"AndsoyouhavemetCountNicholas, Mary?" PrinceAndrewsuddenlysaid, evidentlywishingtospeakpleasantlytothem."Hewroteherethathetookagreatlikingtoyou," hewentonsimplyandcalmly, evidentlyunabletounderstandallthecomplexsignificancehiswordshadforlivingpeople."Ifyoulikedhimtoo, itwouldbeagoodthingforyoutogetmarried," headdedrathermorequickly, asifpleasedathavingfoundwordshehadlongbeenseeking.
PrincessMaryheardhiswordsbuttheyhadnomeaningforher, exceptasaproofofhowfarawayhenowwasfromeverythingliving.
"Whytalkofme?" shesaidquietlyandglancedatNatasha.
Natasha, whofeltherglance, .
"Andrew, wouldyoulike..." PrincessMarysuddenlysaidinatremblingvoice, "wouldyouliketoseelittleNicholas? Heisalwaystalkingaboutyou!"
PrinceAndrewsmiledjustperceptiblyandforthefirsttime, butPrincessMary, whoknewhisfacesowell, sawwithhorrorthathedidnotsmilewithpleasureoraffectionforhisson, butwithquiet, gentleironybecausehethoughtshewastryingwhatshebelievedtobethelastmeansofarousinghim.
"Yes, ?"
WhenlittleNicholaswasbroughtintoPrinceAndrew'sroomhelookedathisfatherwithfrightenedeyes, butdidnotcry, .
WhenNicholashadbeenledaway, PrincessMaryagainwentuptoherbrother, kissedhim, andunabletorestrainhertearsanylongerbegantocry.
Helookedatherattentively.
"IsitaboutNicholas?" heasked.
PrincessMarynoddedherhead, weeping.
"Mary, youknowtheGosp..." buthebrokeoff.
"Whatdidyousay?"
"'tcryhere," hesaid, lookingatherwiththesamecoldexpression.
WhenPrincessMarybegantocry, .
"Yes, tothemitmustseemsad!" hethought."Buthowsimpleitis.
"Thefowlsoftheairsownot, neitherdotheyreap, yetyourFatherfeedeththem," hesaidtohimselfandwishedtosaytoPrincessMary; "butno, theywilltakeittheirownway, theywon'tunderstand! Theycan'tunderstandthatallthosefeelingstheyprizeso—allourfeelings, allthoseideasthatseemsoimportanttous, ," andheremainedsilent.
PrinceAndrew', , gainingknowledge, observation, andexperience, buthadhepossessedallthefacultiesheafterwardsacquired, hecouldnothavehadabetterormoreprofoundunderstandingofthemeaningofthescenehehadwitnessedbetweenhisfather, Mary, andNatasha, , and, leavingtheroomwithoutcrying, wentsilentlyuptoNatashawhohadcomeoutwithhimandlookedshylyatherwithhisbeautiful, thoughtfuleyes, thenhisuplifted, rosyupperliptrembledandleaninghisheadagainstherhebegantocry.
AfterthatheavoidedDessallesandthecountesswhocaressedhimandeithersataloneorcametimidlytoPrincessMary, ortoNatashaofwhomheseemedevenfonderthanofhisaunt, andclungtothemquietlyandshyly.
WhenPrincessMaryhadleftPrinceAndrewshefullyunderstoodwhatNatasha', anddidnotcryanymore, butprayedcontinually, turninginsoultothatEternalandUnfathomable, whosepresenceabovethedyingmanwasnowsoevident.
[1]"Thankyouforcoming, mydear."
