第23章

“Veryreadyareyoutoweep，butIshouldlikefirsttoheartheexactcircumstancesofthelad’sdeath。“

Thusinvited，thewomanwipedhereyeswiththesleeveofherbodice，lickedherlips，heavedaprolongedsigh，andfelltoregardingAntipa’sred，hardbittenfacewiththecheerful，unabashedglanceofapersonwhoisundertheinfluenceofliquor。Fromunderherwhitehead-bandtherehadfallenoverhertemplesandherrightcheekafewwispsofgoldenhair；andindeed，asshedrewherselfup，andtossedherheadandbosom，andsmoothedoutandstretchedthecreasesinherbodice，shelookedlessthanheryears。Everyonenowfelltoeyeingherinanattentivesilence，thoughnot，itwouldseem，withoutatouchofenvy。

Abruptly，sternly，theoldmaninquired:

“Didtheladevercomplainofill-health？“

“No，never，“Felitzatareplied。“Neveroncedidhespeakofit——neveronce。“

“Andhehadnotbeenbeaten？“

“Oh，howcanyouaskmesuchathing，andespeciallyseeingthat，that——？“

“IdidnotsaybeatenbyYOU。“

“Well，Icannotanswerforanyoneelse，butatleasthadhenomarkonhisbody，seeingthatwhenIliftedthesmockIcouldfindnothingsaveforscratchesonlegsandback。“

Hertonenowhadinitanewring，aringofincreasedassurance，andwhenshehadfinishedsheclosedherbrighteyeslanguidlybeforeheavingasoft，asitwere，voluptuous，and，withal，veryaudiblesigh。

Someoneheremurmured:

“SheDIDusetobeathim。“

“What？“

“Atalleventssheusedtolosehertemperwithhim。“

Thisledtotheputtingofafurtherdozenorsoofleadingquestions；whereafterAntipa，forawhile，preservedasuggestivesilence，andthecrowdtooremainedsilent，asthoughithadsuddenlybeenlulledtoslumber。Onlyatlonglast，andwithaclearingofhisthroat，didAntipasay:

“Friends，wemustsupposethatGod，ofHisinfiniteMercy，hasvouchsafedtoushereaspecialvisitation，inthat，asallofushaveperceived，aladbereftofwit，thesameradiantladwhomallofushaveknown，hashereabidedintheclosestofcommunionwiththeBlessedDispenseroflifeonearth。“

ThenImovedaway，foruponmyhearttherewaspressingaburdenofunendurablesorrow，andIwasyearning，oh，soterribly，toseeNilushkaoncemore。

ThebackportionofFelitzata’scotstoodalittlesunkenintotheground，sothatthefrontportionhaditscoldwindowpanesandraisedsashtiltedatrifletowardstheremoteheavens。I

bentmyhead，andenteredbytheopendoor。NearthethresholdNilushkawaslyingonanarrowchestagainstthewall。Thefoldsofadark-redpillowoffustianundertheheadsetofftoperfectionthepalebluetintofhisround，innocentfaceunderitscoronaofgoldencurls；andthoughtheeyeswereclosed，andthelipspressedtightlytogether，hestillseemedtobesmilinginhis

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