mothers who trrink everything good that their children do. Maria
Mihalovna, for instance, would order the carriage to be got ready.
' What for, mamma ? ' Nadinka would inquire,
' We will go out for a drive, it's such glorious weather,' said her mother.
' How can we ? Alexandr Fedoritch is coming.'
And the carriage would be put off.
Another time Maria Mihalovna would be sitting at work at her everlasting scarf and beginning to sigh, or be sniffing snuff and plying her bone knitting-needles, or else buried in the perusal of a French novel.
' Maman, why are you not dressing ? ' Nadinka would ask severely.
' What for ? '
' Why, we are going for a walk, of course.'
' For a walk ? '
'Yes. Alexandr Fedoritch will come after us. Have you forgotten already ? '
' Why, I didn't know.'
' Not know indeed !' Nadinka would say in displeasure.
Her mother would leave her scarf and her book, and go to dress. So Nadinka enjoyed complete freedom and ordered herself and her mamma and her time and her occupations as she pleased. However, she was a kind and indulgent daughter—obedient one could not call her, for it was not she, but her mother, who obeyed; but at least one could say that she had an obedient mother.
' Go in to mamma,' said Nadinka, when they had reached the door of the drawing-room.
'And you?'
' I will come afterwards.'
' Well, then, I will come afterwards too.'
' No, go in first.'
Alexandr went in and at once retreated again on tip-toe.
' She is asleep in the armchair,' he said in a whisper.
' Never mind, go in. Maman, maman I '
' Ah 1'
'Alexandr Fedoritch has come.'
' Ah!'
' Mr. Adouev wants to see you.'
' Ah!'
' You see how sound asleep she is. Don't wake her !' Alexandr restrained her.
' No, I will wake her. Maman I '
' Ah !'
'Wake up; Alexandr Fedoritch is here.'
' Where is Alexandr Fedoritch ?' said Maria Mihal-ovna, looking directly at him and setting straight her cap, which had fallen on one side. ' Ah, is that you, Alexandr Fedoritch? Glad to see you. Here have I been sitting and dropping off into a nap. I'm sure I don't know why, I suppose it's the weather. My corns too begin to shoot— there will be rain. I've been dozing, and in my sleep I thought that Ignaty announced some visitors, but I did not understand who. I listen, ' are here,' he says, but who I couldn't make out. Then Nadinka called and I woke up at once. I sleep very lightly; the least sound and I'm looking to see what it is. Sit down, Alexandr Fedoritch, how are you ? '
' Very well, thank you.'
' How is Piotr Ivanitch ? '
' Very well, I thank you.'
' Why does he never come to see us ? I was only thinking yesterday; he might, thought I, come over once sometime, but he never has—I suppose he is busy ? '
'Very busy,' said Alexandr.
' And we didn't see you the other day!' continued Maria Mihalovna. ' I had been awake a long while; I asked, where is Nadinka? They tell me she's still asleep. ' Well, let her sleep,' I said, the whole day in the open air, in the garden, the weather keeps fine, she's tired. At her age she sleeps soundly, not as I do at my time of life; such sleeplessness—would you believe—it grows quite a torment; my nerves, or something, I don't know. Then they bring me coffee; you know I always drink it in bed—and while I was drinking it, I thought: 'what does it mean, we've seen nothing of Alexandr Fedoritch ? Can he be well ? ' Then I got up, and I look; it's eleven o'clock—a pretty thing, on my word—the servants never told me. I went into Nadinka. She was still asleep. I woke her. ' It's time, upon my word, my dear; it's nearly twelve o'clock, what's the matter with you ? ' You know I am after her the whole day like a nurse. I sent away the governess on purpose to
have no strangers about. Trust strangers, they say, and God knows what they will do! No ! I undertook her education myself. I look after her strictly, she's never a step out of my sight, and I can say that Nadinka feels this; she doesn't even keep a thought secret from me. I seem to see right through her. Then the cook came up; I talked to him for an hour; then I read a little of the ' Memoires du Diable .... ah ! what a pleasant author Sully is ! how agreeably he writes ! Then our neighbour Maria Ivanovna called with her husband; so I never noticed how the morning slipped away; four o'clock already and time for dinner! Ah, yes; why didn't you come to dinner ? we waited for you till five o'clock.'
'Till five« o'clock?' said Alexandr : 'I never can, Maria Mihalovna; my office work kept me. I beg you never to wait for me after four o'clock.'
' Well, I said the same, but Nadinka kept on' let us wait a little longer, and a little longer !''
' I ? Oh, mamma, how you talk! Didn't I say,' It's time for dinner, mamma,' and you said 'No, we must wait; Alexandr Fedoritch can't be far off; certainly he will be J
here to dinner.''
'There, there!' said Maria Mihalovna, shaking her head; ' oh, she's a shameless girl! she puts her own words into my mouth !'
Nadinka turned away, walked to the flowers and began to tease the parro,t.
' I said,' Well, where can Alexandr Fedoritch be now ?'' continued Maria Mihalovna ' it's half-past four. ' No,' she said, ' we must wait, maman, he will be here.' I look again, a quarter to five. 'You may say what you like, Nadinka,' said I;' Alexandr Fedoritch has certainly gone to some friends, he will not come; I am getting hungry.' ' No,' she said, ' we must wait till five o'clock.' So she plagued me. Eh, isn't it true, miss ?'
'Popka, popka!' was heard from behind the flowers; ' where did you dine to-day, at your uncle's ? '
' What; she has hidden herself!' her mother went on; ' you see she's ashamed to face the light of day.'
' Not at all,' answered Nadinka, coming from the flowers, and sitting down at the window.
' And after all she wouldn't sit down to the table !' said
Maria Mihalovna: ' she asked for a cup of milk and went into the garden; so she has had no dinner. What ? look me straight in the face, miss !'
Alexandr nearly fainted with happiness at this narrative. He looked at Nadinka, but she had turned her back on him and was tearing a leaf of ivy into little pieces.
' Nadyezhda Alexandrovna !' he said, ' had I the happiness of being thought of by you ? '
' Don't come near me !' she cried, in vexation that her manoeuvres had been revealed. ' Mamma is joking, and you are ready to believe her.'
' But where are the berries that you had got ready for Alexandr Fedoritch ? ' asked her mother.
' Berries ? '
' Yes, the berries.'
' Why, you ate them at dinner,' answered Nadinka.
' I! please to remember, my dear, you hid them aud would not give me any. 'You will see/ she said, ' Alexandr Fedoritch will come, and then I will give you some too.' What do you think of her? '
Alexandr looked shyly and tenderly at Nadinka. She blushed.
' She picked them herself, Alexandr Fedoritch,' remarked her mother.
' What is all this you are inventing, maman ? I picked two or three berries, and you ate those yourself, and the rest Vassilisa '
