Oh, you are very pale!" said Princess Mary in alarm, running with her soft, ponderous steps up to her sister-in-law.

"Your excellency, should not Mary Bogdanovna be sent for?" said one of the maids who was present.

(Mary Bogdanovna was a midwife from the neighboring town, who had been at Bald Hills for the last fortnight.

) "Oh yes," assented Princess Mary, "perhaps that's it.