For a long time Natasha listened attentively to the sounds thatreached her from inside and outside the room and did not move. Firstshe heard her mother praying and sighing and the creaking of her bedunder her, then Madame Schoss' familiar whistling snore and Sonya'sgentle breathing. Then the countess called to Natasha. Natasha did notanswer.

　　"I think she's asleep, Mamma," said Sonya softly.

　　After short silence the countess spoke again but this time no onereplied.

　　Soon after that Natasha heard her mother's even breathing. Natashadid not move, though her little bare foot, thrust out from under thequilt, was growing cold on the bare floor.

　　As if to celebrate a victory over everybody, a cricket chirped ina crack in the wall. A cock crowed far off and another replied nearby. The shouting in the tavern had died down; only the moaning ofthe adjutant was heard. Natasha sat up.

　　"Sonya, are you asleep? Mamma?" she whispered.

　　No one replied. Natasha rose slowly and carefully, crossedherself, and stepped cautiously on the cold and dirty floor with herslim, supple, bare feet. The boards of the floor creaked. Steppingcautiously from one foot to the other she ran like a kitten the fewsteps to the door and grasped the cold door handle.

　　It seemed to her that something heavy was beating rhythmicallyagainst all the walls of the room: it was her own heart, sinkingwith alarm and terror and overflowing with love.

　　She opened the door and stepped across the threshold and onto thecold, damp earthen floor of the passage. The cold she felt refreshedher. With her bare feet she touched a sleeping man, stepped overhim, and opened the door into the part of the hut where PrinceAndrew lay. It was dark in there. In the farthest corner, on a benchbeside a bed on which something was lying, stood a tallow candlewith a long, thick, and smoldering wick.

　　From the moment she had been told that of Prince Andrew's woundand his presence there, Natasha had resolved to see him. She did notknow why she had to, she knew the meeting would be painful, but feltthe more convinced that it was necessary.