第409章

第409章thedayafterhisson’sdeparture,princenikolayandreitchsentforprincessmarya.

“well,nowareyousatisfied？”hesaidtoher.“youhavemademequarrelwithmyson！areyousatisfied？thatwasallyouwanted！satisfied？…it’sagrieftome,agrief.i’moldandweak,anditwasyourwish.well,now,rejoiceoverit.…”andafterthat,princessmaryadidnotseeherfatheragainforaweek.hewasillanddidnotleavehisstudy.

princessmaryanoticedtohersurprisethatduringthisillnesstheoldprinceexcludedmademoisellebouriennetoofromhisroom.tihonwastheonlypersonwholookedafterhim.

aweeklatertheprincereappeared,andbegantoleadthesamelifeasbefore,showingmarkedenergyinthelayingoutoffarmbuildingsandgardens,andcompletelybreakingoffallrelationswithmademoisellebourienne.hisfrigidtoneandairwithprincessmaryaseemedtosay：“yousee,youplottedagainstme,toldliestoprinceandreyofmyrelationswiththatfrenchwoman,andmademequarrelwithhim,butyouseeicandowithoutyou,andwithoutthefrenchwomantoo.”

onehalfofthedayprincessmaryaspentwithnikolushka,givinghimhisrussianlessons,followinghisotherlessons,andtalkingtodessalle.therestofthedayshespentinreading,orwithheroldnurseand“god’sfolk,”whocamebythebackstairssometimestovisither.thewarprincessmaryalookedonaswomendolookonwar.shewasapprehensiveforherbrotherwhowasatthefront,andwashorrified,withoutunderstandingit,atthecrueltyofmen,thatledthemtokilloneanother.butshehadnonotionofthesignificanceofthiswar,whichseemedtoherexactlylikealltheprecedingwars.shehadnonotionofthemeaningofthiswar,althoughdessalle,whowasherconstantcompanion,waspassionatelyinterestedinthecourseofthewar,andtriedtoexplainhisviewsonthesubjecttoher,andalthough“god’sfolk”all,withterror,toldherintheirownwayoftherumoursamongthepeasantryofthecomingofantichrist,andalthoughjulie,nowprincessdrubetskoy,whohadrenewedhercorrespondencewithher,wascontinuallywritingherpatrioticlettersfrommoscow.

“iwritetoyouinrussian,mysweetfriend,”juliewrote,“becauseifeelahatredforallthefrenchandfortheirlanguagetoo;ican’tbeartohearitspoken.…inmoscowweareallwildwithenthusiasmforouradoredemperor.

“mypoorhusbandisenduringhardshipsandhungerinwretchedjewishtaverns,butthenewsigetfromhimonlyincreasesmyardour.

“youhavedoubtlessheardoftheheroicactionofraevsky,whoembracedhistwosonsandsaid,‘wewilldietogether,butwewillnotflinch！’andthoughtheenemyweretwiceasstrong,wedidnotinfactflinch.wekilltimehereasbestwecan;butinwar,asinwar.princessalinaandsophiespendwholedayswithme,andwe,unhappywindowsoflivinghusbands,havedelightfultalksoverscrapinglint.weonlywantyou,mydarling,tomakeuscomplete,”etc.,etc.

theprincipalreasonwhyprincessmaryafailedtograspthesignificanceofthewarwasthattheoldprinceneverspokeofit,refusedtorecognizeitsexistence,andlaughedatdessallewhenhementionedthewaratdinner-time.theprince’stonewassocalmandconfidentthatprincessmaryaputimplicitfaithinhim.

duringthewholeofjulytheoldprincewasexcessivelyactiveandevenlively.helaidoutanothernewgardenandanewwingfortheservants.theonlythingthatmadeprincessmaryaanxiousabouthimwasthathesleptbadly,andgaveuphisoldhabitofsleepinginhisstudy,andhadabedmadeupforhiminanewplaceeveryday.onenighthewouldhavehistravellingbedsteadsetupinthegallery,thenextnighthewouldspenddozingdressedonthesofaorinthelounge-chairinthedrawing-room,whiletheladpetrushka,whohadreplacedmademoisellebourienneinattendanceonhim,readaloudtohim;thenhewouldtryspendinganightinthedining-room.