commenced with his removal to St. Petersburg, and ended with his entry
upon active service.

During this period of his life Nekhludoff felt the ecstasy of freedom
from all those moral impediments which he had formerly placed before
himself, and continued in a chronic condition of insane egotism.

He was in this condition when, three years afterward, he visited his
aunts.




CHAPTER XIV.


Nekhludoff called at his aunts because their manor lay on the road
through which his regiment had preceded him, and also because they
requested him to do so, but principally in order that he might see
Katiousha. It may be that in the depth of his soul there was already a
mischievous intention toward Katiousha, prompted by his now unbridled
animal ego, but he was not aware of it, he merely desired to visit
those places in which he lived so happily, and see his somewhat queer,
but amiable and good-natured, aunts, who always surrounded the
atmosphere around him with love and admiration, and also to see the
lovely Katiousha, of whom he had such pleasant recollections.

He arrived toward the end of March, on Good Friday, in the season of
bad roads, when the rain was falling in torrents, and was wet all
through, and chilled to the marrow of his bones, but courageous and