Війна і мир

Chapter 26

           

           Afterlonghesitations,doubts,andprayers,PrincessMarygavethelettertoherfather.Thenextdaytheoldprincesaidtoherquietly:

           “WriteandtellyourbrothertowaittillIamdead....Itwon’tbelong—Ishallsoonsethimfree.”

           Theprincesswasabouttoreply,butherfatherwouldnotletherspeakand,raisinghisvoicemoreandmore,cried:

           “Marry,marry,myboy!...Agoodfamily!...Cleverpeople,eh?Rich,eh?Yes,anicestepmotherlittleNicholaswillhave!Writeandtellhimthathemaymarrytomorrowifhelikes.ShewillbelittleNicholas’stepmotherandI’llmarryBourienne!...Ha,ha,ha!Hemustn’tbewithoutastepmothereither!Onlyonething,nomorewomenarewantedinmyhouse—lethimmarryandlivebyhimself.Perhapsyouwillgoandlivewithhimtoo?”headded,turningtoPrincessMary.“Goinheaven’sname!Gooutintothefrost...thefrost...thefrost!”

           Afterthisoutbursttheprincedidnotspeakanymoreaboutthematter.Butrepressedvexationathisson’spoor-spiritedbehaviorfoundexpressioninhistreatmentofhisdaughter.Tohisformerpretextsforironyafreshonewasnowadded—allusionstostepmothersandamiabilitiestoMademoiselleBourienne.

           “Whyshouldn’tImarryher?”heaskedhisdaughter.“She’llmakeasplendidprincess!”

           Andlatterly,tohersurpriseandbewilderment,PrincessMarynoticedthatherfatherwasreallyassociatingmoreandmorewiththeFrenchwoman.ShewrotetoPrinceAndrewaboutthereceptionofhisletter,butcomfortedhimwithhopesofreconcilingtheirfathertotheidea.

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