A gloomy enough business it was and I shall have, very shortly, to speak of it in detail.

For the moment it is enough to say that two of us went off every morning with a kitchen on wheels, distributed the food, and returned in the afternoon.
Semyonov intensely disliked Marie Ivanovna's share in this work, but he could not, of course, object to her taking, with the other Sisters, the risks and unpleasantness of it.

He made, whenever it was possible, objections, found her work at the hospital where he himself was, occupied her in every possible way.

But he did this against her will.
She seemed to find a very especial pleasure and excitement in the cholera work; she wished often to take the place of some other Sister.
Indeed everything on the other side of the river seemed to have a great fascination for her.

She herself told me: "The moment I cross the bridge I feel as though I were on enchanted ground." On the occasions when I accompanied her to the cholera village she was radiant, so happy that she seemed to have nothing further in the world to desire.