War and Peace Leo Tolstoy (best e books to read .TXT) 📖

for some seconds. Then his lips and tongue moved, sounds came, and he began to speak, gazing timidly and imploringly at her, evidently afraid that she might not understand.

Straining all her faculties Princess Márya looked at him. The comic efforts with which he moved his tongue made her drop her eyes and with difficulty repress the sobs that rose to her throat. He said something, repeating the same words several times. She could not understand them, but tried to guess what he was saying and inquiringly repeated the words he uttered.

“Mmm⁠ ⁠… ar⁠ ⁠… ate⁠ ⁠… ate⁠ ⁠…” he repeated several times.

It was quite impossible to understand these sounds. The doctor thought he had guessed them, and inquiringly repeated: “Márya, are you afraid?” The prince shook his head, again repeated the same sounds.

“My mind, my mind aches?” questioned Princess Márya.

He made a mumbling sound in confirmation of this, took her hand, and began pressing it to different parts of his breast as if trying to find the right place for it.

“Always thoughts⁠ ⁠… about you⁠ ⁠… thoughts⁠ ⁠…” he then uttered much more clearly than he had done before, now that he was sure of being understood.

Princess Márya pressed her head against his hand, trying to hide her sobs and tears.

He moved his hand over her hair.

“I have been calling you all night⁠ ⁠…” he brought out.

“If only I had known⁠ ⁠…” she said through her tears. “I was afraid to come in.”

He pressed her hand.

“Weren’t you asleep?”

“No, I did not sleep,” said Princess Márya, shaking her head.

Unconsciously imitating her father, she now tried to express herself as he did, as much as possible by signs, and her tongue too seemed to move with difficulty.

“Dear one⁠ ⁠… Dearest⁠ ⁠…” Princess Márya could not quite make out what he had said, but from his look it was clear that he had uttered a tender caressing word such as he had never used to her before. “Why didn’t you come in?”

“And I was wishing for his death!” thought Princess Márya.

He was silent awhile.

“Thank you⁠ ⁠… daughter dear!⁠ ⁠… for all, for all⁠ ⁠… forgive!⁠ ⁠… thank you!⁠ ⁠… forgive!⁠ ⁠… thank you!⁠ ⁠…” and tears began to flow from his eyes. “Call Andrúsha!” he said suddenly, and a childish, timid expression of doubt showed itself on his face as he spoke.

He himself seemed aware that his demand was meaningless. So at least it seemed to Princess Márya.

“I have a letter from him,” she replied.

He glanced at her with timid surprise.

“Where is he?”

“He’s with the army, Father, at Smolénsk.”

He closed his eyes and remained silent a long time. Then as if in answer to his doubts and to confirm the fact that now he understood and remembered everything, he nodded his head and reopened his eyes.

“Yes,” he said, softly and distinctly. “Russia has perished. They’ve destroyed her.”

And he began to sob, and again tears flowed from his eyes. Princess Márya could no longer restrain herself and wept while she gazed at his face.

Again he closed his eyes. His sobs ceased, he pointed to his eyes, and Tíkhon, understanding him, wiped away the tears.

Then he again opened his eyes and said something none of them could understand for a long time, till at last Tíkhon understood and repeated it. Princess Márya had sought the meaning of his words in the mood in which he had just been speaking. She thought he was speaking of Russia, or Prince Andréy, of herself, of his grandson, or of his own death, and so she could not guess his words.

“Put on your white dress. I like it,” was what he said.

Having understood this Princess Márya sobbed still louder, and the doctor taking her arm led her out to the veranda, soothing her and trying to persuade her to prepare for her journey. When she had left the room the prince again began speaking about his son, about the war, and about the Emperor, angrily twitching his brows and raising his hoarse voice, and then he had a second and final stroke.

Princess Márya stayed on the veranda. The day had cleared, it was hot and sunny. She could understand nothing, think of nothing and feel nothing, except passionate love for her father, love such as she thought she had never felt till that moment. She ran out sobbing into the garden and as far as the pond, along the avenues of young lime trees Prince Andréy had planted.

“Yes⁠ ⁠… I⁠ ⁠… I⁠ ⁠… I wished for his death! Yes, I wanted it to end quicker.⁠ ⁠… I wished to be at peace.⁠ ⁠… And what will become of me? What use will peace be when he is no longer here?” Princess Márya murmured, pacing the garden with hurried steps and pressing her hands to her bosom which heaved with convulsive sobs.

When she had completed the tour of the garden, which brought her again to the house, she saw Mademoiselle Bourienne⁠—who had remained at Boguchárovo and did not wish to leave it⁠—coming toward her with a stranger. This was the Marshal of the Nobility of the district, who had come personally to point out to the princess the necessity for her prompt departure. Princess Márya listened without understanding him; she led him to the house, offered him lunch, and sat down with him. Then, excusing herself, she went to the door of the old prince’s room. The doctor came out with an agitated face and said she could not enter.

“Go away, Princess! Go away⁠ ⁠… go away!”

She returned to the garden and sat down on the grass at the foot of the slope by the pond, where no one could see her. She did not know how long she had been there when she was aroused by the sound of a woman’s footsteps running along the path. She rose and saw Dunyásha her maid, who was evidently looking for her, and who stopped suddenly as if in alarm on seeing her mistress.

“Please come, Princess⁠ ⁠… The Prince,” said Dunyásha in a breaking voice.

“Immediately, I’m coming, I’m coming!” replied the princess hurriedly, not giving Dunyásha time to finish what she was saying, and trying to avoid