第177章

第177章“blackguards,scoundrels！”screamedtheoldman,turninghisfaceawayfromher.“destroyingthearmy,destroyingmen！whatfor？go,goandtellliza.”

princessmaryasankhelplesslyintoanarmchairbesideherfatherandburstintotears.shecouldseeherbrothernowatthemomentwhenhepartedfromherandfromlizawithhistenderandatthesametimehaughtyexpression.shesawhimatthemomentwhentenderlyandironicallyhehadputtheimageon.“didhebelievenow？hadherepentedofhisunbelief？washetherenow？thereintherealmofeternalpeaceandblessedness？”shewondered.“father,tellmehowitwas,”sheaskedthroughhertears.

“goaway,go,—killedinadefeatintowhichtheyledthebestmenofrussiaandthegloryofrussiatoruin.goaway,princessmarya.goandtellliza.iwillcome.”whenprincessmaryawentbackfromherfather,thelittleprincesswassittingatherwork,andshelookedupwiththatspecialinwardlookofhappycalmthatispeculiartowomenwithchild.itwasclearthathereyeswerenotseeingprincessmarya,butlookingdeepwithinherself,atsomehappymysterythatwasbeingaccomplishedwithinher.

“marie,”shesaid,movingawayfromtheembroideryframeandleaningback,“givemeyourhand.”shetookhersister-in-law’shandandlaiditbelowherwaist.hereyessmiled,expectant,herlittledewylipwasliftedandstayedsoinchildlikerapture.princessmaryakneltdownbeforeher,andhidherfaceinthefoldsofhersister-in-law’sdress.“there—there—doyoufeelit？ifeelsostrange.anddoyouknow,marie,iamgoingtolovehimverymuch,”saidliza,lookingathersister-in-lawwithshining,happyeyes.princessmaryacouldnotliftherhead;shewascrying.

“what’sthematterwithyou,marie？”

“nothing…onlyifeltsad…sadaboutandrey,”shesaid,brushingawaythetearsonthefoldsofhersister-in-law’sdress.severaltimesinthecourseofthemorningprincessmaryabegantryingtopreparehersister-in-law’smind,andeverytimeshebegantoweep.thesetears,whichthelittleprincesscouldnotaccountfor,agitatedher,littleasshewasobservantingeneral.shesaidnothing,butlookedaboutheruneasily,asthoughseekingforsomething.beforedinnertheoldprince,ofwhomshewasalwaysafraid,cameintoherroom,withaparticularlyrestlessandmalignantexpression,andwentoutwithoututteringaword.shelookedatprincessmaryawiththatexpressionofattentionconcentratedwithinherselfthatisonlyseeninwomenwithchild,andsuddenlysheburstintotears.

“haveyouheardnewsfromandrey？”shesaid.

“no;youknownewscouldnotcomeyet;butfatherisuneasy,andifeelfrightened.”

“thenyouhaveheardnothing？”

“nothing,”saidprincessmarya,lookingresolutelyatherwithherluminouseyes.shehadmadeuphermindnottotellher,andhadpersuadedherfathertoconcealthedreadfulnewsfromhertillherconfinement,whichwasexpectedbeforemanydays.princessmaryaandtheoldprince,intheirdifferentways,boreandhidtheirgrief.theoldprincerefusedtohope;hemadeuphismindthatprinceandreyhadbeenkilled,andthoughhesentaclerktoaustriatoseekfortracesofhisson,heorderedamonumentforhiminmoscowandintendedtoputitupinhisgarden,andhetoldeveryonethathissonwasdead.hetriedtokeepuphisoldmanneroflifeunchanged,buthisstrengthwasfailinghim：hewalkedless,ateless,sleptless,andeverydayhegrewweaker.princessmaryawentonhoping.sheprayedforherbrother,asliving,andeverymomentsheexpectednewsofhisreturn.