, did not say a word.

Natacha came into the room, and, after leaning over Sonia for a minute
or two to examine her work, went over to her mother and stood still in
front of her.

The countess looked up. "Why are you wandering about like a soul in
torment? What do you want?" she said.

"Want! I want him!" replied Natacha, shortly, and her eyes glowed. "Now,
here--at once!"

Her mother gazed at her anxiously.

"Do not look at me like that; you will make me cry."

"Sit down here."

"Mamma, I want him, I want him! Why must I die of weariness?" Her voice
broke and tears started from her eyes. She hastily quitted the
drawing-room and went to the housekeeper's room, where an old servant
was scolding one of the girls who had just come in breathless from
out-of-doors.

"There is a time for all things," growled the old woman. "You have had
time enough for play."

"Oh, leave her in peace, Kondratievna," said Natacha. "Run away,
Mavroucha--go."

Pursuing her wandering, Natacha went into the hall; an old man-servant
was playing cards with two of the boys. Her entrance stopped their game
and they rose. "And what am I to say to these?" thought she.

"Nikita, would you please go--what on earth can I ask for?--go and find
me a cock; and you, Micha, a handful of corn."

"A handful of corn?" said Micha, laughing.

"Go, go at once," said the old man.

"And you, Fedor, can you give me a piece of chalk?"

Then she went on to the servants' hall and ordered the samovar to be got
ready, though it was not yet tea-time; she wanted to try her power over
Foka, the old butler, the most morose and disobliging of all the
servants. He could not believe his ears, and asked her if she really
meant it. "What next will our young lady want?" muttered Foka, affecting
to be very cross.

No one gave so many orders as Natacha, no one sent them on so many
errands at once. As soon as a servant came in sight she seemed to invent
some want or message; she could not help it. It seemed as though she
wanted to try her power over them; to see whether, some fine day, one or
another would not rebel against her tyranny; but, on the contrary, they
always flew to obey her more readily than any one else.

"And now what shall I do, where can I go?" thought she, as she slowly
went along the corridor, where she presently met the buffoon.

"Nastacia Ivanovna," said she, "if I ever have children, what will they
be?"

"You! Fleas and grasshoppers, you ma