第222章

第222章thepilgrimwomanwasappeased,andbeingdrawnintoconversationagain,toldthemalongstoryagainoffatheramfilohey,whowasofsoholyalifethathishandssmeltofincense,andhowsomemonksofheracquaintancehad,onherlastpilgrimagetokiev,givenherthekeysofthecatacombs,andhowtakingwithhersomedrybreadshehadspenttwodaysandnightsinthecatacombswiththesaints.“iprayabitinone,chantahymn,andgointoanother.ifallasleep,againigoandkisstheholyrelics;andsuchpeace,ma’am,suchblessedness,thatonehasnowishtocomeoutintogod’sworldagain.”

pierrelistenedtoherattentivelyandseriously.princeandreywentoutoftheroom.andleavinggod’sfolktofinishtheirtea,princessmaryafollowedhimwithpierretothedrawing-room.“youareverykind,”shesaidtohim.

“ah,ireallydidn’tmeantohurtherfeelings;isowellunderstandthosefeelings,andprizethemsohighly.”

princessmaryalookedmutelyathim,andsmiledaffectionately.

“ihaveknownyouforalongtime,yousee,andiloveyoulikeabrother,”shesaid.“howdoyouthinkandreyislooking？”sheaskedhurriedly,notlettinghimhavetimetosayanythinginreplytoheraffectionatewords.“hemakesmeveryuneasy.hishealthwasbetterinthewinter,butlastspringthewoundreopened,andthedoctorsaysheoughttogoawayforpropertreatment.andifeelafraidforhimmorally.hehasnotacharacterlikeuswomen,tosufferandfindreliefforsorrowintears.hekeepsitallwithinhim.to-dayheislivelyandingoodspirits.butthat’stheeffectofyourbeingwithhim;heisnotoftenlikethis.ifonlyyoucouldpersuadehimtogoabroad.heneedsactivity,andthisquiet,regularlifeisbadforhim.othersdon’tnoticeit,butiseeit.”

towardsteno’clockthefootmenrushedtothesteps,hearingthebellsoftheoldprince’scarriageapproaching.princeandreyandpierre,too,wentoutontothesteps.

“who’sthat？”askedtheoldprince,ashegotoutofthecarriageandsawpierre.

“ah！veryglad！kissme！”hesaid,onlearningwhotheyoungstrangerwas.

theoldprincewasingoodhumourandverycordialtopierre.

beforesupper,princeandrey,oncomingbackintohisfather’sstudy,foundtheoldprinceinhotdisputewithpierre.thelatterwasmaintainingthatatimewouldcomewhentherewouldbenomorewar.theoldprincewasmakingfunofhimbutwithgoodhumour.

“letoffbloodfrommen’sveinsandfillthemupwithwater,thenthere’llbenomorewar.oldwomen’snonsense,oldwomen’snonsense,”hewassaying,butstillheslappedpierreaffectionatelyontheshoulder,andwentuptothetablewhereprinceandrey,evidentlynotcaringtotakepartintheconversation,waslookingthroughthepaperstheoldprincehadbroughtfromthetown.theoldprincewentuptohimandbegantotalkofbusiness.

“themarshal,acountrostov,hasn’tsenthalfhiscontingent.cametothetownandthoughtfittoinvitemetodinner—aprettydinnerigavehim;…andhere,lookatthis.…well,myboy,”saidtheoldprincetohisson,clappingpierreontheshoulder,“yourfriendisacapitalfellow;ilikehim！hewarmsmeup.otherpeoplewilltalksenseandonedoesn’tcaretolisten,andhetalksnonsense,butitdoesanoldmanlikemegood.there,runalong,”hesaid;“maybei’llcomeandsitwithyouatyoursupper.we’llhaveanotherdispute.makefriendswithmydunce,princessmarya,”heshoutedtopierrefromthedoor.

itwasonlynowonhisvisittobleakhillsthatpierreappreciatedfullyallthecharmofhisfriendshipwithprinceandrey.thecharmwasnotsomanifestinhisrelationswithhisfriendhimselfasinhisrelationswithallhisfamilyandhousehold.thoughhehadhardlyknownthem,pierrefeltatoncelikeanoldfriendbothwiththeharsholdprinceandthegentle,timidprincessmarya.theyalllikedhim.notonlyprincessmarya,whohadbeenwonbyhiskindlinesswiththepilgrims,lookedathimwithhermostradiantexpression,littleprincenikolay,astheoldprincecalledtheyear-oldbaby,smiledatpierreandwenttohim.mihailivanitchandmademoisellebouriennelookedathimwithsmileswhenhetalkedtotheoldprince.

theoldprincecameintosupper;itwasobviouslyonpierre’saccount.hewasextremelywarmwithhimbothdaysofhisstayatbleakhills,andaskedhimtocomeandstaywithhimagain.

whenpierrehadgone,andallthemembersofthefamilyweremettogether,theybegantocriticisehim,aspeoplealwaysdoafteranewguesthasleft,andasrarelyhappens,allsaidnothingbutgoodofhim.