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6
SÖNYA KOVALÉVSKY
Nevertheless, despite her grumbling, nurse now
considers it expedient to set about our toilets in
earnest; and it must be confessed that if the
preparations have lasted a long time, the toilet itself is very
speedily despatched. Nurse wipes our faces and
hands with a wet towel, draws the comb a couple of
times through our disheveled manes, puts on our
clothes (which often lack several buttons), and we are
ready!
My sister is sent off to her lesson with the
governess, but my brother and I remain in the nursery.
Not in the least disturbed by our presence, nurse
sweeps the floor a little with a brush, raising a
perfect cloud of dust, spreads the coverlets over our
beds, shakes up her own down pillows, and the
nursery is again considered to be in order for the whole
day. My brother and I sit on the divan covered with
waxed cloth which is pierced in places with holes
through which the horsehair protrudes in huge tufts,
and amuse ourselves with our playthings. We are
rarely taken to walk, only in the case of
exceptionally fine weather, and on great festival days, when
nurse takes us to church with her.
As soon as my sister has finished her lesson, she
runs back to us. She is bored when she is with
the governess, and finds it more amusing with us
—the more so because visitors often come to see
nurse—other nurses or maids, whom she treats to
coffee, and from whom we may hear many interesting
things.
Sometimes mama looks into the nursery. When
I recall my mother during this first period of my
childhood, she always presents herself to me as a
very young, very handsome woman. I see her
always very merry, and handsomely dressed. I recall
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