E W5T ON3 
 0,N[ADAYS EV]YONE F9DS FAULT4 ,A ,GOSPEL ,SOCIETY6 ,WELL1 & :AT H>M IS 
 !RE 9 ?AT80 & %E ROSE 7EV]YBODY ELSE GOT UP TOO7 & ) A SEV]E 
 EXPRESSION SAIL$ BACK TO H] TABLE 9 ! SITT+ ROOM4 

,! MELAN*OLY SIL5CE ?AT FOLL[$ WAS BROK5 BY ! S\NDS ( ! 
 *ILDR5'S VOICES & LAU<T] FROM ! NEXT ROOM4 ,EVID5TLY SOME JOLLY 
 EXCITEM5T WAS GO+ ON !RE4 

0,F9I%$1 F9I%$60 LITTLE ,NATA%A'S GLEEFUL YELL ROSE ABOVE !M ALL4 

,PI]RE EX*ANG$ GLANCES ) ,C\NTESS ,M>Y & ,NI*OLAS 7,NATA%A HE NEV] 
 LO/ SI<T (7 & SMIL$ HAPPILY4 

0,?AT'S DELI<TFUL MUSIC60 SAID HE4 

0,IT MEANS ?AT ,ANNA ,MAK>OVNA HAS F9I%$ H] /OCK+10 SAID ,C\NTESS 
 ,M>Y4 

0,OH1 ,I'LL GO & SEE10 SAID ,PI]RE1 JUMP+ UP4 0,Y\ KN[10 HE ADD$1 
 /OPP+ AT ! DOOR1 0:Y ,I'M ESPECIALLY FOND ( ?AT MUSIC8 ,IT IS ALWAYS 
 ! FIR/ ?+ ?AT TELLS ME ALL IS WELL4 ,:5 ,I WAS DRIV+ H]E TODAY1 
 ! NE>] ,I GOT TO ! H\SE ! MORE ANXI\S ,I GREW4 ,AS ,I 5T]$ ! 
 ANT]OOM ,I HE>D ,&RU%A'S PEALS ( LAU<T] & ?AT MEANT ?AT ALL WAS 
 WELL40 

0,I KN[6 ,I KN[ ?AT FEEL+10 SAID ,NI*OLAS4 0,BUT ,I MU/N'T GO !RE--?OSE 
 /OCK+S >E TO BE A SURPRISE = ME40 

,PI]RE W5T TO ! *ILDR51 & ! %\T+ & LAU<T] GREW /ILL 
 L\D]4 

0,COME1 ,ANNA ,MAK>OVNA10 ,PI]RE'S VOICE WAS HE>D SAY+1 0COME H]E 9TO 
 ! MIDDLE ( ! ROOM & AT ! WORD ( COMM&1 ',ONE1 TWO1' & :5 ,I 
 SAY '?REE'444 ,Y\ /& H]E1 & Y\ 9 MY >MS--WELL N[6 ,ONE1 
 TWO64440 SAID ,PI]RE1 & A SIL5CE FOLL[$3 0?REE60 & A RAPTUR\SLY 
 BREA?LESS CRY ( *ILDR5'S VOICES FILL$ ! ROOM4 0,TWO1 TWO60 !Y 
 %\T$4 

,?IS MEANT TWO /OCK+S1 :I* BY A SECRET PROCESS KN[N ONLY TO H]SELF 
 ,ANNA ,MAK>OVNA US$ TO KNIT AT ! SAME TIME ON ! SAME NE$LES1 & 
 :I*1 :5 !Y W]E READY1 %E ALWAYS TRIUMPHANTLY DREW1 ONE \T ( ! 
 O!R1 9 ! *ILDR5'S PRES5CE4 

,FROM 3 ,GUT5B]G4ORG4 

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

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