Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 01.djvu/26

2 that's why he is tormenting me. All he is thinking about," whispered I, "is how to cause me annoyance. He knows quite well that he has waked and frightened me, but he acts as though he did not notice it. He is a contemptible fellow! And his dressing-gown, and cap, and tassel,— they are all contemptible!"

While I thus expressed in thought my disgust with Karl Ivánovich, he walked up to his bed, took a look at the watch which was hanging above it in a hand-made shoe of glass beads, hung the flap on a nail, and, evidently in the pleasantest mood, turned to us.

"Auf, Kinder, auf! 's ist Zeit. Die Mutter ist schon im Saal," he cried out in his good German voice, then came up to me, seated himself at my feet, and took his snuff-box out of his pocket. I pretended I was asleep. Karl Ivánovich at first took a snuff, wiped his nose, snapped his fingers, and then turned his attention to me. He smiled and began to tickle the soles of my feet. "Nun, nun, Faulenzer!" said he.

Though I was very much afraid of tickling, I did not jump up from bed and did not answer him, but only hid my head farther under the pillows, kicked my feet with all my might, and made all possible efforts to keep from laughing.

"What a good man he is, and how he loves us, and how could I have thought so ill of him?"

I was angry at myself and at Karl Ivánovich, and I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time; my nerves were shattered.

"Ach, lassen Sie, Karl Ivánovich!" cried I, with tears in my eyes, and stuck my head out of my pillows.

Karl Ivánovich was surprised, left my soles in peace, and with a disturbed mien began to ask what the matter was with me, and whether I had not had a bad dream. His good German face and the interest which he evinced in trying to ascertain the cause of my tears made them