The old Prince Bolkónski moves to Moscow, where he subjects Mary to increasing emotional abuse.
Summary:
At the beginning of winter Prince Nicholas Bolkónski and his daughter moved to Moscow. Despite his age and increasing senility, the old Prince is widely respected for his public role as the head of the Moscow opposition. But in their Moscow home, Princess Mary was becoming more and more miserable. She a pleasant social life was impossible for her. Her father was rude and dictatorial to her. He exploded at any mention of Andrew’s planned marriage. In Moscow, Mary had no friends, no hope of ever marrying, and was separated from the solace of her beloved Godfolk. She could not even write to her former correspondent Julie. She found herself unable to tutor her nephew without becoming irritable. And, worst of all, the old Prince was increasingly affectionate to Mademoiselle Bourienne, ostentatiously raising her social status in the household above his daughter’s position and seeming to do so out of spite for Mary. All of this bad treatment caused Mary to feel both anger and then guilt for feeling angry at her aged father.
quote from the chapter:
Next day the prince did not say a word to his daughter, but she noticed that at dinner he gave orders that Mademoiselle Bourienne should be served first. After dinner, when the footman handed coffee and from habit began with the princess, the prince suddenly grew furious, threw his stick at Philip, and instantly gave instructions to have him conscripted for the army.
He doesn’t obey… I said it twice… and he doesn’t obey! She is the first person in this house; she’s my best friend, cried the prince. And if you allow yourself, he screamed in a fury, addressing Princess Mary for the first time, to forget yourself again before her as you dared to do yesterday, I will show you who is master in this house. Go! Don’t let me set eyes on you; beg her pardon!
Book 8, Chapter 2
The old Prince Bolkónski moves to Moscow, where he subjects Mary to increasing emotional abuse.
Summary:
At the beginning of winter Prince Nicholas Bolkónski and his daughter moved to Moscow. Despite his age and increasing senility, the old Prince is widely respected for his public role as the head of the Moscow opposition. But in their Moscow home, Princess Mary was becoming more and more miserable. She a pleasant social life was impossible for her. Her father was rude and dictatorial to her. He exploded at any mention of Andrew’s planned marriage. In Moscow, Mary had no friends, no hope of ever marrying, and was separated from the solace of her beloved Godfolk. She could not even write to her former correspondent Julie. She found herself unable to tutor her nephew without becoming irritable. And, worst of all, the old Prince was increasingly affectionate to Mademoiselle Bourienne, ostentatiously raising her social status in the household above his daughter’s position and seeming to do so out of spite for Mary. All of this bad treatment caused Mary to feel both anger and then guilt for feeling angry at her aged father.
quote from the chapter:
Next day the prince did not say a word to his daughter, but she noticed that at dinner he gave orders that Mademoiselle Bourienne should be served first. After dinner, when the footman handed coffee and from habit began with the princess, the prince suddenly grew furious, threw his stick at Philip, and instantly gave instructions to have him conscripted for the army.
He doesn’t obey… I said it twice… and he doesn’t obey! She is the first person in this house; she’s my best friend, cried the prince. And if you allow yourself, he screamed in a fury, addressing Princess Mary for the first time, to forget yourself again before her as you dared to do yesterday, I will show you who is master in this house. Go! Don’t let me set eyes on you; beg her pardon!
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