Anna Karenina - Part 4

"The doctor said it was nothing serious, and he ordered a bath,

sir."

"But she is still in pain," said Alexey Alexandrovitch, listening

to the baby's screaming in the next room.

"I think it's the wet-nurse, sir," the Englishwoman said firmly.

"What makes you think so?" he asked, stopping short.

"It's just as it was at Countess Paul's, sir. They gave the baby

medicine, and it turned out that the baby was simply hungry: the

nurse had no milk, sir."

Alexey Alexandrovitch pondered, and after standing still a few

seconds he went in at the other door. The baby was lying with

its head thrown back, stiffening itself in the nurse's arms, and

would not take the plump breast offered it; and it never ceased

screaming in spite of the double hushing of the wet-nurse and the

other nurse, who was bending over her.

"Still no better?" said Alexey Alexandrovitch.

"She's very restless," answered the nurse in a whisper.

"Miss Edwarde says that perhaps the wet-nurse has no milk," he

said.

"I think so too, Alexey Alexandrovitch."

"Then why didn't you say so?"

"Who's one to say it to? Anna Arkadyevna still ill..." said the

nurse discontentedly.

The nurse was an old servant of the family. And in her simple

words there seemed to Alexey Alexandrovitch an allusion to his

position.

The baby screamed louder than ever, struggling and sobbing. The

nurse, with a gesture of despair, went to it, took it from the

wet-nurse's arms, and began walking up and down, rocking it.

"You must ask the doctor to examine the wet-nurse," said Alexey

Alexandrovitch. The smartly dressed and healthy-looking nurse,

frightened at the idea of losing her place, muttered something to

herself, and covering her bosom, smiled contemptuously at the

idea of doubts being cast on her abundance of milk. In that

smile, too, Alexey Alexandrovitch saw a sneer at his position.

"Luckless child!" said the nurse, hushing the baby, and still

walking up and down with it.

Alexey Alexandrovitch sat down, and with a despondent and

suffering face watched the nurse walking to and fro.

When the child at last was still, and had been put in a deep bed,

and the nurse, after smoothing the little pillow, had left her,

Alexey Alexandrovitch got up, and walking awkwardly on tiptoe,

approached the baby. For a minute he was still, and with the

same despondent face gazed at the baby; but all at once a smile,

that moved his hair and the skin of his forehead, came out on his

face, and he went as softly out of the room.