第55章

第55章“well，mydear，i’mafraidyouandyourmonkarewastingyourpowderandshot，”princeandreysaidironicallybutaffectionately.

“ah，monami！icanonlypraytogodandtrustthathewillhearme.andrey，”shesaidtimidlyafteraminute’ssilence，“ihaveagreatfavourtoaskofyou.”

“whatisit，dear？”

“no；promisemeyouwon’trefuse.itwillbenotroubletoyou，andthereisnothingbeneathyouinit.onlyitwillbeacomforttome.promise，andryusha，”shesaid，puttingherhandintoherreticuleandholdingsomethinginit，butnotshowingityet，asthoughwhatshewasholdingwastheobjectofherentreaty，andbeforeshereceivedapromisetograntit，shecouldnottakethatsomethingoutofherreticule.shelookedtimidlywithimploringeyesatherbrother.

“evenifitwereagreattrouble…”answeredprinceandrey，seemingtoguesswhatthefavourwas.

“youmaythinkwhatyoupleaseaboutit.iknowyouarelikemonpère.thinkwhatyouplease，butdothisformysake.do，please.thefatherofmyfather，ourgrandfather，alwaysworeitinallhiswars…”shestilldidnottakeoutwhatshewasholdinginherreticule.“youpromiseme，then？”

“ofcourse，whatisit？”

“andrey，iamblessingyouwiththeholyimage，andyoumustpromisemeyouwillnevertakeitoff.…youpromise？”

“ifitdoesnotweighatonandwon’tdragmyneckoff…topleaseyou，”saidprinceandrey.thesamesecondhenoticedthepainedexpressionthatcameoverhissister’sfaceatthisjest，andfeltremorseful.“iamveryglad，reallyveryglad，dear，”headded.

“againstyourownwillhewillsaveandwillhavemercyonyouandturnyoutohimself，becauseinhimaloneistruthandpeace，”shesaidinavoiceshakingwithemotion，andwithasolemngestureholdinginbothhandsbeforeherbrotheranold-fashioned，little，ovalholyimageofthesaviourwithablackfaceinasilversetting，onalittlesilverchainofdelicateworkmanship.shecrossedherself，kissedtheimage，andgaveittoandrey.

“please，andrey，formysake.”

raysofkindly，timidlightbeamedfromhergreateyes.thoseeyeslightedupallthethin，sicklyfaceandmadeitbeautiful.herbrotherwouldhavetakentheimage，butshestoppedhim.andreyunderstood，crossedhimself，andkissedtheimage.hisfacelookedatoncetender（hewastouched）andironical.

“merci，monami.”shekissedhimontheforeheadandsatdownagainonthesofa.bothweresilent.

“soasiwastellingyou，andrey，youmustbekindandgenerousasyoualwaysusedtobe.don’tjudgelizaharshly，”shebegan；“sheissosweet，sogood-natured，andherpositionisaveryhardonejustnow.”

“ifancyihavesaidnothingtoyou，masha，ofmyblamingmywifeforanythingorbeingdissatisfiedwithher.whatmakesyousayallthistome？”

princessmaryacolouredinpatches，andwasmute，asthoughshefeltguilty.

“ihavesaidnothingtoyou，butyouhavebeentalkedto.andthatmakesmesad.”

theredpatchesgrewdeeperontheforeheadandneckandcheeksofprincessmarya.shewouldhavesaidsomething，butcouldnotutterthewords.herbrotherhadguessedright：hiswifehadshedtearsafterdinner，hadsaidthatshehadapresentimentofabadconfinement，thatshewasafraidofit，andhadcomplainedofherhardlot，ofherfather-in-lawandherhusband.aftercryingshehadfallenasleep.princeandreyfeltsorryforhissister.

“letmetellyouonething，masha，ican’treproachmywifeforanything，ineverhaveandinevershall，norcanireproachmyselfforanythinginregardtoher，andthatshallalwaysbesoinwhatevercircumstancesimaybeplaced.butifyouwanttoknowthetruth…ifyouwanttoknowifiamhappy.no.isshehappy？no.whyisitso？idon’tknow.”

ashesaidthis，hewentuptohissister，andstoopingoverherkissedherontheforehead.hisfineeyesshonewithanustomedlightofintelligenceandgoodness.buthewasnotlookingathissister，buttowardsthedarknessoftheopendoor，overherhead.

“letusgotoher；imustsaygood-bye.oryougoaloneandwakeherup，andi’llcomeinamoment.petrushka！”hecalledtohisvalet，“comehereandtakeawaythesethings.thisistogointheseatandthisontherightside.”

princessmaryagotupandmovedtowardthedoor.shestopped.“andrey，ifyouhadfaith，youwouldhaveappealedtogod，togiveyouthelovethatyoudonotfeel，andyourprayerwouldhavebeengranted.”

“yes，perhapsso，”saidprinceandrey.“go，masha，i’llcomeimmediately.”

onthewaytohissister’sroom，inthegallerythatunitedonehousetotheother，princeandreyencounteredmademoisellebouriennesmilingsweetly.itwasthethirdtimethatdaythatwithaninnocentandenthusiasticsmileshehadthrownherselfinhiswayinsecludedpassages.

“ah，ithoughtyouwereinyourownroom，”shesaid，forsomereasonblushingandcastingdownhereyes.princeandreylookedsternlyather.asuddenlookofwrathfulexasperationcameintohisface.hesaidnothingtoher，butstaredatherforeheadandherhair，withoutlookingathereyes，withsuchcontemptthatthefrenchwomancrimsonedandwentawaywithoutaword.whenhereachedhissister’sroom，thelittleprincesswasawakeandhergaylittlevoicecouldbeheardthroughtheopendoor，hurryingonewordafteranother.shetalkedasthough，afterbeinglongrestrained，shewantedtomakeupforlosttime，and，asalways，shespokefrench

“no，butimaginetheoldcountesszubov，withfalsecurlsandhermouthfulloffalseteethasthoughshewantedtodefytheyears.ha，ha，ha，marie！”

justthesamephraseaboutcountesszubovandjustthesamelaughprinceandreyhadheardfivetimesalreadyfromhiswifebeforeoutsiders.hewalkedsoftlyintotheroom.thelittleprincess，plumpandrosy，wassittinginalowchairwithherworkinherhands，trottingoutherpetersburgreminiscencesandphrases.princeandreywentup，strokedheronthehead，andaskedifshehadgotoverthefatigueofthejourney.sheansweredhimandwentontalking.