Readingtheseletters, Nicholasfeltadreadoftheirwantingtotakehimawayfromsurroundingsinwhich, protectedfromalltheentanglementsoflife, -enterthatwhirlpooloflife, withitsembarrassmentsandaffairstobestraightenedout, itsaccountswithstewards, quarrels, andintrigues, itsties, society, andwithSonya'; andherepliedtohismotherincold, formallettersinFrench, beginning: "MydearMamma," andending: "Yourobedientson," whichsaidnothingofwhenhewouldreturn.In1810hereceivedlettersfromhisparents, inwhichtheytoldhimofNatasha'sengagementtoBolkonski, andthattheweddingwouldbeinayear', forwhomhecaredmorethanforanyoneelseinthefamily, shouldbelosttothehome; andsecondly, fromhishussarpointofview, heregrettednottohavebeentheretoshowthatfellowBolkonskithatconnectionwithhimwasnosuchgreathonorafterall, , butthencamethemaneuvers, andconsiderationsaboutSonyaandabouttheconfusionoftheiraffairs, , hereceivedaletterfromhismother, writtenwithouthisfather'sknowledge, , , andtrustedMitenkasomuch, andwassogood-natured, thateverybodytookadvantageofhimandthingsweregoingfrombadtoworse."ForGod'ssake, Iimploreyou, comeatonceifyoudonotwishtomakemeandthewholefamilywretched," wrotethecountess.
-of-factmanwhichshowedhimwhatheoughttodo.
