WhenPrincessMaryheardfromNicholasthatherbrotherwaswiththeRostovsatYaroslavlsheatoncepreparedtogothere, inspiteofheraunt'seffortstodissuadeher—, possibleorimpossible, shedidnotaskanddidnotwanttoknow: itwasherduty, notonlytoherself, tobenearherbrotherwhowasperhapsdying, buttodoeverythingpossibletotakehissontohim, , PrincessMaryattributedtohisbeingtooweaktowriteortohisconsideringthelongjourneytoohardandtoodangerousforherandhisson.
, asemiopentrap, , littleNicholasandhistutor, heroldnurse, threemaids, Tikhon, andayoungfootmanandcourierheraunthadsenttoaccompanyher.
TheusualroutethroughMoscowcouldnotbethoughtof, andtheroundaboutwayPrincessMarywasobligedtotakethroughLipetsk, Ryazan, Vladimir, andShuyawasverylongand, asposthorseswerenoteverywhereobtainable, verydifficult, andnearRyazanwheretheFrenchweresaidtohaveshownthemselveswasevendangerous.
DuringthisdifficultjourneyMademoiselleBourienne, Dessalles, andPrincessMary', , whichinfectedherfellowtravelers, theyapproachedYaroslavlbytheendofthesecondweek.
, hadbecomeanintegralpartofherself, , , 'srelationswithNatashamight, ifherecovered, berenewed, butPrincessMarysawbyhisfacethatheknewandthoughtofthis.
Yetinspiteofthat, hisrelationtoher—considerate, delicate, andloving—notonlyremainedunchanged, , andwashappyinregardtoit.
