第429章

第429章afterherfather’sfuneralprincessmaryalockedherselfinherroomandwouldnotletanyonecomenearher.amaidcametothedoortosaythatalpatitchhadcometoaskforinstructionsinregardtothejourney.（thiswasbeforealpatitchhadtalkedtodron.）princessmaryagotupfromthesofaonwhichshewaslying，andthroughthecloseddoorrepliedthatshewasnevergoingaway，andedtobeleftinpeace.

thewindowsoftheroominwhichprincessmaryalaylookedtothewest.shelayonthesofafacingthewall，andfingeringthebuttonsontheleatherbolster，shesawnothingbutthatbolster，andherthoughtswereconcentratedobscurelyononesubject.shethoughtofthefinalityofdeathandofherspiritualbaseness，ofwhichshehadhadnoideatillitshoweditselfduringherfather’sillness.shelongedtopray，butdarednot；darednot，inthespiritualstateshewasin，turntogod.foralongwhileshelayinthatposition.

thesunwassetting，andtheslantingrayslighteduptheroomthroughtheopenwindow，andthrewaglowonpartoftheocushionatwhichprincessmaryawaslooking.thecurrentofherthoughtswassuddenlyarrested.sheunconsciouslysatup，smoothedherhair，stoodup，andwalkedtothewindow，involuntarilydrawingadeepbreathoftherefreshingcoolnessoftheclear，windyevening.

“yes，nowyoucanadmirethesunsetatyourease！heisnothere，andthereisnoonetohinderyou，”shesaidtoherself，andsinkingintoachair，sheletherheadfallonthewindow-sill.

someonespokehernameinasoftandtendervoicefromthegardenandkissedheronthehead.shelookedup.itwasmademoisellebourienneinablackdressandpleureuses.shesoftlyapproachedprincessmarya，kissedherwithasigh，andpromptlyburstintotears.princessmaryalookedroundather.allheroldconflictswithher，herjealousyofher，recurredtoprincessmarya’smind.sherememberedtoothathehadchangedoflatetomademoisellebourienne，couldnotbearthesightofher，andthereforehowunjusthadbeenthecensurethatshehadinherheartpasseduponher.“yes，andisitforme，forme，afterdesiringhisdeath，topassjudgmentonanyone？”shethought.

princessmaryapicturedvividlytoherselfmademoisellebourienne’sposition，estrangedfromheroflate，thoughdependentonher，andlivingamongstrangers.andshefeltsorryforher.shelookedatheringentleinquiryandheldoutherhandtoher.mademoisellebourienneatoncebegankissingherhandwithtearsandtalkingoftheprincess’ssorrow，makingherselfapartnerinthatsorrow.shesaidthatheronlyconsolationinhersorrowwasthattheprincesspermittedhertoshareitwithher.shesaidthatalltheirformermisunderstandingsmustsinkintonothingbeforetheirgreatsorrow：thatshefeltherselfguiltlessinregardtoeveryone，andthathefromabovesawherloveandgratitude.theprincessheardherwithoutheedingherwords，thoughshelookedathernowandthenandlistenedtothesoundofhervoice.

“yourpositionisdoublydreadful，dearprincess，”saidmademoisellebourienne.“iknowyoucouldnotandcannotthinkofyourself；butwithmyloveforyouiamboundtodoso.…hasalpatitchbeenwithyou？hashespokentoyouofmoving？”sheasked.

princessmaryadidnotanswer.shedidnotunderstandwhowastomoveandwhere.“wasitpossibletoundertakeanythingnow，tothinkofanything？couldanythingmatter？”shewondered.shemadenoreply.

“doyouknow，chèremarie，”saidmademoisellebourienne，“thatweareindanger，thatwearesurroundedbythefrench；itisdangeroustomovenow.ifwemove，wearealmostcertaintobetakenprisoner，andgodknows…”

princessmaryalookedathercompanion，withnonotionwhatshewassaying.

“oh，ifanyoneknewhowlittleanythingmatterstomenow，”shesaid.“ofcourse，iwouldnotonanyaccountmoveawayfromhim…alpatitchsaidsomethingaboutgoingaway.…youtalktohim…ican’tdoanything，andidon’twant…”

“ihavebeentalkingtohim.hehopesthatwemaymanagetogetawayto-morrow；butithinkitwouldbebetternowtoremainhere，”saidmademoisellebourienne.“becauseyouwillagree，chèremarie，thattofallintothehandsofthesoldiersorofriotingpeasantsontheroadwouldbeawful.”

mademoisellebouriennetookoutofherreticuleadocument，notontheusualrussianpaper.itwastheproclamationofgeneralrameau，announcingthatprotectionwouldbegivenbythefrenchcommanderstoallinhabitantswhodidnotabandontheirhomes.shehandedittotheprincess.

“iimaginethebestthingwouldbetoappealtothisgeneral，”saidmademoisellebourienne.“iamconvincedthatallproperrespectwouldbeshownyou.”

princessmaryareadthedocumentandherfaceworkedwithtearlesssobs.

“throughwhomdidyougetthis？”sheasked.

“theyprobablyfoundoutiwasfrenchfrommyname，”saidmademoisellebourienne，flushing.

withtheproclamationinherhand，princessmaryagotupfromthewindow，andwithapalefacewalkedoutoftheroomintoprinceandrey’sformerstudy.

“dunyasha！sendalpatitchtome，dronushka，orsomebody！”saidprincessmarya.“andtellamalyakarlovnanottocometome，”sheadded，hearingmademoisellebourienne’svoice.“tosetoffatonce！asquickaspossible！”saidprincessmarya，appalledattheideathatshemightbeleftinthepowerofthefrench.