第431章

第431章anhourlaterdunyashacameintotheprincesswiththenewsthatdronhadcome,andallthepeasantsbytheprincess’sorderswereassembledatthegranaryanddesirousofspeakingwiththeirmistress.

“butididnotsendforthem,”saidprincessmarya.“imerelytolddronushkatogivethemthecorn.”

“only,forgod’ssake,yourexcellency,orderthemtobesentawayanddon’tgotothem.it’sallaplot,”saiddunyasha,“andyakovalpatitchwillcomeandwewillstart…andpray…”

“howaplot？”askedtheprincessinsurprise.

“why,iknowallaboutit,onlydolistentome,forgod’ssake.askoldnursetoo.theysaytheywon’tagreetomoveawayatyourorders.”

“youaremakingsomemistake.why,ihavenevergiventhemorderstogoaway…”saidprincessmarya.“calldronushka.”

drononcominginconfirmeddunyasha’swords;thepeasantshadcomebytheprincess’sinstructions.

“butihaveneversentforthem,”saidtheprincess.“youmusthavegiventhemmymessagewrong.ionlysaidthatyouweretogivethemthecorn.”

dronsighedwithoutreplying.

“ifsoyoucommand,theywillgoaway,”hesaid.

“no,no,i’llgoouttothem,”saidprincessmarya.

inspiteofdunyasha’sandtheoldnurse’sattemptstodissuadeher,princessmaryawentoutontothesteps.dronushka,dunyasha,theoldnurse,andmihailivanitchfollowedher.

“theyprobablyimagineiamofferingthemthecorntokeepthemherewhileigoawaymyself,leavingthematthemercyofthefrench,”thoughtprincessmarya.“iwillpromisethemmonthlyrationsandlodgingsonthemoscowestate.iamsureandreywoulddomorefortheminmyplace,”shethought,asshewentoutinthetwilighttowardsthecrowd,waitingonthepasturenearthegranary.

thecrowdstirred,huddlingcloser,andrapidlytookofftheirhats.princessmaryacameclosertothem,hereyescastdownandherfeettrippingoverhergown.somanydifferenteyes,oldandyoung,werefixeduponher,thereweresomanydifferentfacesthatprincessmaryadidnotseeasingleoneofthem,andfeelingitnecessarytoaddressallatonce,didnotknowhowtosetaboutit.butagainthesensethatshewastherepresentativeofherfatherandbrothergaveherstrength,andsheboldlybeganherspeech.

“iamverygladyouhavecome,”shebegan,notraisinghereyesandfeelingtherapidandviolentbeatingofherheart.“dronushkahastoldmethatthewarhasruinedyou.thatisourcommontrouble,andiwillgrudgenothingtoaidyou.iamgoingawaymyselfbecauseitisdangeroushere…andtheenemyisnear…because…igiveyoueverything,myfriends,andibegyoutotakeeverything,allourcorn,thatyoumaynotsufferwant.butifyouhavebeentoldthatiamgivingyoucorntokeepyouhere,itisfalse.onthecontrary,ibegyoutomoveawaywithallyourbelongingstoourmoscowestate,andthereiundertakeandpromiseyouthatyoushallnotbeinwant.youshallbegivenhousesandbread.”theprincessstopped.nothingwastobeheardfromthecrowdbutsighs.

“idon’tdothisonmyownaccount,”theprincesswenton;“idoitinthenameofmydeadfather,whowasagoodmastertoyou,andformybrotherandhisson.”

shepausedagain.noonebrokethesilence.

“wehavetroubleincommon,andwewillshareitallequally.allthatismineisyours,”shesaid,lookingupatthefacesbeforeher.alltheeyesweregazingatherwiththesameexpression,themeaningofwhichshecouldnotfathom.whetheritwerecuriosity,devotion,gratitude,orapprehension,anddistrust,theexpressiononallthefaceswasalike.

“verythankfulforyourkindness,onlyit’snotforustotakethemaster’scorn,”saidavoicefromtheback.

“butwhynot？”saidtheprincess.nooneanswered,andprincessmarya,lookingupatthecrowd,noticedthatnowalltheeyesdroppedatonceonmeetinghers.

“whydon’tyouwantto？”sheaskedagain.

noonereplied.

princessmaryawasoppressedbythesilence;shetriedtocatchsomebody’seye.

“whydon’tyouspeak！”shesaid,addressingaveryoldmanwhowasstandingnearher,hisarmsproppedonhisstick.“tellmeifyouthinksomethingmoreisneeded.iwilldoanything,”shesaid,catchinghiseye.butasthoughangeredbyherdoingso,hebenthishead,andsaid：

“whyshouldweagree？wedon’twantyourcorn.”

“whyarewetogiveupeverything？we’renotwilling…notwilling.it’snotwithourconsent.wearesorryforyou,butwearenotwilling.yougoawaybyyourself,alone…”wasprotestedfromdifferentpartsofthecrowd.andagainallthefacesinthecrowdworethesameexpression;andnowitwasunmistakablynotanexpressionofcuriosityandgratitude,butanexpressionofexasperateddetermination.

“butyoumisunderstandme,”saidprincessmarya,withamelancholysmile.“whydon’tyouwanttomoveaway？ipromisetosettleyou,toprovideforyou.andheretheenemywillplunderyou…”buthervoicewasdrownedbythevoicesofthecrowd.

“we’renotwilling,lethimplunderus！wewon’ttakeyourcorn,wewon’tagree！”

princessmaryatriedagaintocatchsomeone’seyeinthecrowd,butnoonewaslookingather;theireyesunmistakablyavoidedhers.shefeltstrangeandawkward.

“tobesure,shewouldschoolus,…agooddodge,…followherintoslavery.pulldownyourhouseandgointobondage.idaresay！i’llgiveyoucorn,saysshe！”voicesweresayinginthecrowd.

princessmaryamovedoutofthering,andwenttothehousewithadejectedcountenance.repeatinghercommandtodronthathorsesweretobereadynextdayforhertostart,shewentawaytoherownroomandremainedalonewithherownthoughts.