Princess Mary’s life at Bald Hills is very unpleasant after Lise’s death.
Summary:
During the year after his son’s departure, Prince Nicholas Bolkónski’s health and temper became much worse. He grew still more irritable to Princess Mary and others in the household. Mary’s greatest joy came from caring for her nephew, little Nicholas, and she relies on her faith for the strength to bear her troubles. In a letter, Mary tells a friend how her religion helped her deal with Lise’s death. They won’t be traveling to Moscow next Winter, she says, because the old Prince can’t stand that Napoleon is negotiating on equal terms with all the sovereigns of Europe and particularly with the Emperor, so they won’t travel to Moscow. Princess Mary doesn’t believe the rumors of an engagement of Andrew and Natásha, and in fact thinks Natásha would not be a good choice as a wife for Andrew.
quote from the chapter:
(The old Prince) continually hurt Princess Mary’s feelings and tormented her, but it cost her no effort to forgive him. Could he be to blame toward her, or could her father, whom she knew loved her in spite of it all, be unjust? And what is justice? The princess never thought of that proud word justice. All the complex laws of man centered for her in one clear and simple law-the law of love and self-sacrifice taught us by Him who lovingly suffered for mankind though He Himself was God. What had she to do with the justice or injustice of other people? She had to endure and love, and that she did.
During the winter Prince Andrew had come to Bald Hills and had been gay, gentle, and more affectionate than Princess Mary had known him for a long time past. She felt that something had happened to him, but he said nothing to her about his love.
Book 6, Chapter 25
Princess Mary’s life at Bald Hills is very unpleasant after Lise’s death.
Summary:
During the year after his son’s departure, Prince Nicholas Bolkónski’s health and temper became much worse. He grew still more irritable to Princess Mary and others in the household. Mary’s greatest joy came from caring for her nephew, little Nicholas, and she relies on her faith for the strength to bear her troubles. In a letter, Mary tells a friend how her religion helped her deal with Lise’s death. They won’t be traveling to Moscow next Winter, she says, because the old Prince can’t stand that Napoleon is negotiating on equal terms with all the sovereigns of Europe and particularly with the Emperor, so they won’t travel to Moscow. Princess Mary doesn’t believe the rumors of an engagement of Andrew and Natásha, and in fact thinks Natásha would not be a good choice as a wife for Andrew.
quote from the chapter:
(The old Prince) continually hurt Princess Mary’s feelings and tormented her, but it cost her no effort to forgive him. Could he be to blame toward her, or could her father, whom she knew loved her in spite of it all, be unjust? And what is justice? The princess never thought of that proud word justice. All the complex laws of man centered for her in one clear and simple law-the law of love and self-sacrifice taught us by Him who lovingly suffered for mankind though He Himself was God. What had she to do with the justice or injustice of other people? She had to endure and love, and that she did.
During the winter Prince Andrew had come to Bald Hills and had been gay, gentle, and more affectionate than Princess Mary had known him for a long time past. She felt that something had happened to him, but he said nothing to her about his love.
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