Page 949 - war-and-peace

Chapter VII

Toward evening Ilagin took leave of Nicholas, who found
that they were so far from home that he accepted ‘Uncle’s’
offer that the hunting party should spend the night in his
little village of Mikhaylovna.
‘And if you put up at my house that will be better still.
That’s it, come on!’ said ‘Uncle.’ ‘You see it’s damp weather,
and you could rest, and the little countess could be driven
home in a trap.’
‘Uncle’s’ offer was accepted. A huntsman was sent to
Otradnoe for a trap, while Nicholas rode with Natasha and
Petya to ‘Uncle’s’ house.
Some five male domestic serfs, big and little, rushed out
to the front porch to meet their master. A score of women
serfs, old and young, as well as children, popped out from
the back entrance to have a look at the hunters who were
arriving. The presence of Natashaa woman, a lady, and on
horsebackraised the curiosity of the serfs to such a degree
that many of them came up to her, stared her in the face,
and unabashed by her presence made remarks about her as
though she were some prodigy on show and not a human
being able to hear or understand what was said about her.
‘Arinka! Look, she sits sideways! There she sits and her
skirt dangles.... See, she’s got a little hunting horn!’
‘Goodness gracious! See her knife?..’

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