War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy
CHAPTER IV
942 words | Chapter 168
Princess Mary as she sat listening to the old men’s talk and
faultfinding, understood nothing of what she heard; she only wondered
whether the guests had all observed her father’s hostile attitude
toward her. She did not even notice the special attentions and
amiabilities shown her during dinner by Borís Drubetskóy, who was
visiting them for the third time already.
Princess Mary turned with absent-minded questioning look to Pierre, who
hat in hand and with a smile on his face was the last of the guests to
approach her after the old prince had gone out and they were left alone
in the drawing room.
“May I stay a little longer?” he said, letting his stout body sink
into an armchair beside her.
“Oh yes,” she answered. “You noticed nothing?” her look asked.
Pierre was in an agreeable after-dinner mood. He looked straight before
him and smiled quietly.
“Have you known that young man long, Princess?” he asked.
“Who?”
“Drubetskóy.”
“No, not long....”
“Do you like him?”
“Yes, he is an agreeable young man.... Why do you ask me that?” said
Princess Mary, still thinking of that morning’s conversation with her
father.
“Because I have noticed that when a young man comes on leave from
Petersburg to Moscow it is usually with the object of marrying an
heiress.”
“You have observed that?” said Princess Mary.
“Yes,” returned Pierre with a smile, “and this young man now
manages matters so that where there is a wealthy heiress there he is
too. I can read him like a book. At present he is hesitating whom to lay
siege to—you or Mademoiselle Julie Karágina. He is very attentive to
her.”
“He visits them?”
“Yes, very often. And do you know the new way of courting?” said
Pierre with an amused smile, evidently in that cheerful mood of good
humored raillery for which he so often reproached himself in his diary.
“No,” replied Princess Mary.
“To please Moscow girls nowadays one has to be melancholy. He is very
melancholy with Mademoiselle Karágina,” said Pierre.
“Really?” asked Princess Mary, looking into Pierre’s kindly
face and still thinking of her own sorrow. “It would be a relief,”
thought she, “if I ventured to confide what I am feeling to someone.
I should like to tell everything to Pierre. He is kind and generous. It
would be a relief. He would give me advice.”
“Would you marry him?”
“Oh, my God, Count, there are moments when I would marry anybody!”
she cried suddenly to her own surprise and with tears in her voice.
“Ah, how bitter it is to love someone near to you and to feel
that...” she went on in a trembling voice, “that you can do nothing
for him but grieve him, and to know that you cannot alter this. Then
there is only one thing left—to go away, but where could I go?”
“What is wrong? What is it, Princess?”
But without finishing what she was saying, Princess Mary burst into
tears.
“I don’t know what is the matter with me today. Don’t take any
notice—forget what I have said!”
Pierre’s gaiety vanished completely. He anxiously questioned the
princess, asked her to speak out fully and confide her grief to him; but
she only repeated that she begged him to forget what she had said, that
she did not remember what she had said, and that she had no trouble
except the one he knew of—that Prince Andrew’s marriage threatened
to cause a rupture between father and son.
“Have you any news of the Rostóvs?” she asked, to change the
subject. “I was told they are coming soon. I am also expecting Andrew
any day. I should like them to meet here.”
“And how does he now regard the matter?” asked Pierre, referring to
the old prince.
Princess Mary shook her head.
“What is to be done? In a few months the year will be up. The thing
is impossible. I only wish I could spare my brother the first moments.
I wish they would come sooner. I hope to be friends with her. You have
known them a long time,” said Princess Mary. “Tell me honestly
the whole truth: what sort of girl is she, and what do you think of
her?—The real truth, because you know Andrew is risking so much doing
this against his father’s will that I should like to know....”
An undefined instinct told Pierre that these explanations, and
repeated requests to be told the whole truth, expressed ill-will on
the princess’ part toward her future sister-in-law and a wish that
he should disapprove of Andrew’s choice; but in reply he said what he
felt rather than what he thought.
“I don’t know how to answer your question,” he said, blushing
without knowing why. “I really don’t know what sort of girl she is;
I can’t analyze her at all. She is enchanting, but what makes her so I
don’t know. That is all one can say about her.”
Princess Mary sighed, and the expression on her face said: “Yes,
that’s what I expected and feared.”
“Is she clever?” she asked.
Pierre considered.
“I think not,” he said, “and yet—yes. She does not deign to be
clever.... Oh no, she is simply enchanting, and that is all.”
Princess Mary again shook her head disapprovingly.
“Ah, I so long to like her! Tell her so if you see her before I do.”
“I hear they are expected very soon,” said Pierre.
Princess Mary told Pierre of her plan to become intimate with her future
sister-in-law as soon as the Rostóvs arrived and to try to accustom the
old prince to her.
Chapters
1. Chapter 1
2. CHAPTER XXVIII
3. CHAPTER XXI
4. CHAPTER XIX
5. CHAPTER XVI
6. CHAPTER XXII
7. CHAPTER XXVI
8. CHAPTER XIII
9. CHAPTER XXII
10. CHAPTER XXIII
11. CHAPTER XXXIX
12. CHAPTER XXXIV
13. CHAPTER XVI
14. CHAPTER XIX
15. CHAPTER XIX
16. CHAPTER XX
17. CHAPTER XVI
18. CHAPTER XII
19. CHAPTER I
20. CHAPTER II
21. CHAPTER III
22. CHAPTER IV
23. CHAPTER V
24. CHAPTER VI
25. CHAPTER VII
26. CHAPTER VIII
27. CHAPTER IX
28. CHAPTER X
29. CHAPTER XI
30. CHAPTER XII
31. CHAPTER XIII
32. CHAPTER XIV
33. CHAPTER XV
34. CHAPTER XVI
35. CHAPTER XVII
36. CHAPTER XVIII
37. CHAPTER XIX
38. CHAPTER XX
39. CHAPTER XXI
40. CHAPTER XXII
41. CHAPTER XXIII
42. CHAPTER XXIV
43. CHAPTER XXV
44. CHAPTER XXVI
45. CHAPTER XXVII
46. CHAPTER XXVIII
47. CHAPTER I
48. CHAPTER II
49. CHAPTER III
50. CHAPTER IV
51. CHAPTER V
52. CHAPTER VI
53. CHAPTER VII
54. CHAPTER VIII
55. CHAPTER IX
56. CHAPTER X
57. CHAPTER XI
58. CHAPTER XII
59. CHAPTER XIII
60. CHAPTER XIV
61. CHAPTER XV
62. CHAPTER XVI
63. CHAPTER XVII
64. CHAPTER XVIII
65. CHAPTER XIX
66. CHAPTER XX
67. CHAPTER XXI
68. CHAPTER I
69. CHAPTER II
70. CHAPTER III
71. CHAPTER IV
72. CHAPTER V
73. CHAPTER VI
74. CHAPTER VII
75. CHAPTER VIII
76. CHAPTER IX
77. CHAPTER X
78. CHAPTER XI
79. CHAPTER XII
80. CHAPTER XIII
81. CHAPTER XIV
82. CHAPTER XV
83. CHAPTER XVI
84. CHAPTER XVII
85. CHAPTER XVIII
86. CHAPTER XIX
87. CHAPTER I
88. CHAPTER II
89. CHAPTER III
90. CHAPTER IV
91. CHAPTER V
92. CHAPTER VI
93. CHAPTER VII
94. CHAPTER VIII
95. CHAPTER IX
96. CHAPTER X
97. CHAPTER XI
98. CHAPTER XII
99. CHAPTER XIII
100. CHAPTER XIV
101. CHAPTER XV
102. CHAPTER XVI
103. CHAPTER I
104. CHAPTER II
105. CHAPTER III
106. 1. Discretion, the keeping of the secrets of the Order. 2. Obedience to
107. CHAPTER IV
108. CHAPTER V
109. CHAPTER VI
110. CHAPTER VII
111. CHAPTER VIII
112. CHAPTER IX
113. CHAPTER X
114. CHAPTER XI
115. CHAPTER XII
116. CHAPTER XIII
117. CHAPTER XIV
118. CHAPTER XV
119. CHAPTER XVI
120. CHAPTER XVII
121. CHAPTER XVIII
122. CHAPTER XIX
123. CHAPTER XX
124. CHAPTER XXI
125. CHAPTER XXII
126. CHAPTER I
127. CHAPTER II
128. CHAPTER III
129. CHAPTER IV
130. CHAPTER V
131. CHAPTER VI
132. CHAPTER VII
133. CHAPTER VIII
134. CHAPTER IX
135. CHAPTER X
136. CHAPTER XI
137. CHAPTER XII
138. CHAPTER XIII
139. CHAPTER XIV
140. CHAPTER XV
141. CHAPTER XVI
142. CHAPTER XVII
143. CHAPTER XVIII
144. CHAPTER XIX
145. CHAPTER XX
146. CHAPTER XXI
147. CHAPTER XXII
148. CHAPTER XXIII
149. CHAPTER XXIV
150. CHAPTER XXV
151. CHAPTER XXVI
152. CHAPTER I
153. CHAPTER II
154. CHAPTER III
155. CHAPTER IV
156. CHAPTER V
157. CHAPTER VI
158. CHAPTER VII
159. CHAPTER VIII
160. CHAPTER IX
161. CHAPTER X
162. CHAPTER XI
163. CHAPTER XII
164. CHAPTER XIII
165. CHAPTER I
166. CHAPTER II
167. CHAPTER III
168. CHAPTER IV
169. CHAPTER V
170. CHAPTER VI
171. CHAPTER VII
172. CHAPTER VIII
173. CHAPTER IX
174. CHAPTER X
175. CHAPTER XI
176. CHAPTER XII
177. CHAPTER XIII
178. CHAPTER XIV
179. CHAPTER XV
180. CHAPTER XVI
181. CHAPTER XVII
182. CHAPTER XVIII
183. CHAPTER XIX
184. CHAPTER XX
185. CHAPTER XXI
186. CHAPTER XXII
187. CHAPTER I
188. CHAPTER II
189. CHAPTER III
190. CHAPTER IV
191. CHAPTER V
192. CHAPTER VI
193. CHAPTER VII
194. CHAPTER VIII
195. CHAPTER IX
196. CHAPTER X
197. CHAPTER XI
198. CHAPTER XII
199. CHAPTER XIII
200. CHAPTER XIV
201. CHAPTER XV
202. CHAPTER XVI
203. CHAPTER XVII
204. CHAPTER XVIII
205. CHAPTER XIX
206. CHAPTER XX
207. CHAPTER XXI
208. CHAPTER XXII
209. CHAPTER XXIII
210. CHAPTER I
211. CHAPTER II
212. CHAPTER III
213. CHAPTER IV
214. CHAPTER V
215. CHAPTER VI
216. CHAPTER VII
217. CHAPTER VIII
218. CHAPTER IX
219. CHAPTER X
220. CHAPTER XI
221. CHAPTER XII
222. CHAPTER XIII
223. CHAPTER XIV
224. CHAPTER XV
225. CHAPTER XVI
226. CHAPTER XVII
227. CHAPTER XVIII
228. CHAPTER XIX
229. CHAPTER XX
230. CHAPTER XXI
231. CHAPTER XXII
232. CHAPTER XXIII
233. CHAPTER XXIV
234. CHAPTER XXV
235. CHAPTER XXVI
236. CHAPTER XXVII
237. CHAPTER XXVIII
238. CHAPTER XXIX
239. CHAPTER XXX
240. CHAPTER XXXI
241. CHAPTER XXXII
242. CHAPTER XXXIII
243. CHAPTER XXXIV
244. CHAPTER XXXV
245. CHAPTER XXXVI
246. CHAPTER XXXVII
247. CHAPTER XXXVIII
248. CHAPTER XXXIX
249. CHAPTER I
250. CHAPTER II
251. CHAPTER III
252. CHAPTER IV
253. CHAPTER V
254. CHAPTER VI
255. CHAPTER VII
256. CHAPTER VIII
257. CHAPTER IX
258. CHAPTER X
259. CHAPTER XI
260. CHAPTER XII
261. CHAPTER XIII
262. CHAPTER XIV
263. CHAPTER XV
264. CHAPTER XVI
265. CHAPTER XVII
266. CHAPTER XVIII
267. CHAPTER XIX
268. CHAPTER XX
269. CHAPTER XXI
270. CHAPTER XXII
271. CHAPTER XXIII
272. CHAPTER XXIV
273. CHAPTER XXV
274. CHAPTER XXVI
275. CHAPTER XXVII
276. CHAPTER XXVIII
277. CHAPTER XXIX
278. CHAPTER XXX
279. CHAPTER XXXI
280. CHAPTER XXXII
281. CHAPTER XXXIII
282. CHAPTER XXXIV
283. CHAPTER I
284. CHAPTER II
285. CHAPTER III
286. CHAPTER IV
287. CHAPTER V
288. CHAPTER VI
289. CHAPTER VII
290. CHAPTER VIII
291. CHAPTER IX
292. CHAPTER X
293. CHAPTER XI
294. CHAPTER XII
295. CHAPTER XIII
296. CHAPTER XIV
297. CHAPTER XV
298. CHAPTER XVI
299. CHAPTER I
300. CHAPTER II
301. CHAPTER III
302. CHAPTER IV
303. CHAPTER V
304. CHAPTER VI
305. CHAPTER VII
306. CHAPTER VIII
307. CHAPTER IX
308. CHAPTER X
309. CHAPTER XI
310. CHAPTER XII
311. CHAPTER XIII
312. CHAPTER XIV
313. CHAPTER XV
314. CHAPTER XVI
315. CHAPTER XVII
316. CHAPTER XVIII
317. CHAPTER XIX
318. CHAPTER I
319. CHAPTER II
320. CHAPTER III
321. CHAPTER IV
322. CHAPTER V
323. CHAPTER VI
324. CHAPTER VII
325. CHAPTER VIII
326. CHAPTER IX
327. CHAPTER X
328. CHAPTER XI
329. CHAPTER XII
330. CHAPTER XIII
331. CHAPTER XIV
332. CHAPTER XV
333. CHAPTER XVI
334. CHAPTER XVII
335. CHAPTER XVIII
336. CHAPTER XIX
337. CHAPTER I
338. CHAPTER II
339. CHAPTER III
340. CHAPTER IV
341. CHAPTER V
342. CHAPTER VI
343. CHAPTER VII
344. CHAPTER VIII
345. CHAPTER IX
346. CHAPTER X
347. CHAPTER XI
348. CHAPTER XII
349. CHAPTER XIII
350. CHAPTER XIV
351. CHAPTER XV
352. CHAPTER XVI
353. CHAPTER XVII
354. CHAPTER XVIII
355. CHAPTER XIX
356. CHAPTER XX
357. CHAPTER I
358. CHAPTER II
359. CHAPTER III
360. CHAPTER IV
361. CHAPTER V
362. CHAPTER VI
363. CHAPTER VII
364. CHAPTER VIII
365. CHAPTER IX
366. CHAPTER X
367. CHAPTER XI
368. CHAPTER XII
369. CHAPTER XIII
370. CHAPTER XIV
371. CHAPTER XV
372. CHAPTER XVI
373. CHAPTER I
374. CHAPTER II
375. CHAPTER III
376. CHAPTER IV
377. CHAPTER V
378. CHAPTER VI
379. CHAPTER VII
380. CHAPTER VIII
381. CHAPTER IX
382. CHAPTER X
383. CHAPTER XI
384. CHAPTER XII
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