It was past two o’clock in the night when I left them.
But next morning Ichmenyev got up, and he came the same day to me to take Nellie home with him for good.
I have already described his scene with Nellie. This scene shattered him completely.
When he got home he went to bed.
All this happened on Good Friday, the day fixed for Katya to see Natasha, and the day before Alyosha and Katya were to leave Petersburg.
I was present at the interview. It took place early in the morning, before Ichmenyev’s visit, and before Nellie ran away the first time.
Chapter VI
ALYOSHA had come an hour before the interview to prepare Natasha.
I arrived at the very moment when Katya’s carriage drew up at the gate.
Katya was accompanied by an old French lady, who after many persuasions and much hesitation had consented at last to accompany her. She had even agreed to let Katya go up to Natasha without her, but only on condition that Alyosha escorted her while she remained in the carriage.
Katya beckoned to me, and without getting out of the carriage asked me to call Alyosha down.
I found Natasha in tears. Alyosha and she were both crying.
Hearing that Katya was already there, she got up from the chair, wiped her eyes, and in great excitement stood up, facing the door.
She was dressed that morning all in white.
Her dark brown hair was smoothly parted and gathered back in a thick knot.
I particularly liked that way of doing her hair.
Seeing that I was remaining with her, Natasha asked me, too, to go and meet the visitor.
“I could not get to Natasha’s before,” said Katya as she mounted the stairs.
“I’ve been so spied on that it’s awful.
I’ve been persuading Mme. Albert for a whole fortnight, and at last she consented.
And you have never once been to see me, Ivan Petrovitch!
I couldn’t write to you either, and I don’t feel inclined to. One can’t explain anything in a letter.
And how I wanted to see you.... Good heavens, how my heart is beating.”
“The stairs are steep,” I answered.
“Yes . . . the stairs . . . . tell me, what do you think, won’t Natasha be angry with me?”
“No, why?”
“Well . . . why should she after all? I shall see for myself directly. There’s no need to ask questions.”
I gave her my arm.
She actually turned pale, and I believe she was very much frightened.
On the last landing she stopped to take breath; but she looked at me and went up resolutely.
She stopped once more at the door and whispered to me.
“I shall simply go in and say I had such faith in her that I was not afraid to come. . . . But why am I talking? I’m certain that Natasha is the noblest creature, Isn’t she?”
She went in timidly as though she were a culprit, and looked intently at Natasha, who at once smiled at her.
Then Katya ran swiftly to her, seized her hand and pressed her plump little lips to Natasha’s.
Then without saying a word to Natasha, she turned earnestly and even sternly to Alyosha and asked him to leave us for half an hour alone.
“Don’t be cross, Alyosha,” she added, “it’s because I have a great deal to talk about with Natasha, of very important and serious things, that you ought not to hear.
Be good, and go away.
But you stay, Ivan Petrovitch.
You must hear all our conversation. ”
“Let us sit down,” she said to Natasha when Alyosha had left the room. “I’ll sit like this, opposite you, I want to look at you first.”
She sat down almost exactly opposite Natasha, and gazed at her for some minutes.
Natasha responded with an involuntary smile.
“I have seen your photograph already,” said Katya. “Alyosha showed it to me.”
“Well, am I like my portrait?”
“You are nicer,” said Katya earnestly and decisively.
“And I thought you would be nicer.”
“Really?
And I keep looking at you.
How pretty you are!”
“Me!