At their first meeting in the drawing room, Anatole thinks Mary ugly. He likes the looks of Mademoiselle Bourienne.
Summary:
The drawing room conversation began lively and chatty, thanks largely to Princess Lise. Everyone pretended to be old friends. Princess Mary was somewhat in awe of Anatole’s beauty. Anatole was quiet, but he projected a lot of self-confidence. Anatole found Mary ugly. Anatole and Mademoiselle Bourienne were discreetly attracted to one another. When the Old Prince entered, he at once made a very painful remark about Mary’s new hair style, which brought tears to her eyes. Prince Vasíli and Lise defended Mary’s hair style. In fact, the old Prince was worried Mary would leave him. Privately Vasíli tells the old Prince Anatole is no genius but would make a good husband for Mary. The Old Prince says Mary can wed if she wishes. Later, Mary is asked to play the clavichord. She thinks of wedding Anatole, and fails to notice the attraction between he and Bourienne.
quote from the chapter:
Not at all bad! (Anatole) thought, examining her, not at all bad, that little companion! I hope (Mary) will bring her along with her when we’re married. The little one is charming. 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 Vasíli and that son of his to me? Prince Vasíli 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.
Book 3, Chapter 4
At their first meeting in the drawing room, Anatole thinks Mary ugly. He likes the looks of Mademoiselle Bourienne.
Summary:
The drawing room conversation began lively and chatty, thanks largely to Princess Lise. Everyone pretended to be old friends. Princess Mary was somewhat in awe of Anatole’s beauty. Anatole was quiet, but he projected a lot of self-confidence. Anatole found Mary ugly. Anatole and Mademoiselle Bourienne were discreetly attracted to one another. When the Old Prince entered, he at once made a very painful remark about Mary’s new hair style, which brought tears to her eyes. Prince Vasíli and Lise defended Mary’s hair style. In fact, the old Prince was worried Mary would leave him. Privately Vasíli tells the old Prince Anatole is no genius but would make a good husband for Mary. The Old Prince says Mary can wed if she wishes. Later, Mary is asked to play the clavichord. She thinks of wedding Anatole, and fails to notice the attraction between he and Bourienne.
quote from the chapter:
Not at all bad! (Anatole) thought, examining her, not at all bad, that little companion! I hope (Mary) will bring her along with her when we’re married. The little one is charming. 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 Vasíli and that son of his to me? Prince Vasíli 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.
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