LITMIR.BIZ

      Chapter 31

      IT was a dull day, it rained the whole morning, and the patients with their umbrellas crowded the covered gallery.

      Kitty was walking with her mother and the Moscow Colonel, who swaggered gaily in his short, German coat, bought ready-made in Frankfurt. They kept to one side of the gallery, trying to avoid Levin, who was walking on the other side. Varenka, in her dark dress and a black hat with turned-down rim, was pacing the whole length of the gallery with a blind Frenchwoman, and each time she met Kitty they exchanged a friendly look.

      ‘Mama, may I speak to her?’ asked Kitty, following her unknown friend with her eyes and noticing that she was moving toward the Well and that they could meet her there.

      ‘Well, if you want to so much, I will inquire about her first and will speak to her myself,’ answered her mother. ‘What do you see particularly in her? I expect she’s a companion. If you like I will make Madame Stahl’s acquaintance. I knew her sister-in-law,’ added the Princess, raising her head proudly.

      Kitty knew that her mother was offended that Madame Stahl seemed to avoid making her acquaintance. Kitty did not insist.

      ‘She is wonderfully sweet!’ she said, looking at Varenka, who was handing a tumbler to the Frenchwoman. ‘See how naturally and sweetly she does it.’

      ‘How absurd your infatuations are,’ said the Princess. ‘Come, we’d better turn back,’ she added, as she noticed Levin coming toward them with his lady and a German doctor, to whom he was talking loudly and angrily.

      They were just turning to go back, when they suddenly heard voices not merely loud, but shouting. Levin had stopped and was shouting, and the doctor was also excited. A crowd collected about them. The Princess and Kitty withdrew hurriedly, but the Colonel joined the crowd to find out what the noise was all about.

      In a few minutes he overtook Kitty and her mother.

      ‘What was the matter?’ asked the Princess.

      ‘It’s shameful and scandalous,’ replied the Colonel. ‘The one thing to fear is meeting Russians abroad. That tall gentleman has been quarrelling with the doctor and insulting him, because he is dissatisfied with the doctor’s treatment. He shook his stick at him! It’s simply shameful!’

      ‘Ah, how unpleasant!’ said the Princess. ‘But how did it all end?’

      ‘Luckily that … you know the girl with a hat like a mushroom — she’s Russian, I think — intervened,’ said the Colonel.

      ‘Mlle Varenka?’ asked Kitty in a pleased tone.

      ‘Yes, yes. She knew what to do before anyone else. She took that fellow by the arm and led him away.’

      ‘There, Mama,’ said Kitty. ‘And you are surprised that I admire her.’

      The next day, watching her unknown friend, Kitty noticed that she was already on the same footing with Levin and his young woman as she was with her other protégés. She went up to them, talked to them, and acted as interpreter for the woman, who spoke nothing but Russian.

      Kitty begged her mother more than ever to allow her to make Varenka’s acquaintance, and, much as the Princess disliked appearing to take the first step toward getting acquainted with Madame Stahl, who allowed herself to be proud of something or other, she made inquiries about Varenka, and having learnt particulars which allowed her to conclude that though there might be little good there would be no harm in this acquaintance, she herself approached Varenka.

      Choosing a moment when her daughter had gone to the Well and Varenka had stopped in front of a baker’s shop, the Princess went up to her.

      ‘Allow me to introduce myself,’ said the Princess with her dignified smile. ‘My daughter has fallen in love with you. Perhaps you don’t know me. I …’

      ‘It is more than mutual, Princess,’ replied Varenka hurriedly.

      ‘What a good action you performed yesterday for our unfortunate fellow-countryman!’ said the Princess.

      Varenka blushed. ‘I don’t remember; I don’t think I did anything,’ she said.

      ‘Oh, yes, you saved that Levin from unpleasantness.’

      ‘Well, you see, his companion called me and I tried to soothe him; he is very ill and was dissatisfied with his doctor. I am used to looking after invalids of that kind.’

      ‘Oh, yes, I have heard that you live in Mentone with your aunt, I think, Madame Stahl. I knew her sister-in-law.’

      ‘No, she is not my aunt. I call her Mama, but I am not related to her. She adopted me,’ answered Varenka, and blushed again.

      This was said so simply, and the frank and open expression of her face was so amiable, that the Princess understood what made Kitty so fond of this Varenka.

      ‘Well, and what about that Levin?’

      ‘He is leaving,’ answered Varenka.

      Just then Kitty, beaming with joy that her mother had made acquaintance with her unknown friend, returned from the Well.

      ‘There, Kitty, your great wish to make acquaintance with Mlle …’

      ‘Varenka,’ prompted Varenka with a smile, ‘everybody calls me so.’

      Kitty blushed with joy, long and silently pressing her new friend’s hand, which lay passively in hers. But though her hand did not return the pressure, Mlle Varenka’s face shone with a soft and pleased, though rather sad, smile, which disclosed her large but splendid teeth.

      ‘I have long wished it myself,’ she said.

      ‘But you are so busy …’

      ‘Oh, on the contrary, I have no occupation at all,’ answered Varenka; but at that very moment she had to leave her new friends because two little Russian girls, the children of one of the invalids, ran up to her.

      ‘Varenka, Mama wants you!’ they shouted.

      And Varenka went with them.