She sent for a doctor; she sent to the drug-store; she set her own maid and Marya Nikolayevna to sweeping, washing, and dusting, and she even helped them herself. She had all needless articles carried away, and she had them replaced by things that were needed. She went several times to her room, paying no heed to those whom she met on the way, and she unpacked and carried with her sheets, pillow-cases, towels, shirts.
The waiter who served the table d'hôte dinner to the engineers several times came with surly face when she rang; but she gave her orders with such gentle authority that he never failed to execute them. Levin did not approve of all this. He did not believe that any advantage would result from it for the sick man. More than all, he was afraid that it would worry his brother. But Nikolaï, although he seemed to be indifferent, did not lose his temper and only felt a little ashamed and watched with a certain interest everything she did for him.
When Levin came back from the doctor's, whither Kitty had sent him, he saw, on opening the door, that, under Kitty's directions, they were changing the sick man's linen. His long white back and his stooping shoulders, his prominent ribs and vertebrae, were all uncovered, while Marya Nikolayevna and the lackey were in great perplexity over the sleeves of Nikolaï's night-shirt, into which they were vainly striving to get his long, thin arms. Kitty, quickly closing the door behind Levin, did not look at him; but the sick man groaned and she hastened to him.
"Be quick," she said.
"There! don't come near me," muttered the sick man, angrily. "I myself ...."
"What do you say?" asked Marya.
But Kitty had heard and understood that he was ashamed of being stripped in her presence.
"I am not looking, I am not looking," said she, trying to get his arm into the night-shirt. "Marya Nikolayevna, you go to the other side of the bed and help us.—Please go and get a little flask out of my bag, and bring it to
