“Lovely, lovely! Go on, Uncle, go on!” shouted Natásha as soon as he had finished. She jumped up and hugged and kissed him. “Nikólenka, Nikólenka!” she said, turning to her brother, as if asking him: “What is it moves me so?”

Nikoláy too was greatly pleased by “Uncle’s” playing, and “Uncle” played the piece over again. Anísya Fëdorovna’s smiling face reappeared in the doorway and behind hers other faces⁠ ⁠…

Fetching water clear and sweet,

Stop, dear maiden, I entreat⁠—

Fetching water clear and sweet, Stop, dear maiden, I entreat⁠—