登陆注册
4700900000021

第21章

ON the day after the events described, the carriage and the luggage-cart drew up to the door at noon. Nicola, dressed for the journey, with his breeches tucked into his boots and an old overcoat belted tightly about him with a girdle, got into the cart and arranged cloaks and cushions on the seats. When he thought that they were piled high enough he sat down on them, but finding them still unsatisfactory, jumped up and arranged them once more.

"Nicola Dimitvitch, would you be so good as to take master's dressing-case with you? " said Papa's valet, suddenly standing up in the carriage, " It won't take up much room."

"You should have told me before, Michael Ivanitch," answered Nicola snappishly as he hurled a bundle with all his might to the floor of the cart. "Good gracious! Why, when my head is going round like a whirlpool, there you come along with your dressing-case!" and he lifted his cap to wipe away the drops of perspiration from his sunburnt brow.

The courtyard was full of bareheaded peasants in kaftans or simple shirts, women clad in the national dress and wearing striped handkerchiefs, and barefooted little ones--the latter holding their mothers' hands or crowding round the entrance-steps. All were chattering among themselves as they stared at the carriage. One of the postillions, an old man dressed in a winter cap and cloak, took hold of the pole of the carriage and tried it carefully, while the other postillion (a young man in a white blouse with pink gussets on the sleeves and a black lamb's-wool cap which he kept cocking first on one side and then on the other as he arranged his flaxen hair) laid his overcoat upon the box, slung the reins over it, and cracked his thonged whip as he looked now at his boots and now at the other drivers where they stood greasing the wheels of the cart--one driver lifting up each wheel in turn and the other driver applying the grease. Tired post-horses of various hues stood lashing away flies with their tails near the gate--some stamping their great hairy legs, blinking their eyes, and dozing, some leaning wearily against their neighbours, and others cropping the leaves and stalks of dark-green fern which grew near the entrance-steps. Some of the dogs were lying panting in the sun, while others were slinking under the vehicles to lick the grease from the wheels. The air was filled with a sort of dusty mist, and the horizon was lilac-grey in colour, though no clouds were to be seen, A strong wind from the south was raising volumes of dust from the roads and fields, shaking the poplars and birch-trees in the garden, and whirling their yellow leaves away. I myself was sitting at a window and waiting impatiently for these various preparations to come to an end.

As we sat together by the drawing-room table, to pass the last few moments en famille, it never occurred to me that a sad moment was impending. On the contrary, the most trivial thoughts were filling my brain. Which driver was going to drive the carriage and which the cart? Which of us would sit with Papa, and which with Karl Ivanitch? Why must I be kept forever muffled up in a scarf and padded boots?

"Am I so delicate? Am I likely to be frozen?" I thought to myself. "I wish it would all come to an end, and we could take our seats and start."

"To whom shall I give the list of the children's linen?" asked Natalia Savishna of Mamma as she entered the room with a paper in her hand and her eyes red with weeping.

"Give it to Nicola, and then return to say good-bye to them," replied Mamma. The old woman seemed about to say something more, but suddenly stopped short, covered her face with her handkerchief, and left the room. Something seemed to prick at my heart when I saw that gesture of hers, but impatience to be off soon drowned all other feeling, and I continued to listen indifferently to Papa and Mamma as they talked together. They were discussing subjects which evidently interested neither of them. What must be bought for the house? What would Princess Sophia or Madame Julie say? Would the roads be good?--and so forth.

Foka entered, and in the same tone and with the same air as though he were announcing luncheon said, "The carriages are ready." I saw Mamma tremble and turn pale at the announcement, just as though it were something unexpected.

同类推荐
  • 影响集

    影响集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 韬晦术

    韬晦术

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 程杏轩医案

    程杏轩医案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上救苦天尊说消愆灭罪经

    太上救苦天尊说消愆灭罪经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • TOM SAWYER ABROAD

    TOM SAWYER ABROAD

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 现代人智慧全书:智慧反败术

    现代人智慧全书:智慧反败术

    全面、系统、分门别类地将现代人生存立世必须具备的智慧告诉您。指导您做适者生存、永立人上的强者。
  • 我和圣女有个约定

    我和圣女有个约定

    十二年前,一个小男孩救了一个小女孩,十二年后小女孩成了武林第一门派的圣女,名动江湖。多少江湖青年俊才想要一睹圣女仙容,可都一一遭到拒绝,圣女只说了一句话,我哥哥不同意。新书,请多多支持。(粉丝群:825503492)
  • 所有的秘密都是深爱

    所有的秘密都是深爱

    他给每个对他表白的女人都发了好人卡,他会很温柔地说:“你很好,值得更好的男人。”认识他、爱上他时,他孑然一身,她以为他是可以爱的。她想写一封很长的情书给他,却被告知他有妻子。她带着眼泪离开,直到很多年后,她才辗转得知他的妻子已经死了,而所有的人都选择对他隐瞒。此时,她即将步入婚姻的殿堂,嫁给一个对她很好的男人。他淡淡存在于这个世界,却拥有世间无可比拟的吸引力,能一辈子扎根于人的心底,让人不自觉地想要触摸他。那些年,有多少女人在认识他后,都嫁给了与他相像的人。他的名字叫陈秋末,秋末而生。
  • 大唐仙凡传

    大唐仙凡传

    轩衣。生身父亲乃是魔界一带赫赫有名的魔圣。千年之前的一场仙魔大战,改变轩衣的命运,只得由仙广子抱给不周山的不周老者领养。千年之间,弹指一瞬即过,不周老者就让他下界,寻得了救命恩人牡丹花神,却又能解开生身父亲魔衣是否死在冥海的谜团……
  • 大腕崛起

    大腕崛起

    新书《文骚》已发,不一样的文娱体验!_______________________________2013年,内地总票房怒破200亿大关!2012年,华语电影单片票房首次突破12亿!2011年,华语电影单片票房首次达到一亿美元!2010年,内地总票房强势突破100亿!2009年,内地市场有三部电影票房过4亿!2008年,内地票房过亿电影共计12部!……2005年,怀揣明星梦的何沐从横店影城走出来,并成为娱乐江湖的一个变数,所以上面的数据都做不得准,未来大势将由强者左右!何沐就是那个娱乐圈的强者,众人仰视的大腕!
  • 恰似有所依

    恰似有所依

    她倾尽所有算计十五年,最终却在尘埃落定的那一刻输掉自己。有人曾无数次警告她,慕景裎不是一个她能惹的起的人物,尽管她自己也深深明白这一点,可还是毫不吝啬的利用他所给她的一切,这意念,不曾有过一丝的动摇。“你不是想玩吗?我陪你。”他语调轻轻,温柔尽显时,她以残忍相对:“你想死吗?我陪你。”之后,一声急刹车在耳边撕裂,她痛苦到无法呼吸。慕景裎明明比任何人都清楚,他爱的那个女孩儿,假装满面清纯、无知单纯,可还是心甘情愿宠她入骨、给她利用,陪她玩这一场刺激而又甜蜜的游戏,包括死亡……那理由,只有一个:悱悱,我爱你。无可救药!
  • 三种悉地破地狱转业障出三界秘密陀罗尼法

    三种悉地破地狱转业障出三界秘密陀罗尼法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Amphitryon

    Amphitryon

    Amphitryon was played for the first time in Paris, at the Theatre du Palais-Royal, January 13, wkkk.net was successfully received, holding the boards until the 18th of March, when Easter intervened.汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 谪仙劫竹笙花

    谪仙劫竹笙花

    青衣瘦马,谪仙竹林。神仙岛上无神仙,汉水河中尽妖魔。风雨飘摇的江湖,落魄的王公贵族,两本绝世武功的秘籍,三个性格迥异的孩子。面对着种种劫难和诱惑,三位孩子如何才能最终找到属于自己的江湖?且看谪仙如何历尽劫难,最终等来竹上开花......
  • 皇明奇事述

    皇明奇事述

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。