So Nadia thought; and she was not mistaken.
It was an instinctive sympathy for that part of her misery
which Marfa did not show which first drew Nadia towards her.
This way of bearing her sorrow went to the proud heart of
the young girl. She did not offer her services; she gave them.
Marfa had neither to refuse nor accept them. In the difficult
parts of the journey, the girl was there to support her.
When the provisions were given out, the old woman would not
have moved, but Nadia shared her small portion with her; and thus
this painful journey was performed. Thanks to her companion,
Marfa was able to follow the soldiers who guarded the prisoners
without being fastened to a saddle-bow, as were many other
unfortunate wretches, and thus dragged along this road of sorrow.
"May God reward you, my daughter, for what you have done for my old age!"
said Marfa Strogoff once, and for some time these were the only words
exchanged between the two unfortunate beings.
During these few days, which to them appeared like centuries,
it would seem that the old woman and the girl would have been led
to speak of their situation. But Marfa Strogoff, from a caution
which may be easily understood, never spoke about herself except
with the greatest brevity. She never made the smallest allusion
to her son, nor to the unfortunate meeting.
Nadia also, if not completely silent, spoke little. However, one day
her heart overflowed, and she told all the events which had occurred
from her departure from Wladimir to the death of Nicholas Korpanoff.
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