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heart she was sure that he knew not merely Agafea Mihalovna, but
that he knew and understood everything, and knew and understood a
great deal too that no one else knew, and that she, his mother, had
learned and come to understand only through him. To Agafea
Mihalovna, to the nurse, to his grandfather, to his father even, Mitya
was a living being, requiring only materiel care, but for his mother he
had long been a mortal being, with whom there had been a whole
series of spiritual relations already.
“When he wakes up, please God, you shall see for yourself. Then
when I do like this, he simply beams on me, the darling! Simply beams
like a sunny day!” said Agafea Mihalovna.
“Well, well then we shall see,” whispered Kitty. “But now go away,
he’s going to sleep.”
Chapter 7.
Agafea Mihalovna went out on tiptoe; the nurse let down the
blind, chased a fly out from under the muslin canopy of the crib, and a
bumblebee struggling on the window-frame, and sat down waving a
faded branch of birch over the mother and the baby.
“How hot it is! if God would send a drop of rain,” she said.
“Yes, yes, sh—sh—sh—” was all Kitty answered, rocking a little,
and tenderly squeezing the plump little arm, with rolls of fat at the
wrist, which Mitya still waved feebly as he opened and shut his eyes.
That hand worried Kitty; she longed to kiss the little hand, but was
afraid to for fear of waking the baby. At last the little hand ceased
waving, and the eyes closed. Only from time to time, as he went on
sucking, the baby raised his long, curly eyelashes and peeped at his
mother with wet eyes, that looked black in the twilight. The nurse had
left off fanning, and was dozing. From above came the peals of the old
prince’s voice, and the chuckle of Katavasov.
“They have got into talk without me,” thought Kitty, “but still it’s
vexing that Kostya’s out. He’s sure to have gone to the bee house
again. Though it’s a pity he’s there so often, still I’m glad. It distracts his
mind. He’s become altogether happier and better now than in the
spring. He used to be so gloomy and worried that I felt frightened for
him. And how absurd he is!” she whispered, smiling.