第582章

第582章princeandreydidnotnoticethatshecalledhissistermarie.andnatasha,callingherbythatnamebeforehim,forthefirsttimebecameawareofitherself.

“well？”saidhe.

“shewastoldthatmoscowhadbeenburnttotheground,allofitentirely.thatitlooksasthough…”

natashastopped.itwasimpossibletotalk.hewasobviouslymakinganefforttolisten,andyethecouldnot.

“yes;it’sburnt,theysay,”hesaid.“that’sagreatpity,”andhegazedstraightbeforehim,hisfingersstrayingheedlesslyabouthismoustache.

“andsoyoumetcountnikolay,marie？”saidprinceandrey,suddenly,evidentlytryingtosaysomethingtopleasethem.“hewroteherewhatagreatlikinghetooktoyou,”hewenton,simplyandcalmly,plainlyunabletograspallthecomplexsignificancehiswordshadforlivingpeople.“ifyoulikedhim,too,itwouldbeaverygoodthing…foryoutogetmarried,”headded,rathermorequickly,apparentlypleasedatfindingatlastthewordshehadbeenseeking.princessmaryaheardhiswords,buttheyhadnosignificanceforherexceptasshowinghowterriblyfarawayhewasnowfromeverythingliving.

“whytalkofme？”shesaidcalmly,andglancedatnatasha.natasha,feelinghereyesonher,didnotlookather.againallofthemweresilent.

“andrey,wouldyou…”princessmaryasaidsuddenlyinashakyvoice,“wouldyouliketoseenikolushka？heisalwaystalkingofyou.”

forthefirsttimeprinceandreysmiledafaintlyperceptiblesmile,butprincessmarya,whoknewhisfacesowell,sawwithhorrorthatitwasasmilenotofjoy,notoftendernessforhisson,butofquiet,gentleironyathissister’stryingwhatshebelievedtobethelastresourceforrousinghimtofeeling.

“yes,ishallbeverygladtoseenikolushka.ishequitewell？”

whentheybroughtinlittlenikolushka,whogazedindismayathisfather,butdidnotcry,becausenobodyelsewascrying,princeandreykissedhim,andobviouslydidnotknowwhattosaytohim.

whentheyhadtakenthechildaway,princessmaryawentuptoherbrotheroncemore,kissedhim,andunabletocontrolherselfanylonger,begantoweep.

helookedatherintently.

“youweepfornikolushka？”heasked.

princessmaryanoddedthroughhertears.

“marie,youknowthegos…”hebegan,butsuddenlypaused.

“whatdoyousay？”

“nothing.youmustn’tweephere,”hesaid,lookingatherwiththesamecoldeyes.

whenprincessmaryaweptheknewthatshewasweepingthatnikolushkawouldbeleftwithoutafather.withagreatefforthetriedtocomebackagaintolife,andtoputhimselfattheirpointofview.

“yes,itmustseemsadtothem,”hethought.“buthowsimpleitis！”

“‘theysownot,neitherdotheyreap,butyourfatherfeedeththem,’”hesaidtohimself,andhewantedtosayittohissister.butno,theywouldunderstanditintheirownway;theywouldnotunderstand！whattheycannotunderstandisthatthesefeelingsthattheysetstoreby—allourfeelings,allthesethoughts,whichseemofsomuchimportancetous—thattheyareallnotwanted！wecannotunderstandeachother！”andhewassilent.

princeandrey’slittlesonwassevenyearsold.hecouldhardlyread—heknewnothing.hepassedthroughmuchafterthatday,gainingknowledge,observation,experience.butifhehadpossessedatthattimeallthementalfacultiesheacquiredafterwards,hecouldnothavehadatruer,adeepercomprehensionofallthesignificanceofthescenehesawpassingbetweenhisfather,princessmarya,andnatashathanhehadnow.heunderstooditall,andwithoutweeping,wentoutoftheroom,insilencewentuptonatasha,whohadfollowedhimout;glancedshylyatherwithhisbeautiful,dreamyeyes：hisuplifted,rosyupperlipquivered;heleanedhisheadagainsther,andburstintotears.

fromthatdayheavoideddessalle,avoidedthecountess,whowouldhavepettedhim,andeithersatalone,orshylyjoinedprincessmaryaandnatasha,whomheseemedtoloveevenmorethanhisaunt,andbestowedshyandgentlecaressesuponthem.

whenprincessmaryaleftherbrother’sside,shefullyunderstoodallthatnatasha’sfacehadtoldher.shespokenomoretonatashaofhopeofsavinghislife.shetookturnswithherbyhisbedside,andsheshednomoretears,butprayedwithoutceasing,turninginspirittotheeternalandunfathomablewhosepresencewaspalpablenow,hoveringoverthedyingman.