CHAPTERI
PrinceAndrewhadspenttwoyearscontinuouslyinthecountry.
AlltheplansPierrehadattemptedonhisestates—andconstantlychangingfromonethingtoanotherhadneveraccomplished—werecarriedoutbyPrinceAndrewwithoutdisplayandwithoutperceptibledifficulty.
HehadinthehighestdegreeapracticaltenacitywhichPierrelacked, andwithoutfussorstrainonhispartthissetthingsgoing.
Ononeofhisestatesthethreehundredserfswereliberatedandbecamefreeagriculturallaborers—' , andapriestwaspaidtoteachreadingandwritingtothechildrenofthepeasantsandhouseholdserfs.
PrinceAndrewspenthalfhistimeatBaldHillswithhisfatherandhisson, "BogucharovoCloister," ashisfathercalledPrinceAndrew', hediligentlyfollowedallthatwenton, receivedmanybooks, andtohissurprisenoticedthatwhenheorhisfatherhadvisitorsfromPetersburg, theveryvortexoflife, thesepeoplelaggedbehindhimself—whoneverleftthecountry—inknowledgeofwhatwashappeninginhomeandforeignaffairs.
Besidesbeingoccupiedwithhisestatesandreadingagreatvarietyofbooks, PrinceAndrewwasatthistimebusywithacriticalsurveyofourlasttwounfortunatecampaigns, andwithdrawingupaproposalforareformofthearmyrulesandregulations.
Inthespringof1809hewenttovisittheRyazanestateswhichhadbeeninheritedbyhisson, whoseguardianhewas.
Warmedbythespringsunshinehesatinthecalechelookingatthenewgrass, thefirstleavesonthebirches, , butlookedabsent-mindedlyandcheerfullyfromsidetoside.
