第39章

第39章“howcanyounotunderstand，katish，really！youaresointelligent；howisityoudon’tunderstandthatifthecounthaswrittenalettertotheemperor，inghimtorecognisehissonaslegitimate，thenpierrewillnotbepierrebutcountbezuhov，andthenhewillinheriteverythingunderthewill？andifthewillandtheletterhavenotbeendestroyed，thenexcepttheconsolationofhavingbeendutifulandofallthatresultsfromhavingdoneyourduty，nothingisleftforyou.that’sthefact.”

“iknowthatthewillwasmade，butiknow，too，thatitisinvalid，andyouseemtotakemeforaperfectfool，moncousin，”saidtheprincess，withtheairwithwhichwomenspeakwhentheyimaginetheyaresayingsomethingwittyandbiting.

“mydearprincess，katerinasemyonovna！”princevassilybeganimpatiently，“ihavecometoyounottoprovokeyou，buttotalktoyouasakinswoman，agood，kind-hearted，truekinswoman，ofyourowninterests.itellyouforthetenthtimethatifthelettertotheemperorandthewillinpierre’sfavourareamongthecount’spapers，you，mydeargirl，andyoursistersarenotheiresses.ifyoudon’tbelieveme，believepeoplewhoknow；ihavejustbeentalkingtodmitryonufritch”（thiswasthefamilysolicitor）；“hesaidthesame.”

therewasobviouslysomesuddenchangeintheprincess’sideas；herthinlipsturnedwhite（hereyesdidnotchange），andwhenshebegantospeak，hervoicepassedthroughtransitions，whichsheclearlydidnotherselfanticipate.

“thatwouldbeaprettything，”shesaid.“iwantednothing，andiwantnothing.”sheflungherdogoffherlapandsmoothedoutthefoldsofherskirt.

“that’sthegratitude，that’stherecognitionpeoplegetwhohavesacrificedeverythingforhim，”shesaid.“verynice！excellent！idon’twantanything，prince.”

“yes，butyouarenotalone，youhavesisters，”answeredprincevassily.buttheprincessdidnotheedhim.

“yes，iknewitlongago，buti’dforgottenthaticouldexpectnothinginthishousebutbaseness，deceit，envy，scheming，nothingbutingratitude，theblackestingratitude…”

“doyouordoyounotknowwherethatwillis？”askedprincevassily，thetwitchingofhischeeksmoremarkedthanever.

“yes，ihavebeenfoolish；istillkeptfaithinpeople，andcaredforthemandsacrificedmyself.butnooneeedsexceptthosewhoarebaseandvile.iknowwhoseplottingthisis.”

theprincesswouldhaverisen，buttheprinceheldherbythearm.theprincesshadtheairofapersonwhohassuddenlylostfaithinthewholehumanrace.shelookedviciouslyathercompanion.

“thereisstilltime，mydear.remember，katish，thatallthiswasdoneheedlessly，inamomentofanger，ofillness，andthenforgotten.ourduty，mydeargirl，istocorrecthismistake，tosoftenhislastmomentsbynotlettinghimcommitthisinjustice，notlettinghimdiewiththethoughtthathehasmademiserablethose…”

“thosewhohavesacrificedeverythingforhim，”theprincesscaughthimup；andshemadeanimpulsiveeffortagaintostandup，buttheprincewouldnotlether，“asacrificehehasneverknownhowtoappreciate.no，moncousin，”sheadded，withasigh，“iwillrememberthatonecanexpectnorewardinthisworld，thatinthisworldthereisnohonour，nojustice.cunningandwickednessiswhatonewantsinthisworld.”

“come，voyons，calmyourself；iknowyournobleheart.”

“no，ihaveawickedheart.”

“iknowyourheart，”repeatedtheprince.“ivalueyouraffection，andicouldwishyouhadthesameopinionofme.calmyourselfandletustalksensiblywhilethereistime—perhapstwenty-fourhours，perhapsone.tellmeallyouknowaboutthewill，andwhat’sofmostconsequence，whereitis；youmustknow.wewilltakeitnowatonceandshowittothecount.hehasnodoubtforgottenaboutitandwouldwishtodestroyit.youunderstandthatmydesireistocarryouthiswishesreligiously.thatiswhaticameherefor.iamonlyheretobeofusetohimandtoyou.”

“nowiseeitall.iknowwhoseplottingthisis.iknow，”theprincesswassaying.

“that’snotthepoint，mydear.”

“it’sallyourpreciousannamihalovna，yourprotégéewhomiwouldn’ttakeasahousemaid，thenastycreature.”

“donotletuswastetime.”

“oh，don’ttalktome！lastwintersheforcedherwayinhereandtoldsuchapackofvile，meantalestothecountaboutallofus，especiallysophie—ican’trepeatthem—thatitmadethecountill，andhewouldn’tseeusforafortnight.itwasatthattime，iknow，hewrotethathateful，infamousdocument，butithoughtitwasofnoconsequence.”

“thereweare.whydidn’tyoutellusaboutitbefore？”

“it’sintheinlaidportfoliothathekeepsunderhispillow.nowiknow，”saidtheprincess，makingnoreply.“yes，ifihaveasintomyaccount，agreatsin，it’smyhatredofthatinfamouswoman，”almostshriekedtheprincess，utterlytransformed.“andwhydoessheforceherselfinhere？buti’llhaveitoutwithher.thetimewillcome！”