第320章

第320章princessmarya,sittinginthedrawing-room,andhearingtheoldmen’stalkandcriticisms,didnotunderstandawordofwhatshewashearing.shethoughtofnothingbutwhetheralltheirguestswerenoticingherfather’shostileattitudetoher.shedidnotevennoticethemarkedattentionandamiabilityshownherduringthewholeofdinnerbydrubetskoy,whowasthatdaypayingthemhisthirdvisit.

princessmaryaturnedwithanabsent-minded,questioningglancetopierre,who,withasmileonhisface,cameuptoher,hatinhand,thelastoftheguests,aftertheprincehadgoneout,andtheywereleftalonetogetherinthedrawing-room.

“canistayalittlelonger？”hesaid,droppinghisbulkypersonintoalowchairbesideprincessmarya.

“oh,yes,”shesaid.“younoticednothing？”hereyesasked.

pierrewasinanagreeable,after-dinnermood.helookedstraightbeforehimandsmiledsoftly.“haveyouknownthatyoungmanlong,princess？”hesaid.

“whichone？”

“drubetskoy.”

“no,notlong.…”

“well,doyoulikehim？”

“yes;he’saveryagreeableyoungman.whydoyouaskme？”saidprincessmarya,stillthinkingofherconversationinthemorningwithherfather.

“becauseihaveobserved,thatwhenayoungmancomesfrompetersburgtomoscowonleave,itisinvariablywiththeobjectofmarryinganheiress.”

“haveyouobservedthat？”saidprincessmarya.

“yes,”pierrewentonwithasmile,“andthatyoungmannowmanagesmatterssothatwherevertherearewealthyheiresses—thereheistobefound.icanreadhimlikeabook.heishesitatingnowwhichtoattack,youormademoisellejuliekaragin.heisveryattentivetoher.”

“doeshevisitthem？”

“yes,veryoften.anddoyouknowthenew-fashionedmethodofcourting？”saidpierre,smilinggood-humouredly,andobviouslyfeelinginthatlight-heartedmoodofgood-naturedirony,forwhichhehadsooftenreproachedhimselfinhisdiary.

“no,”saidprincessmarya.

“topleasethemoscowgirlsnowadaysonehastobemelancholy.heisverymelancholywithmademoisellekaragin,”saidpierre.

“really！”saidprincessmarya,lookingatthekindlyfaceofpierre,andthinkingallthetimeofherowntrouble.“itwouldeasemyheart,”shewasthinking,“ificouldmakeupmymindtoconfidealliamfeelingtosomeone.anditisjustpierreishouldliketotellitallto.heissokindandgenerous.itwouldeasemyheart.hewouldgivemeadvice.”

“wouldyoumarryhim？”askedpierre.

“omygod,count！therearemomentswheniwouldmarryanyone”—toherownsurpriseprincessmaryasaid,withtearsinhervoice.“ah！howbitteritistolovesomeoneneartooneandtofeel,”shewentoninashakingvoice,“thatyoucandonothingforhim,butcausehimsorrow,andwhenyouknowyoucannotalterit.there’sonlyonething—togoaway,andwhereamitogo？”

“whatiswrong？whatisthematterwithyou,princess？”

butprincessmarya,withoutexplainingfurther,burstintotears.

“idon’tknowwhatisthematterwithmeto-day.don’ttakeanynoticeofme,forgetwhatisaidtoyou.”

allpierre’sgaietyhadvanished.hequestionedtheprincessanxiously,edhertospeakout,toconfidehertroubletohim.butshewouldonlyrepeatthatsheedhimtoforgetwhatshehadsaid,thatshedidnotrememberwhatshehadsaid,andthatshehadnotroubleexcepttheoneheknew—heranxietylestprinceandrey’smarriageshouldcauseabreachbetweenhimandhisfather.

“haveyouheardanythingoftherostovs？”sheaskedtochangethesubject.“iwastoldtheywouldsoonbehere.iexpectandrey,too,everyday.ishouldhavelikedthemtoseeeachotherhere.”

“andhowdoeshelookatthematternow？”saidpierre,meaningbyhetheoldprince.princessmaryashookherhead.

“butitcan’tbehelped.thereareonlyafewmonthsleftnowbeforetheyearisover.anditcan’tgoonlikethis.ishouldonlyhavelikedtosparemybrotherthefirstminutes.icouldhavewishedtheywerecomingsooner.ihopetogettoknowherwell.…youhaveknownthemalongwhile,”saidprincessmarya.“tellmethewholetruth,speakingquiteseriously.whatsortofagirlisshe,andhowdoyoulikeher？butthewholetruth,because,yousee,andreyisriskingsomuchindoingthisagainstourfather’swill,thatishouldliketoknow…”

avagueinstincttoldpierrethatthesepleasandrepeatedrequeststohimtotellherthewholetruthbetrayedprincessmarya’sill-willtowardsherfuturesister-in-law,thatshewantedpierrenottoapproveofprinceandrey’schoice;butpierresaidwhathefeltratherthanwhathethought.“idon’tknowhowtoansweryourquestion,”saidhe,blushingthoughhecouldnothavesaidwhyhimself.“ireallydon’tknowwhatkindofgirlsheis.ican’tanalyseher.she’sfascinating;andwhysheis,idon’tknow;that’sallthatonecansayabouther.”

princessmaryasighed,andherfaceexpressed：“yes;that’swhatiexpectedandfeared.”

“issheclever？”askedprincessmarya.pierrethoughtamoment.

“isupposenot,”hesaid.“yes,though.shedoesnotthinkitworthwhiletobeclever.…yes,no;sheisfascinating,andnothingmore.”

princessmaryaagainshookherheaddisapprovingly.

“ah,idosowanttolikeher！youtellhersoifyouseeherbeforeido.”

“ihaveheardthattheywillbehereinafewdays,”saidpierre.

princessmaryatoldpierreherplanofgettingtoknowherfuturesister-in-lawassoonastherostovsarrived,andtryingtogettheoldprinceaccustomedtoher.