Mary’s influence helps Nicholas realize it’s wrong to beat the peasants. Socializing little with the local gentry, Nicholas hunts, and reads in Winters. Sonya settles into a helper role in the household. Occasionally, many people visit Bald Hills and stay in a restored dwelling.
First Epilogue Chapter 8
Mary’s influence helps Nicholas realize it’s wrong to beat the peasants. Socializing little with the local gentry, Nicholas hunts, and reads in Winters. Sonya settles into a helper role in the household, perhaps reflecting a personality defect. Natasha opines that (Sonya) is a sterile flower, you know. Occasionally, many people visit Bald Hills and stay in a restored dwelling.
Summary:
In this chapter, Tolstoy tells us more about ongoing life at Bald Hills. Noticing Mary’s reactions, Nicholas comes to realize it’s very wrong to use his fists on the peasants, which he does when he grows angry with them. He can tell this bothers Mary a lot, although she says nothing about it when it happens. Nicholas vows to stop striking the peasants. With Mary’s help, he manages to break himself of this cruel habit. Nicholas socializes little with the neighboring gentry. During the Winters Nicholas immerses himself in family life with the children, reads a great deal, and hunts. Sometimes he takes long hunting trips. Mary initially feels somewhat uncomfortable knowing Nicholas at one time planned to marry Sonya. Sonya has settled into a mere helper role at Bald Hills and seems satisfied with this life, not seeming to wish for more of a life of her own. However, they come to believe Sonya’s willingness to accept this reflects something like a flaw in Sonya’s personality, such as perhaps a lack of egotism. Finally, Tolstoy tells us that they have restored the old county seat at Bald Hills, a large house furnished rustically. At times, they receive a lot of visitors at Bald Hills, or smaller groups will come and stay for a long time.
quote from the chapter:
(Mary) thoroughly realized the wrong (NIcholas) had done Sónya, felt herself to blame toward her, and imagined that her wealth had influenced Nicholas’ choice. She could not find fault with Sónya in any way and tried to be fond of her, but often felt ill-will toward her which she could not overcome.
Once she had a talk with her friend Natásha about Sónya and about her own injustice toward her.
“You know,” said Natásha, “you have read the Gospels a great deal—there is a passage in them that just fits Sónya.”
“What?” asked Countess Mary, surprised.
“‘To him that hath shall be given, and from him that hath not shall be taken away.’ You remember? She is one that hath not; why, I don’t know. Perhaps she lacks egotism, I don’t know, but from her is taken away, and everything has been taken away. Sometimes I am dreadfully sorry for her. Formerly I very much wanted Nicholas to marry her, but I always had a sort of presentiment that it would not come off. She is a sterile flower, you know—like some strawberry blossoms. Sometimes I am sorry for her, and sometimes I think she doesn’t feel it as you or I would.”
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