The old Prince becomes even more difficult to live with, and he seems in denial about the approach of Napoleon’s army.
Summary:
The day after Prince Andrew left, the old Prince cruelly blamed and taunted Princess Mary, claiming the problem with Andrew was all her fault. He broke off his relations with Mademoiselle Bourienne, again blaming Mary. After being ill for a week, he kept to himself and focused on his building projects on the estate. Meanwhile, Princess Mary continued to follow her normal household routine. Little news about the war reached Princess Mary, and consequently she did not understand what was happening. Andrew wrote a conciliatory letter to his father, and also urged him to go to Moscow since Bald Hills was close to the fighting. The old Prince did not take Andrew’s advice to move, and in fact seemed confused if not disoriented concerning the current state of the war and Prince Andrew’s warnings that he should go to Moscow for safety.
quote from the chapter:
Well? Are you satisfied now? said he. You’ve made me quarrel with my son! Satisfied, are you? That’s all you wanted! Satisfied?… It hurts me, it hurts. I’m old and weak and this is what you wanted. Well then, gloat over it! Gloat over it!
After that Princess Mary did not see her father for a whole week. He was ill and did not leave his study.
Princess Mary noticed to her surprise that during this illness the old prince not only excluded her from his room, but did not admit Mademoiselle Bourienne either. Tíkhon alone attended him.
At the end of the week the prince reappeared and resumed his former way of life, devoting himself with special activity to building operations and the arrangement of the gardens and completely breaking off his relations with Mademoiselle Bourienne.
Book 10, Chapter 2
The old Prince becomes even more difficult to live with, and he seems in denial about the approach of Napoleon’s army.
Summary:
The day after Prince Andrew left, the old Prince cruelly blamed and taunted Princess Mary, claiming the problem with Andrew was all her fault. He broke off his relations with Mademoiselle Bourienne, again blaming Mary. After being ill for a week, he kept to himself and focused on his building projects on the estate. Meanwhile, Princess Mary continued to follow her normal household routine. Little news about the war reached Princess Mary, and consequently she did not understand what was happening. Andrew wrote a conciliatory letter to his father, and also urged him to go to Moscow since Bald Hills was close to the fighting. The old Prince did not take Andrew’s advice to move, and in fact seemed confused if not disoriented concerning the current state of the war and Prince Andrew’s warnings that he should go to Moscow for safety.
quote from the chapter:
Well? Are you satisfied now? said he. You’ve made me quarrel with my son! Satisfied, are you? That’s all you wanted! Satisfied?… It hurts me, it hurts. I’m old and weak and this is what you wanted. Well then, gloat over it! Gloat over it!
After that Princess Mary did not see her father for a whole week. He was ill and did not leave his study.
Princess Mary noticed to her surprise that during this illness the old prince not only excluded her from his room, but did not admit Mademoiselle Bourienne either. Tíkhon alone attended him.
At the end of the week the prince reappeared and resumed his former way of life, devoting himself with special activity to building operations and the arrangement of the gardens and completely breaking off his relations with Mademoiselle Bourienne.
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