Pierre and Mary chat briefly, but Mary does not open up to Pierre about her problems with her father.
Summary:
After the dinner Pierre stays to chat with Princess Mary. Pierre does not notice that Mary is still upset from her father’s last angry outburst. He tells Mary that Borís seems interested in marrying either Mary or her friend Julie. They are both wealthy heiresses. When Pierre asks if Mary would marry Borís, Mary bursts out crying and says sometimes she would happily marry anybody who asked her. Mary is on the point of disclosing to Pierre how she suffers from living with an angry father whom she can never please, but Mary stops herself from telling Pierre about this, even though Pierre can see that something is wrong. To change the subject, Mary brings up the engagement between Andrew and Natásha. They discuss the engagement, and Mary acts as if her only problem is her father’s antipathy to Andrew’s planned marriage.
quote from the chapter:
Princess Mary, looking into Pierre’s kindly face and still thinking of her own sorrow. It would be a relief, thought she, if I ventured to confide what I am feeling to someone. I should like to tell everything to Pierre. He is kind and generous. It would be a relief. He would give me advice.
Would you marry him?
Oh, my God, Count, there are moments when I would marry anybody! she cried suddenly to her own surprise and with tears in her voice. Ah, how bitter it is to love someone near to you and to feel that… she went on in a trembling voice, that you can do nothing for him but grieve him, and to know that you cannot alter this. Then there is only one thing left-to go away, but where could I go?
What is wrong? What is it, Princess?
But without finishing what she was saying, Princess Mary burst into tears.
I don’t know what is the matter with me today. Don’t take any notice-forget what I have said!
Book 8, Chapter 4
Pierre and Mary chat briefly, but Mary does not open up to Pierre about her problems with her father.
Summary:
After the dinner Pierre stays to chat with Princess Mary. Pierre does not notice that Mary is still upset from her father’s last angry outburst. He tells Mary that Borís seems interested in marrying either Mary or her friend Julie. They are both wealthy heiresses. When Pierre asks if Mary would marry Borís, Mary bursts out crying and says sometimes she would happily marry anybody who asked her. Mary is on the point of disclosing to Pierre how she suffers from living with an angry father whom she can never please, but Mary stops herself from telling Pierre about this, even though Pierre can see that something is wrong. To change the subject, Mary brings up the engagement between Andrew and Natásha. They discuss the engagement, and Mary acts as if her only problem is her father’s antipathy to Andrew’s planned marriage.
quote from the chapter:
Princess Mary, looking into Pierre’s kindly face and still thinking of her own sorrow. It would be a relief, thought she, if I ventured to confide what I am feeling to someone. I should like to tell everything to Pierre. He is kind and generous. It would be a relief. He would give me advice.
Would you marry him?
Oh, my God, Count, there are moments when I would marry anybody! she cried suddenly to her own surprise and with tears in her voice. Ah, how bitter it is to love someone near to you and to feel that… she went on in a trembling voice, that you can do nothing for him but grieve him, and to know that you cannot alter this. Then there is only one thing left-to go away, but where could I go?
What is wrong? What is it, Princess?
But without finishing what she was saying, Princess Mary burst into tears.
I don’t know what is the matter with me today. Don’t take any notice-forget what I have said!
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