With two sympathetic listeners in Pierre and Princess Mary, Natásha for the first time is able to tell the painful story of her last weeks with Prince Andrew.
With two sympathetic listeners in Pierre and Princess Mary, Natásha for the first time is able to tell the painful story of her last weeks with Prince Andrew.
Book 15, Chapter 16
With two sympathetic listeners in Pierre and Princess Mary, Natásha for the first time is able to tell the painful story of her last weeks with Prince Andrew.
Summary:
Pierre, Princess Mary, and Natásha sit in Mary’s rooms talking about their recent losses. Mary says that nearly every family has experienced some tragedy lately, and that it would be very difficult to deal with it without faith. Pierre agrees. Natásha seems uncertain about the role of faith. Pierre, now very concerned with what Natásha thinks of him, tells her only one who believes that there is a God ruling us can bear a loss such as hers and… yours. Pierre hurriedly turned away from her and again addressed Princess Mary, asking about his friend’s last days. Princess Mary began telling of the condition in which she had found Prince Andrew. Continuing the conversation about Prince Andrew, Natásha describes the ordeal of her last few weeks with him, from the time she realized he was traveling with them up until his death. Yes, yes, and so…? Pierre kept saying as he leaned toward her with his whole body and eagerly listened to her story. Yes, yes… so he grew tranquil and softened? With all his soul he had always sought one thing-to be perfectly good-so he could not be afraid of death. The faults he had-if he had any-were not of his making. Then, when she has finished her story, and appearing somewhat agitated, Natásha leaves the room quickly. Pierre says he should be going too, but Princess Mary asks him to stay and have supper with them. Mary tells Pierre this is the first time Natásha has spoken of her last weeks with Andrew.
quote from the chapter:
And not letting them interrupt her she went on to tell what she had never yet mentioned to anyone-all she had lived through during those three weeks of their journey and life at Yaroslávl.
Pierre listened to her with lips parted and eyes fixed upon her full of tears. As he listened he did not think of Prince Andrew, nor of death, nor of what she was telling. He listened to her and felt only pity for her, for what she was suffering now while she was speaking.
Princess Mary, frowning in her effort to hold back her tears, sat beside Natásha, and heard for the first time the story of those last days of her brother’s and Natásha’s love.
Evidently Natásha needed to tell that painful yet joyful tale.
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