An angry Nicholas intimidates the peasants into compliance. Nicholas and Mary are attracted to one another, but do not express it.
An angry Nicholas intimidates the peasants into compliance. Nicholas and Mary are attracted to one another, but do not express it.
Book 10, Chapter 14
An angry Nicholas intimidates the peasants into compliance. Nicholas and Mary are attracted to one another, but do not express it.
Summary:
Upon leaving Princess Mary, without considering what he would do Nicholas moved unconsciously with quick, resolute steps toward the crowd. Alpátych advises him to send for the military, but Nicholas ignores him. Nicholas is livid. Reaching the peasants, Nicholas strikes their leader Karp for not removing his hat. He then orders both Karp and Dorn tied up, and the other peasants to disperse. The peasants, having second thoughts about the wisdom of their actions, obey Nicholas. Two hours later the now subdued peasants are compliantly loading the carts. Nicholas escorts Mary away. The two are attracted to one another. But, due to the strange circumstances of their meeting, neither is expressively outgoing to the other. Nicholas, though, knows his mother would much prefer he marry this heiress rather than Sónya. Afterwards, Mary believes she is in love.
quote from the chapter:
The impression the princess made on Rostóv was a very agreeable one. To remember her gave him pleasure, and when his comrades, hearing of his adventure at Boguchárovo, rallied him on having gone to look for hay and having picked up one of the wealthiest heiresses in Russia, he grew angry. It made him angry just because the idea of marrying the gentle Princess Mary, who was attractive to him and had an enormous fortune, had against his will more than once entered his head. For himself personally Nicholas could not wish for a better wife: by marrying her he would make the countess his mother happy, would be able to put his father’s affairs in order, and would even-he felt it-ensure Princess Mary’s happiness. But Sónya? And his plighted word? That was why Rostóv grew angry when he was rallied about Princess Bolkónskaya.
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