Book 2 Chapter 13 Nurse Maslova

"All right, you may do that," said the doctor, relenting, and
turning to an old woman with a white apron, he told her to call
the prisoner--Nurse Maslova.

"Will you take a seat, or go into the waiting-room?"

"Thanks," said Nekhludoff, and profiting by the favourable change
in the manner of the doctor towards him asked how they were
satisfied with Maslova in the hospital.

"Oh, she is all right. She works fairly well, if you the
conditions of her former life into account. But here she is."

The old nurse came in at one of the doors, followed by Maslova,
who wore a blue striped dress, a white apron, a kerchief that
quite covered her hair. When she saw Nekhludoff her face flushed,
and she stopped as if hesitating, then frowned, and with downcast
eyes went quickly towards him along the strip of carpet in the
middle of the passage. When she came up to Nekhludoff she did not
wish to give him her hand, and then gave it, growing redder
still. Nekhludoff had not seen her since the day when she begged
forgiveness for having been in a passion, and he expected to find
her the same as she was then. But to-day she was quite different.
There was something new in the expression of her face, reserve
and shyness, and, as it seemed to him, animosity towards him. He
told her what he had already said to the doctor, i.e., that he
was going to Petersburg, and he handed her the envelope with the
photograph which he had brought from Panovo.