had sung As 'twas
growing dark last night.

In the village through which they passed there were red lights and a
cheerful smell of smoke.

"What a darling Uncle is!" said Natasha, when they had come out onto the
highroad.

"Yes," returned Nicholas. "You're not cold?"

"No. I'm quite, quite all right. I feel so comfortable!" answered
Natasha, almost perplexed by her feelings. They remained silent a long
while. The night was dark and damp. They could not see the horses, but
only heard them splashing through the unseen mud.

What was passing in that receptive childlike soul that so eagerly caught
and assimilated all the diverse impressions of life? How did they all
find place in her? But she was very happy. As they were nearing home she
suddenly struck up the air of As 'twas growing dark last night--the tune
of which she had all the way been trying to get and had at last caught.

"Got it?" said Nicholas.

"What were you thinking about just now, Nicholas?" inquired Natasha.

They were fond of asking one another that question.

"I?" said Nicholas, trying to remember. "Well, you see, first I thought
that Rugay, the red hound, was like Uncle, and that if he were a man he
would always keep Uncle near him, if not for his riding, then for his
manner. What a good fellow Uncle is! Don't you think so?... Well, and
you?"

"I? Wait a bit, wait.... Yes, first I thought that we are driving along
and imagining that we are going home, but that heaven knows where we are
really going in the darkness, and that we shall arrive and suddenly find
that we are not in Otradnoe, but in Fairyland. And then I thought... No,
nothing else."

"I know, I expect you thought of him," said Nicholas, smiling as Natasha
knew by the sound of his voice.

"No," said Natasha, though she had in reality been thinking about Prince
Andrew at the same time as of the rest, and of how he would have liked
"Uncle." "And then I was saying to myself all the way, 'How well Anisya
carried herself, how well!'" And Nicholas heard her spontaneous, happy,
ringing laughter. "And do you know," she suddenly said, "I know that I
shall never again be as happy and tranquil as I am now."

"Rubbish, nonsense, humbug!" exclaimed Nicholas, and he thought: "How
charming this Natasha of mine is! I have no other friend like her and
never shall have. Why should she marry? We might always drive about
together!"

"What a darling this Nicholas of mine is!" thought Natasha.

"A