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Chapter 19.
Left alone, Darya Alexandrovna, with a good housewife’s eye,
scanned her room. All she had seen in entering the house and walking
through it, and all she saw now in her room, gave her an impression of
wealth and sumptuousness and of that modern European luxury of
which she had only read in English novels, but had never seen in
Russia and in the country. Everything was new from the new French
hangings on the walls to the carpet which covered the whole floor. The
bed had a spring mattress, and a special sort of bolster and silk pillow-
cases on the little pillows. The marble washstand, the dressing table,
the little sofa, the tables, the bronze clock on the chimney piece, the
window curtains, and the portieres were all new and expensive.
The smart maid, who came in to offer her services, with her hair
done up high, and a gown more fashionable than Dolly’s, was as new
and expensive as the whole room. Darya Alexandrovna liked her
neatness, her deferential and obliging manners, but she felt ill at ease
with her. She felt ashamed of her seeing the patched dressing jacket
that had unluckily been packed by mistake for her. She was ashamed
of the very patches and darned places of which she had been so proud
at home. At home it had been so clear that for six dressing jackets
there would be needed twenty-four yards of nainsook at sixteen pence
the yard, which was a matter of thirty shillings besides the cutting-out
and making, and these thirty shillings had been saved. But before the
maid she felt, if not exactly ashamed, at least uncomfortable.
Darya Alexandrovna had a great sense of relief when Annushka,
whom she had known for years, walked in. The smart maid was sent
for to go to her mistress, and Annushka remained with Darya
Alexandrovna.
Annushka was obviously much pleased at that lady’s arrival, and
began to chatter away without a pause. Dolly observed that she was
longing to express her opinion in regard to her mistress’s position, espe-
cially as to the love and devotion of the count to Anna Arkadyevna, but
Dolly carefully interrupted her whenever she began to speak about
this.
“I grew up with Anna Arkadyevna; my lady’s dearer to me than
anything. Well, it’s not for us to judge. And, to be sure, there seems so
much love...”
“Kindly pour out the water for me to wash now, please,” Darya
Alexandrovna cut her short.
“Certainly. We’ve two women kept specially for washing small
things, but most of the linen’s done by machinery. The count goes into
everything himself. Ah, what a husband!...”
Dolly was glad when Anna came in, and by her entrance put a stop
to Annushka’s gossip.
Anna had put on a very simple batiste gown. Dolly scrutinized
that simple gown attentively. She knew what it meant, and the price at
which such simplicity was obtained.
“An old friend,” said Anna of Annushka.
Anna was not embarrassed now. She was perfectly composed and
at ease. Dolly saw that she had now completely recovered from the
impression her arrival had made on her, and had assumed that super-