The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-01
deigned to address her. and replied in her


looked kindly at the young girl.
Il know" said she, after a moments
pause, the child wants air. She came here
from her village, and has passed the whole
winter STOPPING over her frame. Hence
forth, little girl, you must go out into the
fresh air twice a day, and musS learn the
service of my bedroom; this will give you
exercise"
Thereon the Countess quilted the room,
followed by Mavra's grateful eyes, now filled
with tears. From that day Mavra worshiped
the Countess to approach her, to touch what
she had worm to serve her, to receive hoI
orders and execute them with the utmost
speed and dexterity, was the great Joy OF this
humble girl. Her mistress, wrapped in all
this gorgeous luxury the elements OF which
had been so long under her eyes in the work
room, appeared to her as some august being
nearer her Creator than any other of her
| fellow-creatures. Not only did Mavra pray
to God for her, but at times she inwardly
prayed to her as to a saint, thinking the
pleadings of being so superior must have
equal weight with the powers OF heaven as
with those of earth.
Summer was already on the wane when the
noble mansion, habiIually so tranquil, was
suddenly filled with noise and gayety. The
| young Count Serge had sent his carriages on
before him; saddle-horses and hounds were
stamping and neighing in their stalls and
barking in their kennels as though the one
/
| sible in a given time.
How handsome he is. our young Count"
| Dacka kept on saying the livelong day, to
while away the tedious hours in the silent
work-room. ut was l received him in my
arms when he was born"
And she repeated again and again, with in
exhaustble competency, the history OF
Serge's birth, and the legend of his boyhood
up to the moment when this dear treasure of
| her heart had gone to join the corps OF
pages, his trunks laden with cakes, jams,
and all that could possibly be eaten under
heaven.
The working girls gave listless heed to these
hundred times repeated variations, but Ma
vra was never tired hearing them; it was
| like receiving a sort of gospel into her heart.
Her good and revered protectress made all
things dear and venerated that touched her
nearly; and this only son, loved, adored,
longed for became a supernatural being,
kind of Messiah to her.
One morning at the end Of August, as
Mavra who had risen early, was crossing the
courtyard to go waken up the laundress, who
had oversight herself, she saw, galloping
along the enclosure, a troika of black horses
with their heads covered with bells. Its
the young master!" thought the little SER
vant and without giving herself time for re-
Election, she ran to the ponderous gate and
threw it open. At the same moment the
brilliant equipage arrived; the coachman
sackening their gallop they shot like an ar
row past Mavra, and ten steps further on
stood stock-still at the foot of the steps,
Dazed, her heart thrilled by she knew not
what impression of fear and joy, she received
full in the face the gaze of two large black
amazed and amused eyes.
How like his mother!'' thought Marva, as
she closed the huge gate that shut with
heavy bang.
She turned slowly toward the steps as
Serge jumping down from the carriage,
looked around at her again; he smiled when
he met her blue eyes full of simple admira-
ton, and, giving her a friendly nod, entered
the house of his fathers. A minute after he
was by the Countess's bedside, pressed low
iugly in her arms
When they had chatted two whole hours,
as they finished their tea, Serge, reeollecting
himself, suddenly said to his mother
What is this new acquisition you have
made mother? A little fair-haired Raphael
opened the gate for me this morning"
The Countess thought for moment.
"Ah l know" said she: "it's Mavra-a vir-
tue-my dear child. strange little crea-
ture who adores me-"
''She is quite right" replied the son re-
spectfully. What do you do with her?''
'She embroiders in the morning and in
the afternoon she attends on me; but, Serge
you must be prudent. My house is strictly
kept; don't you go and amuse yourself max
ing gallant speeches TO my girls.
"Oh, mother! what do you take me for?"
carelessly replied the young man. 81 think
of woman when she is in casket suited to
her style of beauty. Now here you NAV
have pearls but the casket is totally want
ing"
They burst out laughing together. Only
those who thoroughly understood these two
beings could have guessed beneath this light
talk the strict propriety of the mother and
the sons respect for the maternal home.
But Russians of the grand monde are so con-
stituted that when they have no vice they
take all imaginable trouble to effect it.
On leaving the dining-room the Countess
and her son directed their steps toward the
garden. In front of the house. in the court
yard, they met Mavra STOPPING under the
weight of an enormous pile of linen which
she was carrying from the laundry. The
sheets held in under her crossed hands
reached so high that she had to raise her chin
and turn her head sideways in order to see
before her.
See, there she is" said the Countess in
French, stopping to look at her.
at is hard to say whether she is Raphael
or a Greuze," said Serge. This morning
she had more the look of a Raphael with a
Russian nose. Its hybrid style OF beauty
but it has a certain charm"
They continued their walk while Mavra
entered the work-room with her pile of linen.
When her hands were free she stood trem-
bling and silent, as though she had been
guilty of a crime.
well what are yon waiting for?' said one
of the girls, pulling her by the apron.
II don't know" replied Marva. 81 feel
as if 1 had received a blow, and my hands
keep on trembling"
"You earned too heavy load for your
strength Sit down, and you will see it will
pass off"
And in fact it did pass away in few min
utes but from that moment Mavra was
haunted by pair OF black eyes that little
suspected it.
Her veneration for the Countess was in no
wise diminished by this. On the contrary,
she loved her more, if possible. But in place
of one idol she had two. BY little innocent
tactics that snrnrised herself she sncceeded