第124章

第124章theyallwenttotheirrooms，andexceptanatole，whofellasleeptheinstanthegotintobed，noonecouldgettosleepforalongwhilethatnight.“canhepossiblybe—myhusband，thatstranger，thathandsome，kindman；yes，heiscertainlykind，”thoughtprincessmarya，andafeelingofterror，suchasshescarcelyeverfelt，cameuponher.shewasafraidtolookround；itseemedtoherthattherewassomeonethere—thedevil，andhewasthatmanwithhiswhiteforehead，blackeyebrows，andredlips.

sherangforhermaidandaskedhertosleepinherroom.

mademoisellebouriennewalkedupanddownthewintergardenforalongwhilethatevening，invainexpectationofsomeone；atonemomentshewassmilingatthatsomeone，thenext，movedtotearsbyanimaginaryreferencetomapauvremèrereproachingherforherfall.

thelittleprincesskeptgrumblingtohermaidthatherbedhadnotbeenproperlymade.shecouldnotlieonhersidenoronherface.shefeltuncomfortableandillateaseineveryposition.herburdenoppressedher，oppressedhermorethaneverthatnight，becauseanatole’spresencehadcarriedhervividlybacktoanothertimewhenitwasnotso，andshehadbeenlightandgay.shesatinalowchairinhernightcapanddressing-jacket.katya，sleepyanddishevelled，forthethirdtimebeatandturnedtheheavyfeatherbed，murmuringsomething.

“itoldyouitwasallinlumpsandhollows，”thelittleprincessrepeated；“ishouldbegladenoughtogotosleep，soit’snotmyfault.”

andhervoicequiveredlikeachild’swhenitisgoingtocry.

theoldprincetoocouldnotsleep.tihon，halfasleep，heardhimpacingangrilyupanddownandblowinghisnose.theoldprincefeltasthoughhehadbeeninsultedthroughhisdaughter.theinsultwasthemorebitterbecauseitconcernednothimself，butanother，hisdaughter，whomhelovedmorethanhimself.hesaidtohimselfthathewouldthinkthewholematteroverthoroughlyanddecidewhatwasrightandwhatmustbedone，butinsteadofdoingso，heonlyworkeduphisirritationmoreandmore.

“thefirststraycomerthatappears！andfatherandallforgotten，andsherunsupstairs，anddoesupherhair，andrigsherselfout，anddoesn’tknowwhatshe’sdoing！she’sgladtoabandonherfather！andsheknewishouldnoticeit.fr…fr…fr…anddon’tiseethefoolhasnoeyesbutforbourienne（mustgetridofher）.andhowcanshehavesolittlepride，asnottoseeit？ifnotforherownsake，ifshehasnopride，atleastformine.imustshowherthattheblockheaddoesn’tgiveherathought，andonlylooksatbourienne.shehasnopride，buti’llmakeherseeit…”

bytellinghisdaughterthatshewasmakingamistake，thatanatolewasgettingupaflirtationwithmademoisellebourienne，theoldprinceknewthathewouldwoundherself-respect，andsohisobject（nottobepartedfromhisdaughter）wouldbegained，andsoatthisreflectionhegrewcalmer.hecalledtihonandbeganundressing.

“thedevilbroughtthemhere！”hethought，astihonslippedhisnightshirtoverhisdried-upoldbodyandhischestcoveredwithgreyhair.

“ididn’tinvitethem.theycomeandupsetmylife.andthere’snotmuchofitleft.damnthem！”hemuttered，whilehisheadwashiddeninthenightshirt.tihonwasusedtotheprince’shabitofexpressinghisthoughtsaloud，andsoitwaswithanunmovedcountenancethathemetthewrathfulandinquiringfacethatemergedfromthenightshirt.

“gonetobed？”inquiredtheprince.

tihon，likeallgoodvalets，indeed，knewbyinstinctthedirectionofhismaster’sthoughts.heguessedthatitwasprincevassilyandhissonwhoweremeant.

“theirhonourshavegonetobedandputouttheirlights，yourexcellency.”

“theyhadnoreason，noreason…”theprincearticulatedrapidly，andslippinghisfeetintohisslippersandhisarmsintohisdressing-gown，hewenttothecouchonwhichhealwaysslept.

althoughnothinghadbeensaidbetweenanatoleandmademoisellebourienne，theyunderstoodeachotherperfectlysofarasthefirstpartoftheromancewasconcerned，thepartprevioustothepauvremèreepisode.theyfeltthattheyhadagreatdealtosaytoeachotherinprivate，andsofromearlymorningtheysoughtanopportunityofmeetingalone.whiletheprincesswasaway，spendingherhourasusualwithherfather，mademoisellebouriennewasmeetinganatoleinthewintergarden.

thatdayitwaswithevenmorethanherusualtrepidationthatprincessmaryawenttothedoorofthestudy.itseemedtohernotonlythateveryonewasawarethatherfatewouldbethatdaydecided，butthatallwereawareofwhatshewasfeelingaboutit.shereaditintihon’sfaceandinthefaceofprincevassily’svalet，whometherinthecorridorwithhotwater，andmadeheralowbow.

theoldprince’smannertohisdaughterthatmorningwasextremelyaffectionate，thoughstrained.thatstrainedexpressionprincessmaryaknewwell.itwastheexpressionshesawinhisfaceatthemomentswhenhiswitheredhandswereclenchedwithvexationatprincessmarya’snotunderstandingsomearithmeticalproblem，andhewouldgetupandwalkawayfromher，repeatingthesamewordsoverseveraltimesinalowvoice.

hecametothepointatonceandbegantalking.“aproposalhasbeenmadetomeonyourbehalf，”hesaid，withanunnaturalsmile.“idaresay，youhaveguessed，”hewenton“thatprincevassilyhasnotcomehereandbroughthisprotégé”（forsomeunknownreasontheoldprinceelectedtorefertoanatoleinthisway）“forthesakeofmycharms.yesterday，theymademeaproposalonyourbehalf.andasyouknowmyprinciples，ireferthemattertoyou.”

“howamitounderstandyou，monpère？”saidtheprincess，turningpaleandred.

“howunderstandme！”criedherfatherangrily.“princevassilyfindsyoutohistasteasadaughter-in-law，andmakesyouaproposalforhisprotégé.that’showtounderstandit.howunderstandit！…why，iaskyou.”

“idon’tknowhowyou，monpère…”theprincessarticulatedinawhisper.