 War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy translated by Elmer and Louise Maud book 3 this is a LibriWalks recording all LibriWalks recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriWalks.org War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy book 3 chapter 1 Prince Wesley was not a man who deliberately thought out his plans still less did he think of enduring anyone for his own advantage he was merely a man of the world who had got on and to whom getting on had become a habit schemes and devices for which he never rightly accounted to himself but which formed the whole interest of his life for constantly shaping themselves in his mind arising from the circumstances and persons he met of these plans he had not merely one or two in his head but dozens some only beginning to form themselves some approaching achievement and some in course of disintegration he did not for instance say to himself this man now has influence I must gain his confidence and friendship and through him obtain a special grant nor did he say to himself Pierre is a rich man I must entice him to marry my daughter and lend me the 40,000 rubles I need but when he came across a man of position his instinct immediately told him that this man could be useful and without any premeditation Prince Wesley took the first opportunity to gain his confidence flatter him become intimate with him and finally make his request he had Pierre at hand in Moscow and procured for him an appointment as gentlemen of the bed chamber which at that time conferred the status of counselor of state and insisted on the young man accompanying him to Petersburg and staying at his house with the parent absent mindedness yet with unhesitating assures that he was doing the right thing Prince Wesley did everything to get Pierre to marry his daughter had he thought out his plans beforehand he could not have been so natural and shown such unaffected familiarity in intercourse with everybody both above and below him in social standing something always drew him toward those richer and more powerful than himself and he had rare skill in seizing the most opportune moment for making use of people Pierre on unexpectedly becoming Count Bezucco and a rich man felt himself after his recent loneliness and freedom from cares so beset and preoccupied that only in bed was he able to be by himself he had to sign papers to present himself at government offices the purpose of which was not clear to him to question his chief steward to visit his estate near Moscow and to receive many people who formerly did not even wish to know of his existence but would now have been offended and grieved had he chosen not to see them these different people businessmen relations and acquaintances alike were all disposed to treat the young air in the most friendly and flattering manner they were all evidently firmly convinced of Pierre's noble qualities he was always hearing such words as with your remarkable kindness or with your excellent heart you are yourself so honorable count or where he has clever as you and so on till he began sincerely to believe in his own exceptional kindness and extraordinary intelligence the more so as in the depth of his heart and it always seemed to him that he really was very kind and intelligent even people who had formerly been spiteful toward him and evidently unfriendly now became gentle and affectionate the angry eldest princess with the long waist and hair plastered down like a doll had come into Pierre's room after the funeral with drooping eyes and frequent blushes she told him she was very sorry about their past misunderstandings and did not now feel she had a right to ask him for anything except only for permission after the blow she had received to remain for a few weeks longer in the house she so loved and where she had sacrificed so much she could not refrain from weeping at these words touched that this stature's princess could so change Pierre took her hand and begged her forgiveness without knowing what for from that day the eldest princess quite changed towards Pierre and began knitting a striped scarf for him do this for my sake monsieur after all she had to put up with a great deal from the deceased said Prince Wesley Lee to him handing him a deed to sign for the princess benefit Prince Wesley Lee had come to the conclusion that it was necessary to throw this bone a bill for 30,000 rubles to the poor princess that it might not occur to her to speak of his share in the affair of the inlaid portfolio Pierre signed the deed and after that the princess grew still kinder the younger sisters also became affectionate to him especially the youngest the pretty one with the mole who often made him feel confused by her smiles and her own confusion when meeting him it seems so natural to Pierre that everyone should like him and it would have seemed so unnatural had anyone disliked him that he could not put believe in the sincerity of those around him besides he had no time to ask himself whether these people were sincere or not he was always busy and always felt in a state of mild and cheerful intoxication he felt as though he were the center of some important and general movement but something was constantly expected of him that if he did not do it he would grieve and disappoint many people but if he did this in that all would be well and he did what was demanded of him but still that happy result always remained in the future more than anyone else Prince Wesley Lee took possession of Pierre's affairs and of Pierre himself in those early days from the death of Kambizouko he did not let go his whole of the lab he had the air of a man oppressed by business very and suffering who yet would not for pity's sake lead this helpless youth who after all was the son of this old friend and the possessor of such enormous wealth to the caprice of fate and the designs of roles during the few days he spent in Moscow after the death of Kambizouko he would call Pierre or go to him himself and tell him what ought to be done in a tone of weariness and assurance as if he were adding every time you know I am overwhelmed with business and it is purely out of charity that I trouble myself about you and you also know quite well that what I propose is the only thing possible well my dear fellow tomorrow we are off at last said Prince Wesley Lee one day closing his eyes and fingering Pierre's elbow speaking as if he were saying something which had long since been agreed upon and could not now be altered he start tomorrow and I am giving you a place in my carriage I am very glad all our important business here is now settled and I ought to have been off long ago here is something I have received from the Chancellor I asked him for you and you have been entered in the diplomatic call and made a gentleman of the bedchamber the diplomatic career now lies open before you not withstanding the tone of varied assurance with which these words were pronounced Pierre who had so long been considering his career wish to make some suggestion but Prince Wesley interrupted him in the special deep coin tone precluding the possibility of interrupting his speech which he used in extreme cases when special persuasion was needed may monsieur I did this for my own sake to satisfy my conscience and there's nothing to thank me for no one has ever complained yet of being too much love and besides you are free you could throw it up tomorrow but you will see everything for yourself when you get to Petersburg it is high time for you to get away from these terrible recollections Prince Wesley Lee side yes yes my boy and my valley can go in your carriage ah I was nearly forgetting he added you know monsieur your father and I had some accounts to settle so I have received what was due from the Ryazan estate and we'll keep it you won't require it we will go into the accounts later by what was due from the Ryazan estate Prince Wesley Lee meant several thousand rubles quick rent received from Pierre's peasants which the Prince had retained for himself in Petersburg as in Moscow Pierre found the same atmosphere of gentleness and affection he could not refuse the post or rather the rank for he did nothing that Prince Wesley Lee had procured for him and acquaintances invitations and social occupations were so numerous that even more than in Moscow he felt a sense of bewilderment bustle and continual expectation of some good always in front of him but never attained of his former bachelor acquaintances many were no longer in Petersburg the guards had gone to the front Tolokov had been reduced to the ranks Anatoli was in the army somewhere in the provinces Prince Andrew was abroad so Pierre had not the opportunity to spend his nights as he used to like to spend them or to open his mind by intimate talks with a friend older than himself and whom he respected his whole time was taken up with dinners and balls and was spent chiefly at Prince Wesley's house in the company of the stout princess his wife and his beautiful daughter Helen like the others Anna Pavlovna's share short Pierre the change of attitude toward him that had taken place in society formerly in Anna Pavlovna's presence Pierre had always felt that what he was saying was out of place tactless and unsuitable that remarks which seemed to him clever while they formed in his mind became foolish as soon as he uttered them while on the contrary Hippolyte's stupidest remarks came out clever and apt now everything Pierre said was charming even if Anna Pavlovna did not say so he could see that she wished to and only refrained out of regard for his modesty in the beginning of the winter of 1805-6 Pierre received one of Anna Pavlovna's usual pink notes with an invitation to which was added you will find the beautiful Helen here whom it is always delightful to see when he read that sentence Pierre fell for the first time but some link which other people recognized had grown up between himself and Helen and that thought both alarmed him as if some obligation were being imposed on him which he could not fulfill and pleased him as an entertaining supposition Anna Pavlovna's at home was like the former one only the novelty she offered her guests this time was not Mortimer but a diplomatist fresh from Berlin with the very latest details of the Emperor Alexander's visit to Potsdam and how the two August friends had pledged themselves in an indissoluble alliance to uphold the cause of justice against the enemy of human race Anna Pavlovna deceived Pierre with a shade of melancholy evidently relating to the young man's recent loss by the death of Count Bezucco everyone constantly considered it a duty to assure Pierre that he was greatly afflicted by the death of the father he had hardly known and her melancholy was just like the August melancholy she showed at the mention of her most August Majesty the Empress Maria Federogna Pierre fell flattered by this Anna Pavlovna arranged the different groups in her drawing room with her habitual skill the large group in which were Prince Basile and the generals had the benefit of the diplomat another group was at the tea table Pierre wished to join the farmer but Anna Pavlovna who was in the excited condition of a commander on a battlefield to whom thousands of new and brilliant ideas occur which there is hardly time to put in action seeing Pierre touched a sleeve with her finger saying wait a bit I have something in view for you this evening she glanced at Helen and smiled at her my dear Helen be charitable to my poor aunt who adores you go and keep her company for ten minutes and that it will not be too dull here is the dear count who will not refuse to accompany you the beauty went to the end but Anna Pavlovna detained Pierre looking as if she had to give some final necessary instructions isn't she exquisite she said to Pierre pointing to the stately beauty as she glided away and how she carries herself for so young a girl such tact such masterly perfection of manner it comes from her heart happy the man who wins her with her the least worldly of men would occupy a most brilliant position in society don't you think so I only wanted to know your opinion and Anna Pavlovna let Pierre go Pierre in reply sincerely agreed with her as to Helen's perfection of manner if he ever thought of Helen it was just of her beauty and her remarkable skill in appearing silently dignified in society the old aunt received the two young people in her corner that seemed desirous of hiding her adoration for Helen and inclined rather to show her fear of Anna Pavlovna she looked at her niece as if inquiring what she was to do with these people on leaving them Anna Pavlovna again touched Pierre's sleeve saying I hope you won't say that it is dull in my house again and she glanced at Helen Helen smiled with a look implying that she did not admit the possibility of anyone seeing her without being enchanted the aunt coughed swallowed and said in French that she was very pleased to see Helen then she turned to Pierre with the same words of welcome and the same look in the middle of a dull and halting conversation Helen turned to Pierre with the beautiful bright smile that she gave to everyone Pierre was so used to that smile and it had so little meaning for him that he paid no attention to it the aunt was just speaking of a collection of snuff boxes that had belonged to Pierre's father count the Zuko and showed them her own box Princess Helen asked to see the portrait of the aunt's husband on the box lid that is probably the work of Vanessa said Pierre mentioning the celebrated miniatureist and he leaned over the table to take the snuff box were trying to hear what was being said at the other table he half rose meaning to go around but the aunt handed him the snuff box passing it across Helen's back Helen stooped forward to make room and looked around with a smile she was as always at evening parties wearing a dress such as was then fashionable very low at front and back her bust which had always seemed like marble to Pierre was so close to him that his short-sighted eyes could not but perceive the living charm of her neck and shoulders so near to his lips that he need only have bent his head a little to have touched them he was conscious of the warmth of her body the scent of perfume and the creaking of her corset as she moved he did not see her marble beauty forming a complete hole with her dress but all the charm of her body only covered by her garment and having once seen this he could not help being aware of it just as we cannot renew an illusion we have once seen through so you have never noticed before how beautiful I am Helen seemed to say you have not noticed that I am a woman yes I am a woman who may belong to anyone to you too said her glance and at that moment Pierre felt that Helen not only could but must be his wife and that it could not be otherwise he knew this at the moment as surely as if he had been standing at the altar with her how and when this would be he did not know he did not even know if it would be a good thing he even felt he knew not why that it would be a bad thing but he knew it would happen Pierre dropped his eyes lifted them again and wished once more to see her as a distant beauty far removed from him as he had seen her every day until then but he could no longer do it he could not any more than a man who has been looking at a tuft of steppy grass through the mist and taking it for a tree can again take it for a tree after he has once recognize it to be a tuft of grass she was terribly close to him she already had power over him and between them there was no longer any barrier except the barrier of his own will well I will leave you in your little corner came Anna Pavlovna's voice I see you're all right there and Pierre anxiously trying to remember whether he had done anything reprehensible looked around with a blush it seemed to him that everyone knew what had happened to him as he knew it himself a little later when he went up to the large circle Anna Pavlovna said to him I hear you're refitting your Petersburg house this was true the architect had told him that it was necessary and Pierre without knowing why was having his enormous Petersburg house done up that's a good thing but don't move from Prince Vesely's it is good to have a friend like the Prince she said smiling at Prince Vesely I know something about that don't I and you're still so young you need advice don't be angry with me for exercising an old women's privilege she paused as women always do expecting something after they have mentioned their age if you marry it will be a different thing she continued uniting them both in one glance Pierre did not look at Helen nor she at him but she was just as terribly close to him he muttered something and colored when he got home he could not sleep for a long time for thinking of what had happened what had happened nothing he had merely understood the woman he had known as a child of whom when her beauty was mentioned he had said absent mindedly yes she's good looking he had understood that this woman might belong to him but she's stupid I have myself said she's stupid he thought there's something nasty something wrong in the feeling she excites in me I have been told that her brother Anatoly was in love with her and she with him that there was quite a scandal and that's why he was sent away Hippolyte is her brother Prince Vesely is her father it's bad he reflected but while he was thinking this the reflection was still incomplete he caught himself smiling and was conscious that another line of thought had strung up and while thinking of her wordlessness he was also dreaming of how she would be his wife how she would love him become quite different and how all he had thought and heard of her might be false and he again saw her not as the daughter of Prince Vesely but visualized her whole body only veiled by its great rest but no why did this thought never occur to me before and again he told himself that it was impossible that there would be something unnatural and as it seemed to him dishonorable in this marriage he recalled her former words and looks and the words and looks of those who had seen them together he recalled Anna Pavlovna's words and looks when she spoke to him about his house recall thousand of such hints from Prince Vesely and others and were seized by terror lest he had already in some way bound himself to do something that was evidently wrong and that he ought not to do but at the very time he was expressing this conviction to himself in another part of his mind her image rose in all its womanly beauty end of chapter one war and peace book three chapter two read for livery walks dot org in november 1805 Prince Vesely had to go on a tour of inspection in four different provinces he had arranged this for himself so as to visit his neglected estates at the same time and pick up his son Anatoly where his regiment was stationed and take him to visit Prince Nikolas Volkonsky in order to arrange a match for him with the daughter of that rich old man but before leaving home and undertaking these new affairs Prince Vesely had to settle matters with Pierre who it is true had laterally spent whole days at home that is in Prince Vesely's house where he was staying and had been absurd excited and foolish in Helen's presence as a lover should be but had not yet proposed to her this is all very fine but things must be settled said Prince Vesely to himself with a sorrowful sigh one morning feeling that Pierre who was under such obligations to him but never mind that is not behaving very well in this matter youth frivolity well God be with him thought he relishing his own goodness of heart but it must be brought to a head the day after tomorrow will be Leila's name day I will invite two or three people and he does not understand what he ought to do then it will be my affair yes my affair I am her father six weeks after Anna Pavlovna's at home and after the sleepless night when he had decided that to marry Helen would be a calamity and that he ought to avoid her and go away Pierre despite that decision had not left Prince Vesely's and felt with terror that in people's eyes he was every day more and more connected with her that it was impossible for him to return to his former conception of her that he could not break away from her and that though it would be a terrible thing he would have to unite his fate with hers he might perhaps have been able to free himself but that Prince Vesely who had rarely before given receptions now hardly let a day go by without having an evening party at which Pierre had to be present unless he wished to spoil the general pleasure and disappoint everyone's expectation Prince Vesely in the rare moments when he was at home would take Pierre's hand in passing and draw it downwards or absentmindedly hold out his wrinkled clean shaven cheek for Pierre to kiss and would say till tomorrow or be into dinner or I shall not see you or I am staying in for your sake and so on and though Prince Vesely when he stayed as he said for Pierre's sake hardly exchanged a couple of words with him Pierre felt unable to disappoint him every day he said to himself one and the same thing it is time I understood her and made up my mind what she really is was I mistaken before or am I mistaken now no she's not stupid she is an excellent girl he's sometimes said to himself she never makes a mistake never says anything stupid she says little but what she does say is always clear and simple so she is not stupid she never was abashed and is not abashed now so she cannot be a bad woman he had often begun to make reflections or think aloud in her company and she had always answered him either by a brief but appropriate remark showing that it did not interest her or by a silent look in smile which more palpably than anything else showed Pierre her superiority she was right in regarding all arguments is nonsense in comparison with that smile she always addressed him with a radiantly confiding smile meant for him alone in which there was something more significant then in the gentle smile that usually brightened her face Pierre knew that everyone was waiting for him to say a word and cross a certain line and he knew that sooner or later he would step across it but an incomprehensible terror seized him at the thought of that dreadful step a thousand times during that month and a half while he felt himself drawn nearer and nearer to that dreadful abyss Pierre said to himself what am I doing I need resolution can it be that I had none he wished to take a decision but felt with dismay that in this matter he lacked the strength of will which he had known in himself and really possessed Pierre was one of those who are only strong when they feel themselves quite innocent and since that day when he was overpowered by a feeling of desire while stooping over the snuff box at Anna Pavlovna's an unacknowledged sense of the guilt of that desire paralyzed his will on Helen's name day small party of just their own people as his wife said met first supper at Prince Vesely's all these friends and relations had been given to understand that the fate of the young girl would be decided that evening the visitors were seated at supper Prince Coragina a portly imposing woman who had once been handsome was sitting at the head of the table on either side of her sat the more important guests an old general and his wife and Anna Pavlovna share at the other end sat the younger and less important guests and there too sat the members of the family and Pierre and Helen side by side Prince Vesely was not having any supper he went round the table in a merry mood sitting down now by one now by another of the guests to each of them he made some careless in a griever remark except to Pierre and Helen whose presence he seemed not to notice he enlivened the whole party the wax candles burned brightly the silver and crystal gleam so did the ladies toilets and the gold and silver of the men's epaulets servants in scarlet liveries moved round the table the clatter of plates knives and glasses mingle with the animated hum of several conversations at one end of the table the old chamberlain was heard assuring an old baroness that he loved her passionately at which she laughed at the other could be heard the story of the misfortunes of some mary victorovna or other at the center of the table Prince Vesely attracted everybody's attention with the facetious smile on his face he was telling the ladies about last wednesday's meeting of the imperial council at which Sergei kuzmik was metano the new military governor general of petersburg had received and read the then famous rescript of the emperor alexander from the army to sergi kuzmik in which the emperor said that he was receiving from all sides declarations of the people's loyalty that the declaration from petersburg gave him particular pleasure and that he was proud to be at the head of such a nation and would endeavor to be worthy of it this rescript began with the words sergi kuzmik from all sides reports reach me etc well and so he never got further than sergi kuzmik asked one of the ladies exactly not a hair-spread father answered prince vesely laughing sergi kuzmik from all sides from all sides sergi kuzmik pure vas metano could not get any further he began the rescript again and again but as soon as he uttered sergi he sobbed kuzmik tears and from all sides was smothered in sobs and he could get no farther and again his handkerchief and again sergi kuzmik from all sides and tears till at last somebody else was asked to read it kuzmik from all sides and then tears someone repeated laughing don't be unkind cried ana pavlovna from her end of the table holding up a threatening finger he is such a worthy and excellent man our dear vas metano everybody laughed a great deal at the head of the table where the honored guests sat everyone seemed to be in high spirits and under the influence of a variety of exciting sensations only pier and helen sat silently side by side almost at the bottom of the table a suppressed smile brightening both their faces a smile that had nothing to do with sergi kuzmik a smile of bashfulness at their own feelings but much as all the rest laughed talked and joked much as they enjoyed their rind wines saute and ices and however they avoided looking at the young couple and heedless and observant as they seemed of them one could feel by the occasional glances they gave that the story about sergi kuzmik the laughter and the food were all a pretense and that the whole attention of that company was directed to pier and helen prince vasily mimicked the sobbing of sergi kuzmik and at the same time his eyes glanced towards his daughter and while he laughed the expression on his face clearly said yes it's getting on it will all be settled today ana pavlovna threatened him on behalf of our dear vas metano and in her eyes which for an instant glanced at pier prince vasily read a congratulation on his future son-in-law and on his daughter's happiness the old prince's side sadly as she offered some wine to the old lady next to her and glanced angrily at her daughter and her sighs seem to say yes there's nothing left for you and me but to sip sweet wine my dear now that the time has come for these young ones to be thus boldly provocatively happy and what nonsense all this is that i'm saying thought a diplomatist glancing at the happy faces of the lovers that's happiness into the insignificant trifling and artificial interests uniting that society had entered this simple feeling of the attraction of a healthy and handsome young man and woman for one another and this human feeling dominated everything else and soared above all their affected chatter jests fell flat news was not interesting and the animation was evidently forced not only the guests but even the footmen waiting at table seemed to feel this and they forgot their duties as they looked at the beautiful hellen with her radiant face and the red broad and happy though uneasy face of pier it seemed as if the very light of the candles was focused on those two happy faces alone pier felt that he was the center of it all and this both pleased and embarrassed him he was like a man entirely absorbed in some occupation he did not see here or understand anything clearly only now and then detached ideas and impressions from the world of reality shot unexpectedly through his mind so it is all finished he thought and how has it all happened how quickly now i know that not because of her alone nor of myself alone but because of everyone it must inevitably come about they are all expecting it they're so sure that it will happen that i cannot i cannot disappoint them but how will it be i do not know but it will certainly happen thought pier glancing at those dazzling shoulders close to his eyes or he would suddenly feel ashamed of he knew not what he felt it awkward to attract everyone's attention and to be considered a lucky man and with his plain face to be looked on as a sort of paris possessed of a hellen but no doubt it always is and must be so he consoled himself and besides what have i done to bring it about how did it begin i travel from moscow with prince vesile then there was nothing so why should i not stay at his house then i played cards with her and picked up her reticule and drove out with her how did it begin when did it all come about and here he was sitting by her side as her bits wrote seeing hearing feeling her nearness her breathing her movements her beauty then it would suddenly seem to him that it was not she but he was so unusually beautiful that that was why they all looked so at him and flattered by this general admiration he would expand his chest raise his head and rejoice at his good fortune suddenly he heard a familiar voice repeating something to him a second time but pier was so absorbed that he did not understand what was said i'm asking you when you last heard from bolkonsky repeated prince vesile a third time how absent minded you are my dear fellow prince vesile smiled and pier noticed that everyone was smiling at him and hellen well what of it if you all know it thought pier what of it it's the truth and he himself smiled his gentle childlike smile and hellen smiled too when did you get the letter was it from all nuts repeated prince vesile who pretended to want to know this in order to settle a dispute how can one talk or think of such trifles thought pier yes from all nuts he answered with a sigh after supper pier with his partner followed the others into the drawing room the guests began to disperse some without taking leave of hellen some as if unwilling to distract her from an important occupation came up to her for a moment and made haste to go away refusing to let her see them off the diplomat is preserved a mournful silence as he left the drawing room he pictured the vanity of his diplomatic career in comparison with pier's happiness the old general grumble at his wife when she asked how his leg was oh the old fool he thought that princess hellen will be beautiful still when she's 50 i think i may congratulate you whispered ana pavlovna to the old princess kissing her soundly if i hadn't this headache i would have stayed longer the old princess did not reply she was tormented by jealousy of her daughter's happiness while the guests were taking their leave pier remained for a long time alone with hellen in the little drawing room where they were sitting he had often before during the last six weeks remained alone with her but had never spoken to her of love now he felt that it was inevitable but he could not make up his mind to take the final step he felt ashamed he felt that he was occupying someone else's place here beside hellen this happiness is not for you some inner voice whispered to him this happiness is for those who have not in them what there is in you but as he had to say something he began by asking her whether she was satisfied with the party she replied in her usual simple manner that this name day of hers had been one of the pleasantest she had ever had some of the nearest relatives had not yet left they were sitting in the large drawing room prince vesily came up to pier with language footsteps pier rose and said it was getting late prince vesily gave him a look of stern inquiry as the what pier had just said was so strange that one could not take it in but then the expression of severity changed and he drew pier's hand downwards made him sit down and smiled affectionately well lelia he asked turning instantly to his daughter and addressing her with the careless tone of habitual tenderness natural to parents who have petted their children from babyhood but which prince vesily had only acquired by imitating other parents and he again turned to pier sergi kuzmik from all sides he said unbuttoning the top button of his waistcoat pier smile but his smile showed that he knew it was not the story about sergi kuzmik that interested prince vesily just then and prissel vesily saw that pier knew this he suddenly muttered something and went away it seemed to pier that even the prince was disconcerted the sight of the discomposure of that old man of the world touched pier he looked at helen and she too seemed disconcerted and her look seemed to say well it is your own fault the step must be taken but i cannot i cannot thought pier and he again began speaking about indifferent matters about sergi kuzmik asking what the point of the story was as he had not heard it properly helen answered with a smile that she too had missed it when prince vesily returned to the drawing room the princess his wife was talking in low tones to the elderly lady about pier of course it is a very brilliant match but happiness my dear marriages are made in heaven replied the elderly lady prince vesily passed by seeming not to hear the ladies and sat down on a sofa in a far corner of the room he closed his eyes and seemed to be dozing his head sank forward and then he roused himself align he said to his wife go and see what they're about the princess went up to the door passed by it with a dignified and indifferent air and glanced into the little drawing room pier and helen still sat talking just as before still the same she said to her husband prince vesily frowned twisting his mouth his cheeks quivered and his face assumed the course unpleasant expression peculiar to him shaking himself he rose through back his head and with resolute steps went past the ladies into the little drawing room with quick steps he went joyfully up to pier his face was so unusually triumphant that pier rose in alarm on seeing it thank god said prince vesily my wife has told me everything he put one arm around pier and the other around his daughter my dear boy lehria i'm very pleased his voice trembled i love your father and she will make you a good wife god bless you he embraced his daughter and then again pier and kissed him with his malodorous mouth pier's actually moistened his cheeks princess come here he shouted the old princess came in and also wept the elderly lady was using her handkerchief too pier was kissed and he kissed a beautiful helen's hand several times after a while they were left alone again all this had to be and could not be otherwise thought pier so it is useless to ask whether it is good or bad it is good because it's definite and when it's rid of the old tormenting doubt pier held the hand of his betrothed in silence looking at her beautiful whistle as it rose and fell helen he said allowed and paused something special is always said in such cases he thought but could not remember what it was that people say he looked at her face she drew nearer to him her face flushed oh take this off those she said pointing to the spectacles pier took them off and his eyes besides a strange look eyes have from which spectacles have just been removed had also a frightened and inquiring look he was about to stoop over her hand and kiss it but with a rapid almost brutal movement off her head she intercepted his lips and met them with her own her face struck pier by its altered unpleasantly excited expression it is too late now it's done besides i love her thought pier javu aim he said remembering what has to be said at such moments but his words sounded so weak that he felt ashamed of himself i love you six weeks later he was married and settled in kanbezuko's large newly furnished petersburg house the happy possessor as people said of a wife who was a celebrated beauty and of millions of money end of chapter two born peace book three chapter three read for libravox.org by jessica ac snyder chapter three old prince nicholas bolkansky received a letter from prince facily in november 1805 announcing that he and his son would be paying him a visit i am starting on a journey of inspection and of course i shall think nothing of an extra 70 miles to come and see you at the same time my honored benefactor wrote prince facily my son anatoly is accompanying me on his way to the army so i hope you will allow him personally to express the deep respect that emulating his father he feels for you it seems that there will be no need to bring mary out suitors are coming to us of their own accord in cautiously remarked the little princess on hearing the news prince nicholas frowned but said nothing a fortnight after the letter prince facily's servants came one evening in advance of him and he and his son arrived next day old bolkansky had always had a poor opinion of prince facily's character but more so recently since in the new reigns of paul and alexander prince facily had risen to high position and honors and now from the hints contained in his letter and given by the little princess he saw which way the wind was blowing and his low opinion changed into a feeling of contemptuous ill will he snorted whenever he mentioned him on the day of prince facily's arrival prince bolkansky was particularly discontented and out of temper whether he was in a bad temper because prince facily was coming or whether his being in a bad temper made him specially annoyed at prince facily's visit he was in a bad temper and in the morning tycon had already advised the architect not to go to the prince with his report to you hear how he's walking said tycon drawing the architect's attention to the sound of the princess footsteps stepping flat on his heels we know what that means however at nine o'clock the prince in his velvet coat with a sable collar and cap went out for his usual walk it had snowed the day before and the path to the hot house along which the prince was in the habit of walking had been swept the marks of the broom were still visible in the snow and a shovel had been left sticking in one of the soft snow banks that bordered both sides of the path the prince went through the conservatories the serfs quarters and the outbuildings frowning and silent can a slave pass he asked his overseer a venerable man resembling his master in manners and looks who was accompanying him back to the house the snow is deep i am having the avenue swept your honor the prince bowed his head and went up to the porch god be thanked thought the overseer the storm has blown over it would have been hard to drive up your honor he added i heard your honor that a minister is coming to visit your honor the prince turned round to the overseer and fixed his eyes on him frowning what a minister what minister who gave orders he said in his shrill harsh voice the road is not swept for the princess my daughter but for a minister for me there are no ministers your honor i thought you thought shouted the prince his words coming more and more rapidly and indistinctly you thought rascals black guards i'll teach you to think and lifting his stick he swung it and would have hit al patich the overseer had not the latter instinctively avoided the blow thought black guards shouted the prince rapidly but although al patich frightened at his own temerity in avoiding the stroke came up to the prince bowing his bald head residedly before him or perhaps for that very reason the prince though he continued to shout black guards throw the snow back on the road did not lift his stick again but hurried into the house before dinner princess mary and madam was there for him who knew that the prince was in a bad humor stood awaiting him madam was a burkin with a radiant face that said i know nothing i am the same as usual and princess mary pale frightened and with downcast eyes what she found hardest to bear was to know that on such occasions she ought to behave like madam was a burkin but could not she thought if i seem not to notice he will think that i do not sympathize with him if i seem sad and out of spirits myself he will say as he has done before that i'm in the dumps the prince looked at his daughter's frightened face and snorted fool or dummy he muttered and the other one is not here they've been telling tales he thought referring to the little princess who was not in the dining room where is the princess he asked hiding she is not very well answered madam was a burkin with a bright smile so she won't come down it is natural in her state muttered the prince sitting down his plate seemed to him not quite clean and pointing to a spot he flung it away ticken caught it and handed it to a footman the little princess was not unwell but had such an overpowering fear of the prince that hearing he was in a bad humor she had decided not to appear i am afraid for the baby she said to madam was a burkin heaven knows what a fright might do in general at bald hills the little princess lived in constant fear and with a sense of antipathy to the old prince which she did not realize because the fear was so much the stronger feeling the prince reciprocated this antipathy but it was overpowered by his contempt for her when the little princess had grown accustomed to life at bald hills she took a special fancy to madam was a burkin spent whole days with her asked her to sleep in her room and often talked with her about the old prince and criticized him so we are to have visitors my prince remarked madam was a burkin unfolding her white napkin with her rosy fingers his excellency prince vastly corkin and his son i understand she said inquiringly his excellency is a puppy i got him his appointment in the service said the prince disdainfully why his son is coming i don't understand perhaps princess elizabeth and princess marino i don't want him he looked at his blushing daughter are you unwell today a afraid of the minister as that idiot alpatic called him this morning no mon père though madam was a burkin had been so unsuccessful in her choice of a subject she did not stop talking but chattered about the conservatories and the beauty of a flower that had just opened and after the soup the prince became more genial after dinner he went to see his daughter-in-law the little princess was sitting at a small table chattering with masha her maid she grew pale on seeing her father-in-law she was much altered she was now plain rather than pretty her cheeks had sunk her lip was drawn up and her eyes drawn down yes i feel a kind of oppression she said in reply to the prince's question as to how she felt do you want anything non merci mon père well all right all right he left the room and went to the waiting room while alpatic stood with bowed head has the snow been shoveled back yes your excellency forgive me for heaven's sake it was only my stupidity all right all right interrupted the prince and laughing his unnatural way he stretched out his hand for alpatic to kiss and then proceeded to his study prince vasily arrived that evening he was met in the avenue by coachman and footman who with loud shouts dragged his sleighs up to one of the lodges over the road purposely laden with snow prince vasily and anatoly had separate rooms assigned to them anatoly having taken off his overcoat sat with arms akimbo before a table on a corner of which he smilingly and absentmindedly fixed his large and handsome eyes he regarded his whole life as a continual round of amusement which someone for some reason had to provide for him and he looked on this visit to a churlish old man and a rich and ugly heiress in the same way all this might he thought turn out very well and amusingly and why not marry her if she really has so much money that never does any harm thought anatoly he shaved and scented himself with the care and elegance which had become habitual to him and his handsome head held high entered his father's room with the good humored and victorious air natural to him prince vasily's two valets were busy dressing him and he looked round with much animation and cheerfully nodded to his son as the latter entered as if to say yes that's how i want you to look i say father joking apart is she very hideous anatoly asked as if continuing a conversation the subject of which had often been mentioned during the journey enough what nonsense above all try to be respectful and cautious with the old prince if he starts a row i'll go away said prince anatoly i can't bear those old men hey remember for you everything depends on this in the meantime not only was it known in the maid servants rooms that the minister and his son had arrived but the appearance of both had been minutely described princess mary was sitting alone in her room vainly trying to master her agitation why did they write why did lisa tell me about it it can never happen she said looking at herself in the glass how shall i enter the drawing room even if i like him i can't now be myself with him the mere thought of her father's look filled her with terror the little princess and madame muzele bourguin had already received from masha the lady's maid the necessary report of how handsome the minister's son was with his rosy cheeks and dark eyebrows and with what difficulty the father had dragged his legs upstairs while the son had followed him like an eagle three steps at a time having received this information the little princess and madame muzele bourguin whose chattering voices had reached her from the corridor went into princess mary's room you know they've come mary said the little princess waddling in and sinking heavily into an armchair she was no longer in the loose gown she generally wore in the morning but had on one of her best dresses her hair was carefully done and her face was animated which however did not conceal its sunken and faded outlines dressed as she used to be in petersburg society it was still more noticeable how much planer she had become some unobtrusive touch had been added to madame muzele bourguin's toilet which rendered her fresh and pretty face yet more attractive what are you going to remain as you are dear princess she began they'll be announcing that the gentlemen are in the drawing room and we shall have to go down and you have not smartened yourself up at all the little princess got up rang for the maid and hurriedly and merrily began to devise and carry out a plan of how princess mary should be dressed princess mary's self-esteem was wounded by the fact that the arrival of a suitor agitated her and still more so by both her companions not having the least conception that it could be otherwise to tell them that she felt ashamed for herself and for them would be to betray her agitation while to decline their offers to dress her would prolong their banter and insistence she flushed her beautiful eyes grew dim red blotches came on her face and it took on the unattractive martyr-like expression it so often wore as she submitted herself to madame muzele bourguin and lisa both these women quite sincerely tried to make her look pretty she was so plain that neither of them could think of her as a rival so they began dressing her with perfect sincerity and with the naive and firm conviction women have that dress can make a face pretty no really my dear this dress is not pretty said lisa looking sideways at princess mary from a little distance you have a maroon dress have it fetched really you know the fate of your whole life may be at stake but this one is too light it's not becoming it was not the dress but the face and whole figure of princess mary that was not pretty but neither madame muzele bourguin nor the little princess felt this they still thought that if a blue ribbon were placed in the hair the hair combed up and the blue scarf arranged lower on the best maroon dress and so on all would be well they forgot that the frightened face and the figure could not be altered and that however they might change the setting and adornment of that face it would still remain piteous and plain after two or three changes to which princess mary meekly submitted just as her hair had been arranged on the top of her head a style that quite altered and spoiled her looks and she had put on a maroon dress with a pale blue scarf the little princess walked twice round her now adjusting a fold of the dress with her little hand now arranging the scarf and looking at her with her head bent first on one side and then on the other no it will not do she said decidedly clasping her hands no mary really this dress does not suit you i prefer you in your little gray everyday dress now please do it for my sake katie she said to the maid bring the princess her gray dress and you'll see madame muzele bourguin how i shall arrange it she added smiling with a foretaste of artistic pleasure but when katie brought the required dress princess mary remained sitting motionless before the glass looking at her face and saw in the mirror her eyes full of tears and her mouth quivering ready to burst into sobs come dear princess said madame muzele bourguin just one more little effort the little princess taking the dress from the maid came up to princess mary well now we'll arrange something quite simple and becoming she said the three voices hers madame muzele bourguin's and katie's who was laughing at something mingled in a mary sound like the chirping of birds no leave me alone said princess mary her voice sounded so serious and so sad that the chirping of the birds was silenced at once they looked at the beautiful large thoughtful eyes full of tears and of thoughts gazing shinily and imploringly at them and understood that it was useless and even cruel to insist at least change your coiffure said the little princess didn't i tell you she went on turning reproachfully to madame muzele bourguin mary's is a face which such a coiffure does not suit in the least not in the least please change it leave me alone please leave me alone it is all quite the same to me answered a voice struggling with tears madame muzele bourguin and the little princess had to own to themselves that princess mary and this guy's looked very plain worse than usual but it was too late she was looking at them with an expression they both knew an expression thoughtful and sad this expression in princess mary did not frighten them she never inspired fear in anyone but they knew that when it appeared on her face she became mute and was not to be shaken in her determination you will change it won't you said lisa and as princess mary gave no answer she left the room princess mary was left alone she did not comply with lisa's request she not only left her hair as it was but did not even look in her glass letting her arms fall helplessly she sat with downcast eyes and pondered a husband a man a strong dominant and strangely attractive being rose in her imagination and carried her into a totally different happy world of his own she fancied a child her own such as she had seen the day before in the arms of her nurse's daughter at her own breast the husband standing by and gazing tenderly at her and the child but no it is impossible i am too ugly she thought please come to tea the prince will be out in a moment came the maid's voice at the door she roused herself and felt appalled at what she had been thinking and before going down she went into the room where the icons hung and her eyes fixed on the dark face of a large icon of the savior lit by a lamp she stood before it with folded hands for a few moments a painful doubt filled her soul could the joy of love of earthly love for a man be for her in her thoughts of marriage princess mary dreamed of happiness and of children but her strongest most deeply hidden longing was for earthly love the more she tried to hide this feeling from others and even from herself the stronger it grew oh god she said how am i to stifle in my heart these temptations of the devil how am i to renounce forever these vile fancies so as peacefully to fulfill thy will and scarcely had she put that question then god gave her the answer in her own heart desire nothing for thyself seek nothing be not anxious or envious man's future and thy own fate must remain hidden from thee but live so that thou mayest be ready for anything if it be god's will to prove thee in the duties of marriage be ready to fulfill his will with this consoling thought but yet with a hope for the fulfillment of her forbidden earthly longing princess mary sighed and having crossed herself went down thinking neither of her gown and coiffure nor of how she would go in nor of what she would say what could all that matter in comparison with the will of god without whose care not a hair of man's head can fall end of chapter three this recording is in the public domain war and peace book three chapter four read for LibriVox.org by jessica ac snider chapter four when princess mary came down prince faceli and his son were already in the drawing room talking to the little princess and mademoiselle bohine when she entered with her heavy step treading on her heels the gentleman and mademoiselle bohine rose and the little princess indicating her to the gentleman said voila marie princess mary saw them all and saw them in detail she saw prince faceli's face serious for an instant at the sight of her but immediately smiling again and the little princess curiously noting the impression marie produced on the visitors and she saw mademoiselle bohine with her ribbon and pretty face and her unusually animated look which was fixed on him but him she could not see she only saw something large brilliant and handsome moving toward her as she entered the room prince faceli approached first and she kissed the bold forehead that bent over her hand and answered his question by saying that on the contrary she remembered him quite well then annatole came up to her she still could not see him she only felt a soft hand taking hers firmly and she touched with her lips a white forehead over which was beautiful light brown hair smelling of pomade when she looked up at him she was struck by his beauty annatole stood with his right thumb under a button of his uniform his chest expanded and his back drawn in slightly swinging one foot and with his head a little bent looked with beaming face at the princess without speaking and evidently not thinking about her at all annatole was not quick-witted nor ready or eloquent in conversation but he had the faculty so invaluable in society of composure and imperturbable self-possession if a man lacking in self-confidence remains dumb on a first introduction and betrays a consciousness of the impropriety of such silence and in anxiety to find something to say the effect is bad but annatole was dumb swung his foot and smilingly examined the princess's hair it was evident that he could be silent in this way for a very long time if anyone finds this silence inconvenient let him talk but I don't want to he seemed to say besides this in his behavior to women annatole had a manner which particularly inspires in them curiosity awe and even love a supercilious consciousness of his own superiority it was as if he said to them I know you I know you but why should I bother about you you'd be only too glad of course perhaps he did not really think this when he met women even probably he did not for in general he thought very little but his looks and manner gave that impression the princess felt this and as if wishing to show him that she did not even dare expect to interest him she turned to his father the conversation was general and animated thanks to princess liza's voice and little downy lip that lifted over her white teeth she met prince facely with that playful manner often employed by lively chatty people and consisting in the assumption that between the person they so address and themselves there are some semi-private long-established jokes and amusing reminiscences though no such reminiscences really exist just as none existed in this case prince facely readily adopted her tone and the little princess also drew annatole whom she hardly knew into these amusing recollections of things that had never occurred madam was a little kid also shared them and even princess mary felt herself pleasantly made to share in these mary reminiscences here at least we shall have the benefit of your company all to ourselves dear prince said the little princess of course in french to prince facely it's not as at annette's receptions where you always ran away you remember said shale annette note annette is anna pavlovna end note ah but you won't talk politics to me like annette and our little tea table oh yes why is it you were never at annette's the little princess asked annatole ah i know i know she said with a sly glance your brother hippolite told me about your goings on oh and she shook her finger at him i have even heard of your doings in paris and didn't he believe tell you asked prince facely turning to his son and seizing the little princess's arm as if she would have run away and he had just managed to catch her didn't he tell you how he himself was pining for the dear princess and how she showed him the door oh she is a pearl among women princess he added turning to princess mary when paris was mentioned madam was el bolkin for her part seized the opportunity of joining in the general current of recollections she took the liberty of inquiring whether it was long since annatole had left paris and how he had liked that city annatole answered the french woman very readily and looking at her with a smile talked to her about her native land when he saw the pretty little bolkin annatole came to the conclusion that he would not find bald hills dull either not at all bad he thought examining her not at all bad that little companion i hope she will bring her along with her when we're married le petit est gentil translators note the little one is charming end note the old prince dressed leisurely in his study frowning and considering what he was to do the coming of these visitors annoyed him what are prince facely and that's son of his to me prince facely is a shallow braggart and his son no doubt is a fine specimen he grumbled to himself what angered him was that the coming of these visitors revived in his mind an unsettled question he always tried to stifle one about which he always deceived himself the question was whether he could ever bring himself to part from his daughter and give her to a husband the prince never directly asked himself that question knowing beforehand that he would have to answer it justly and justice clashed not only with his feelings but with the very possibility of life life without princess mary little as he seemed to value her was unthinkable to him and why should she marry he thought to be unhappy for certain there's liza married to andrew a better husband one would think could hardly be found nowadays but is she contented with her lot and who would marry marie for love plain and awkward they'll take her for her connections and wealth are there no women living unmarried and even the happier for it so thought prince bolkonsky while dressing and yet the question he was always putting off demanded an immediate answer prince facely had brought his son with the evident intention of proposing and today or tomorrow he would probably ask for an answer his birth and position in society were not bad well i have nothing against it the prince said to himself but he must be worthy of her and that is what we shall see that is what we shall see that is what we shall see he added aloud he entered the drawing room with his usual alert step glancing rapidly round the company he noticed the change in the little princess's dress madame was elbrion's ribbon princess mary's unbecoming coiffure madame was elbrion's and anatoly's smiles and the loneliness of his daughter amid the general conversation got herself up like a fool he thought looking irritably at her she is shameless and he ignores her he went straight up to prince facely well how do you do how do you do glad to see you friendship laugh set distance began prince facely in his usual rapid self-confident familiar tone here is my second son please love and befriend him prince balkonsky surveyed anatoly fine young fellow fine young fellow he said well come and kiss me and he offered his cheek anatoly kissed the old man and looked at him with curiosity and perfect composure waiting for a display of the eccentricities his father had told him to expect prince balkonsky sat down in his usual place in the corner of the sofa and drawing up an armchair for prince facely pointed to it and began questioning him about political affairs and news he seemed to listen attentively to what prince facely said but kept glancing at princess mary and so they are writing from pot stem already he said repeating prince facely's last words then rising he suddenly went up to his daughter is it for visitors you've gotten yourself up like that eh said he fine very fine you have done up your hair in this new way for the visitors and before the visitors i tell you that in future you are never to dare to change your way of dress without my consent it was my fault mon père interceded the little princess with a blush you must do as you please said prince balkonsky bowing to his daughter-in-law but she need not make a fool of herself she's plain enough as it is and he sat down again paying no more attention to his daughter who was reduced to tears on the contrary that coiffure suits the princess very well said prince facely now you young prince what's your name said prince balkonsky turning to anatole come here let us talk and get acquainted now the fun begins thought anatole sitting down with a smile beside the old prince well my dear boy i hear you've been educated abroad not taught to read and write by the deacon like your father and me now tell me my dear boy are you serving in the horse guards asked the old man scrutinizing anatole closely and intently no i have been transferred to the line said anatole hardly able to restrain his laughter ah that's a good thing so my dear boy you wish to serve the czar and the country it is wartime such a fine fellow must serve well are you off to the front no prince our regiment has gone to the front but i am attached what is it i am attached to papa said anatole turning to his father with a laugh a splendid soldier splendid what am i attached to haha laughed prince balkonsky and anatole laughed still louder suddenly prince balkonsky frowned you may go he said to anatole anatole returned smiling to the ladies and so you've had him educated abroad prince facely haven't you said the old prince to prince facely i have done my best for him and i can assure you the education there is much better than ours yes everything is different nowadays everything has changed the lads a fine fellow a fine fellow well come with me now he took prince facely's arm and led him to his study as soon as they were alone together prince facely announced his hopes and wishes to the old prince well do you think i shall prevent her that i can't part from her said the old prince angrily what an idea i'm ready for it tomorrow only let me tell you i want to know my son-in-law better you know my principles everything above board i will ask her tomorrow in your presence if she is willing then he can stay on he can stay and i'll see the old prince snorted let her marry it's all the same to me he screamed in the same piercing tone as when parting from his son i will tell you frankly said prince facely in the tone of a crafty man convinced of the futility of being cunning with so keen-sighted companion you know you see right through people anatole is no genius but he is an honest good-hearted lad an excellent son or kinsman all right all right we'll see as always happens when women lead lonely lives for any length of time without male society on anatole's appearance all three women of prince bolkansky's household felt that their lives had not been real till then their powers of reasoning feeling and observing immediately increased tenfold and their life which seemed to have been passed in darkness was suddenly lit up by a new brightness full of significance princess mary grew quite unconscious of her face in coiffure the handsome open face of the man who might perhaps be her husband absorbed all her attention he seemed to her kind brave determined manly and magnanimous she felt convinced of that thousands of dreams of a future family life continually rose in her imagination she drove them away and tried to conceal them but am i not too cold with him thought the princess i try to be reserved because in the depth of my soul i feel too near to him already but then he cannot know what i think of him and may imagine that i do not like him and princess mary tried but could not manage to be cordial to her new guest poor girl she's devilish ugly thought anatole madame was el pojin also roused to great excitement by anatole's arrival thought in another way of course she a handsome young woman without any definite position without relations or even a country did not intend to devote her life to serving prince bolkonski to reading aloud to him and being friends with princess mary madame was el pojin had long been waiting for a russian prince who able to appreciate at a glance her superiority to the plain badly dressed ungainly russian princesses would fall in love with her and carry her off and here at last was a russian prince madame was el bohyn knew a story heard from her aunt but finished in her own way which she liked to repeat to herself it was the story of a girl who had been seduced and to whom her poor mother sa polva mare appeared and reproached her for yielding to a man without being married madame was el bohyn was often touched to tears as an imagination she told this story to him her seduce her and now he a real russian prince had appeared he would carry her away and then sa polva mare would appear and he would marry her so her future shaped itself in madame was el bohyn's head at the very time she was talking to anatole about paris it was not calculation that guided her she did not even for a moment consider what she should do but all this had long been familiar to her and now that anatole had appeared it just grouped itself around him and she wished and tried to please him as much as possible the little princess like an old warhorse that hears the trumpet unconsciously and quite forgetting her condition prepared for the familiar gallop of cockatry without any ulterior motive or any struggle but with naive and lighthearted gaiety although in female society anatole usually assumed the role of a man tired of being run after by women his vanity was flattered by the spectacle of his power over these three women besides that he was beginning to feel for the pretty and provocative madame was el bohyn that passionate animal feeling which was apt to master him with great suddenness and prompt him to the coarsest and most reckless actions after tea the company went into the sitting room and princess mary was asked to play on the clavichord anatole laughing and in high spirits came and leaned on his elbows facing her and beside mademoiselle bohyn princess mary felt his look with a painfully joyous emotion her favorite sonata bore her into a most intimately poetic world and the look she felt upon her made that world still more poetic but anatole's expression though his eyes were fixed on her referred not to her but to the movements of mademoiselle bohyn's little foot which he was then touching with his own under the clavichord mademoiselle bohyn was also looking at princess mary and in her lovely eyes there was a look of fearful joy and hope that was also new to the princess how she loves me thought princess mary how happy i am now and how happy i may be with such a friend and such a husband husband can it be possible she thought not daring to look at his face but still feeling his eyes gazing at her in the evening after supper when all were about to retire anatole kissed princess mary's hand she did not know how she found the courage but she looked straight into his handsome face as it came near to her short-sighted eyes turning from princess mary he went up and kissed mademoiselle bohyn's hand this was not etiquette but then he did everything so simply and with such assurance mademoiselle bohyn flushed and gave the princess a frightened look what delicacy thought the princess is it possible that amelie mademoiselle bohyn thinks i could be jealous of her and not value her pure affection and devotion to me she went up to her and kissed her warmly anatole went up to kiss the little princess's hand no no no when your father writes to tell me that you are behaving well i will give you my hand to kiss not till then she said and smilingly raising a finger at him she left the room end of chapter four this recording is in the public domain war and peace book three chapter five read for libravox.org by jessica ac snider chapter five they all separated but except anatole who fell asleep as soon as he got into bed all kept awake a long time that night is he really to be my husband this stranger who is so kind yes kind that is the chief thing thought princess mary and fear which she had seldom experienced came upon her she feared to look round it seemed to her that someone was there standing behind the screen in the dark corner and this someone was he the devil and he was also this man with the white forehead black eyebrows and red lips she rang for her maid and asked her to sleep in her room madam was at work in walked up and down the conservatory for a long time that evening vainly expecting someone now smiling at someone now working herself up to tears with the imaginary words of her pope were there rebuking her for her fall the little princess grumbled to her maid that her bed was badly made she could not lie either on her face or on her side every position was awkward and uncomfortable and her burden oppressed her now more than ever because anatole's presence had vividly recalled to her the time when she was not like that and when everything was light and gay she sat in an armchair in her dressing jacket and nightcap and katie sleepy and disheveled beat and turned the heavy feather bed for the third time muttering to herself i told you it was all lumps and holes the little princess repeated i should be glad enough to fall asleep so it's not my fault and her voice quivered like that of a child about to cry the old prince did not sleep either chicken half asleep heard him pacing angrily about and snorting the old prince felt as though he had been insulted through his daughter the insult was the more pointed because it concerned not himself but another his daughter whom he loved more than himself he kept telling himself that he would consider the whole matter and decide what was right and how he should act but instead of that he only excited himself more and more the first man that turns up she forgets her father and everything else runs upstairs and does up her hair and wags her tail and is unlike herself glad to throw her father over and she knew i should notice it and don't i see that that idiot had eyes only for bochen i shall have to get rid of her and how is it she has not pride enough to see it if she has no pride for herself she might at least have some for my sake she must be shown that the blockhead thinks nothing of her and looks only at bochen no she has no pride but i'll let her see the old prince knew that if he told his daughter she was making a mistake and that annatole meant to flirt with mademoiselle bochen princess mary's self-esteem would be wounded and his point not to be parted from her would be gained so pacifying himself with this thought he called ticken and began to undress what devil brought them here thought he while ticken was putting the night shirt over his dried up old body and gray haired chest i never invited them they came to disturb my life and there is not much of it left devil take him he muttered while his head was still covered by the shirt ticken knew his master's habit of sometimes thinking aloud and therefore met with unaltered looks the angrily inquisitive expression of the face that emerged from the shirt gone to bed asked the prince ticken like all good valets instinctively knew the direction of his master's thoughts he guessed that the question referred to prince vasily and his son they have gone to bed and put out their lights your excellency no good no good said the prince rapidly and thrusting his feet into his slippers and his arms into the sleeves of his dressing gown he went to the couch on which he slept though no words had passed between anatole and mademoiselle bohyn they quite understood one another as to the first part of their romance up to the appearance of the polvo male they understood that they had much to say to one another in private and so they had been seeking an opportunity since morning to meet one another alone when princess mary went to her father's room at the usual hour mademoiselle bohyn and anatole met in the conservatory princess mary went to the door of the study with special trepidation it seemed to her that not only did everybody know that her fate would be decided that day but that they also knew what she thought about it she read this in ticken's face and in that of prince vasily's valet who made her a low bow when she met him in the corridor carrying hot water the old prince was very affectionate and careful in his treatment of his daughter that morning princess mary well knew this painstaking expression of her father's his face wore that expression when his dry hands clenched with vexation at her not understanding as some in arithmetic when rising from his chair he would walk away from her repeating in a low voice the same words several times over he came to the point at once treating her ceremoniously i have had a proposition made me concerning you he said with an unnatural smile i expect you have guessed that prince vasily has not come and brought his pupil with him for some reason prince balkonsky referred to anatole as a pupil for the sake of my beautiful eyes last night a proposition was made me on your account and as you know my principles i refer it to you how am i to understand you montpell said the princess growing pale and then blushing how understand me cried her father angrily prince vasily finds you to his taste as a daughter-in-law and makes a proposal to you on his pupil's behalf that's how it's to be understood how understand it and i ask you i do not know what you think father whispered the princess i i what of me leave me out of the question i'm not going to get married what about you that's what i want to know the princess saw that her father regarded the matter with disapproval but at that moment the thought occurred to her that her fate would be decided now or never she lowered her eyes so as not to see the gaze under which she felt that she could not think but would only be able to submit from habit and she said i wish only to do your will but if i had to express my own desire she had no time to finish the old prince interrupted her that's admirable he shouted he will take you with your dowry and take madam was a balkin into the bargain she'll be the wife while you the prince stopped he saw the effect these words had produced on his daughter she lowered her head and was ready to burst into tears now then now then i'm only joking he said remember this princess i hold to the principle that a maiden has a full right to choose i give you freedom only remember that your life's happiness depends on your decision never mind me but i do not know father there's no need to talk he receives his orders and will marry you or anybody but you are free to choose go to your room think it over and come back in an hour and tell me in his presence yes or no i know you will pray over it well pray if you like but you had better think it over go yes or no yes or no yes or no he still shouted when the princess as if lost in a fog had already staggered out of the study her fate was decided and happily decided but what her father had said about madam was a balkin was dreadful it was untrue to be sure but still it was terrible and she could not help thinking of it she was going straight on through the conservatory neither seeing nor hearing anything when suddenly the well-known whispering of madam was a balkin aroused her she raised her eyes and two steps away saw anatole embracing the french woman and whispering something to her with a horrified expression on his handsome face anatole looked at princess mary but did not at once take his arm from the waist of madam was a balkin who had not yet seen her who's that white wait a minute anatole's face seemed to say princess mary looked at them in silence she could not understand it at last madam was a balkin gave a screen and ran away anatole bowed to princess mary with a gay smile as if inviting her to join in a laugh at this strange incident and then shrugging his shoulders went to the door that led to his own apartments an hour later tikkun came to call princess mary to the old prince he added that prince vasily was also there when tikkun came to her princess mary was sitting on the sofa in her room holding the weeping madam was a balkin in her arms and gently stroking her hair the princess's beautiful eyes was all their former calm radiance were looking with tender affection and pity at madam was a balkins pretty face no princess i have lost your affection forever said madam was a balkin why i love you more than ever said princess mary and i will try to do all i can for your happiness but you despise me you who are so pure can never understand being so carried away by passion oh only my poor mother i quite understand answered princess mary with a sad smile calm yourself my dear i will go to my father she said and went out prince vasily with one leg thrown high over the other and a snuff box in his hand was sitting there with a smile of deep emotion on his face as if stirred to his heart's core and himself regretting and laughing at his own sensibility when princess mary entered he hurriedly took a pinch of snuff oh my dear my dear he began rising and taking her by both hands then sighing he added my son's fate is in your hands decide my dear good gentlemanly whom i have always loved as a daughter he drew back and a real tear appeared in his eye snorted prince balkansky the prince is making a proposition to you and his pupils i mean his son's name do you wish or not to be prince anatole kuragin's wife reply yes or no he shouted and then i shall reserve the right to state my opinion also yes my opinion and only my opinion added prince balkansky turning to prince vasily and answering his imploring look yes or no my desire is never to leave you father never to separate my life from yours i don't wish to marry she answered positively glancing at prince vasily and at her father with her beautiful eyes humbug nonsense humbug humbug humbug cried prince balkansky frowning and taking his daughter's hand he did not kiss her but only bending his forehead to hers just touched it and pressed her hand so that she winced and uttered a cry prince vasily rose my dear i i must tell you that this is a moment i shall never never forget but my dear will you not give us a little hope of touching this heart so kind and generous say perhaps the future is so long say perhaps prince what i have said is all there is in my heart i thank you for the honor but i shall never be your son's wife well so that's finished my dear fellow i am very glad to have seen you very glad go back to your room princess go said the old prince very very glad to have seen you repeated he embracing prince vasily my vocation is a different one thought princess mary my vocation is to be happy with another kind of happiness the happiness of love and self-sacrifice and cost what it may i will arrange poor amelie's happiness she loves him so passionately and so passionately repents i will do all i can to arrange the match between them if he is not rich i will give her the means i will ask my father and andrew i shall be so happy when she is his wife she is so unfortunate a stranger alone helpless and oh god how passionately she must love him if she could so far forget herself perhaps i might have done the same thought princess mary end of chapter five this recording is in the public domain