Book Eight: 1811-12 - Chapter IV

by Leo Tolstoy

　　Princess Mary as she sat listening to the old men's talk andfaultfinding, understood nothing of what she heard; she onlywondered whether the guests had all observed her father's hostileattitude toward her. She did not even notice the special attentionsand amiabilities shown her during dinner by Boris Drubetskoy, whowas visiting them for the third time already.

　　Princess Mary turned with absent-minded questioning look toPierre, who hat in hand and with a smile on his face was the last ofthe guests to approach her after the old prince had gone out andthey were left alone in the drawing room.

　　"May I stay a little longer?" he said, letting his stout body sinkinto an armchair beside her.

　　"Oh yes," she answered. "You noticed nothing?" her look asked.

　　Pierre was in an agreeable after-dinner mood. He looked straightbefore him and smiled quietly.

　　"Have you known that young man long, Princess?" he asked.

　　"Who?"

　　"Drubetskoy."

　　"No, not long..."

　　"Do you like him?"

　　"Yes, he is an agreeable young man.... Why do you ask me that?" saidPrincess Mary, still thinking of that morning's conversation withher father.

　　"Because I have noticed that when a young man comes on leave fromPetersburg to Moscow it is usually with the object of marrying anheiress."

　　"You have observed that?" said Princess Mary.

　　"Yes," returned Pierre with a smile, "and this young man now managesmatters so that where there is a wealthy heiress there he is too. Ican read him like a book. At present he is hesitating whom to laysiege to- you or Mademoiselle Julie Karagina. He is very attentiveto her."

　　"He visits them?"

　　"Yes, very often. And do you know the new way of courting?" saidPierre with an amused smile, evidently in that cheerful mood of goodhumored raillery for which he so often reproached himself in hisdiary.

　　"No," replied Princess Mary.

　　"To please Moscow girls nowadays one has to be melancholy. He isvery melancholy with Mademoiselle Karagina," said Pierre.

　　"Really?" asked Princess Mary, looking into Pierre's kindly face andstill thinking of her own sorrow. "It would be a relief," thought she,"if I ventured to confide what I am feeling to someone. I shouldlike to tell everything to Pierre. He is kind and generous. It wouldbe 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 butgrieve him, and to know that you cannot alter this. Then there is onlyone 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 burstinto tears.

　　"I don't know what is the matter with me today. Don't take anynotice- forget what I have said!"

　　Pierre's gaiety vanished completely. He anxiously questioned theprincess, 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 notrouble except the one he knew of- that Prince Andrew's marriagethreatened to cause a rupture between father and son.

　　"Have you any news of the Rostovs?" she asked, to change thesubject. "I was told they are coming soon. I am also expectingAndrew any day. I should like them to meet here."

　　"And how does he now regard the matter?" asked Pierre, referringto the old prince.

　　Princess Mary shook her head.

　　"What is to be done? In a few months the year will be up. Thething is impossible. I only wish I could spare my brother the firstmoments. I wish they would come sooner. I hope to be friends with her.You have known them a long time," said Princess Mary. "Tell mehonestly the whole truth: what sort of girl is she, and what do youthink of her?- The real truth, because you know Andrew is risking somuch doing this against his father's will that I should like toknow..."

　　An undefined instinct told Pierre that these explanations, andrepeated requests to be told the whole truth, expressed ill-will onthe princess' part toward her future sister-in-law and a wish thathe should disapprove of Andrew's choice; but in reply he said whathe felt rather than what he thought.

　　"I don't know how to answer your question," he said, blushingwithout 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 Idon'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 beclever.... 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 herfuture sister-in-law as soon as the Rostovs arrived and to try toaccustom the old prince to her.