,BOOK #g1 ,*APT] #ac 

#ahfiahfi 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TEXT 3 

,SOON AFT] ! ,*RI/MAS HOLIDAYS ,NI*OLAS TOLD HIS MO!R ( HIS LOVE = 
 ,SONYA & ( HIS FIRM RESOLVE TO M>RY H]4 ,! C\NTESS1 :O HAD LONG 
 NOTIC$ :AT WAS GO+ ON BETWE5 !M & WAS EXPECT+ ?IS DECL>ATION1 
 LI/5$ TO HIM 9 SIL5CE & !N TOLD H] SON ?AT HE MI<T M>RY :OM 
 HE PLEAS$1 BUT ?AT NEI!R %E NOR HIS FA!R W\LD GIVE !IR BLESS+ 
 TO SU* A M>RIAGE4 ,NI*OLAS1 = ! FIR/ TIME1 FELT ?AT HIS MO!R WAS 
 DISPLEAS$ ) HIM & ?AT1 DESPITE H] LOVE = HIM1 %E W\LD NOT GIVE 
 WAY4 ,COLDLY1 )\T LOOK+ AT H] SON1 %E S5T = H] HUSB& &1 
 :5 HE CAME1 TRI$ BRIEFLY & COLDLY TO 9=M HIM ( ! FACTS1 9 H] 
 SON'S PRES5CE1 BUT UNABLE TO RE/RA9 H]SELF %E BUR/ 9TO TE>S ( 
 VEXATION & LEFT ! ROOM4 ,! OLD C\NT BEGAN IRRESOLUTELY TO ADMONI% 
 ,NI*OLAS & BEG HIM TO AB&ON HIS PURPOSE4 ,NI*OLAS REPLI$ ?AT HE 
 C\LD NOT GO BACK ON HIS WORD1 & HIS FA!R1 SI<+ & EVID5TLY 
 DISCONC]T$1 V]Y SOON BECAME SIL5T & W5T 9 TO ! C\NTESS4 ,9 ALL 
 HIS 5C\NT]S ) HIS SON1 ! C\NT WAS ALWAYS CONSCI\S ( HIS [N 
 GUILT T[>D HIM = HAV+ WA/$ ! FAMILY =TUNE1 & SO HE C\LD NOT 
 BE ANGRY ) HIM = REFUS+ TO M>RY AN HEIRESS & *OOS+ ! 
 D[]LESS ,SONYA4 ,ON ?IS OCCASION1 HE WAS ONLY MORE VIVIDLY CONSCI\S ( 
 ! FACT ?AT IF HIS AFFAIRS HAD NOT BE5 9 DISORD]1 NO BETT] WIFE = 
 ,NI*OLAS ?AN ,SONYA C\LD HAVE BE5 WI%$ =1 & ?AT NO ONE BUT 
 HIMSELF ) HIS ,MIT5KA & HIS UNCOM=TABLE HABITS WAS TO BLAME = ! 
 CONDITION ( ! FAMILY F9ANCES4 

,! FA!R & MO!R DID NOT SPEAK ( ! MATT] TO !IR SON AGA91 BUT 
 A FEW DAYS LAT] ! C\NTESS S5T = ,SONYA &1 ) A CRUELTY NEI!R 
 ( !M EXPECT$1 REPROA*$ H] NIECE = TRY+ TO CAT* ,NI*OLAS & 
 = +RATITUDE4 ,SONYA LI/5$ SIL5TLY ) D[NCA/ EYES TO ! 
 C\NTESS' CRUEL WORDS1 )\T UND]/&+ :AT WAS REQUIR$ ( H]4 ,%E 
 WAS READY TO SACRIFICE EV]Y?+ = H] B5EFACTORS4 ,SELF-SACRIFICE WAS 
 H] MO/ *]I%$ IDEA BUT 9 ?IS CASE %E C\LD NOT SEE :AT %E \<T 
 TO SACRIFICE1 OR = :OM4 ,%E C\LD NOT HELP LOV+ ! C\NTESS & ! 
 :OLE ,RO/OV FAMILY1 BUT NEI!R C\LD %E HELP LOV+ ,NI*OLAS & 
 KN[+ ?AT HIS HAPP9ESS DEP5D$ ON ?AT LOVE4 ,%E WAS SIL5T & SAD 
 & DID NOT REPLY4 ,NI*OLAS FELT ! SITUATION TO BE 9TOL]ABLE & W5T 
 TO HAVE AN EXPLANATION ) HIS MO!R4 ,HE FIR/ IMPLOR$ H] TO =GIVE 
 HIM & ,SONYA & CONS5T TO !IR M>RIAGE1 !N HE ?REAT5$ ?AT IF 
 %E MOLE/$ ,SONYA HE W\LD AT ONCE M>RY H] SECRETLY4 

,! C\NTESS1 ) A COLDNESS H] SON HAD NEV] SE5 9 H] BE=E1 
 REPLI$ ?AT HE WAS ( AGE1 ?AT ,PR9CE ,&REW WAS M>RY+ )\T HIS 
 FA!R'S CONS5T1 & HE C\LD DO ! SAME1 BUT ?AT %E W\LD NEV] 
 RECEIVE ?AT 9TRIGU] AS H] DAU<T]4 

,EXPLOD+ AT ! WORD 9TRIGU]1 ,NI*OLAS1 RAIS+ HIS VOICE1 TOLD HIS 
 MO!R HE HAD NEV] EXPECT$ H] TO TRY TO =CE HIM TO SELL HIS FEEL+S1 
 BUT IF ?AT W]E SO1 HE W\LD SAY = ! LA/ TIME4444 ,BUT HE HAD NO TIME 
 TO UTT] ! DECISIVE WORD :I* ! EXPRESSION ( HIS FACE CAUS$ HIS 
 MO!R TO AWAIT ) T]ROR1 & :I* W\LD P]HAPS HAVE =EV] REMA9$ 
 A CRUEL MEMORY TO !M BO?4 ,HE HAD NOT TIME TO SAY IT1 = ,NATA%A1 ) 
 A PALE & SET FACE1 5T]$ ! ROOM FROM ! DOOR AT :I* %E HAD BE5 
 LI/5+4 

0,NI*OLAS1 Y\ >E TALK+ NONS5SE6 ,BE QUIET1 BE QUIET1 BE QUIET1 ,I TELL 
 Y\64440 %E ALMO/ SCREAM$1 SO AS TO DR[N HIS VOICE4 

0,MAMA D>L+1 IT'S NOT AT ALL SO444 MY POOR1 SWEET D>L+10 %E SAID TO 
 H] MO!R1 :O CONSCI\S ?AT !Y HAD BE5 ON ! BR9K ( A RUPTURE 
 GAZ$ AT H] SON ) T]ROR1 BUT 9 ! OB/9ACY & EXCITEM5T ( ! 
 CONFLICT C\LD NOT & W\LD NOT GIVE WAY4 

0,NI*OLAS1 ,I'LL EXPLA9 TO Y\4 ,GO AWAY6 ,LI/51 ,MAMA D>L+10 SAID 
 ,NATA%A4 

,H] WORDS W]E 9COH]5T1 BUT !Y ATTA9$ ! PURPOSE AT :I* %E WAS 
 AIM+4 

,! C\NTESS1 SOBB+ HEAVILY1 HID H] FACE ON H] DAU<T]'S BREA/1 
 :ILE ,NI*OLAS ROSE1 CLUT*+ HIS HEAD1 & LEFT ! ROOM4 

,NATA%A SET TO WORK TO EFFECT A RECONCILIATION1 & SO F> SUCCE$$ ?AT 
 ,NI*OLAS RECEIV$ A PROMISE FROM HIS MO!R ?AT ,SONYA %\LD NOT BE 
 TR\BL$1 :ILE HE ON HIS SIDE PROMIS$ NOT TO UND]TAKE ANY?+ )\T 
 HIS P>5TS' KN[L$GE4 

,FIRMLY RESOLV$1 AFT] PUTT+ HIS AFFAIRS 9 ORD] 9 ! REGIM5T1 TO 
 RETIRE FROM ! >MY & RETURN & M>RY ,SONYA1 ,NI*OLAS1 S]I\S1 
 SORR[FUL1 & AT V>IANCE ) HIS P>5TS1 BUT1 AS IT SEEM$ TO HIM1 
 PASSIONATELY 9 LOVE1 LEFT AT ! BEG9N+ ( ,JANU>Y TO REJO9 HIS 
 REGIM5T4 

,AFT] ,NI*OLAS HAD GONE ?+S 9 ! ,RO/OV H\SEHOLD W]E MORE 
 DEPRESS+ ?AN EV]1 & ! C\NTESS FELL ILL FROM M5TAL AGITATION4 

,SONYA WAS UNHAPPY AT ! SEP>ATION FROM ,NI*OLAS & /ILL MORE SO ON 
 ACC\NT ( ! HO/ILE TONE ! C\NTESS C\LD NOT HELP ADOPT+ T[>D 
 H]4 ,! C\NT WAS MORE P]TURB$ ?AN EV] BY ! CONDITION ( HIS 
 AFFAIRS1 :I* CALL$ = SOME DECISIVE ACTION4 ,!IR T[N H\SE & 
 E/ATE NE> ,MOSC[ HAD 9EVITABLY TO BE SOLD1 & = ?IS !Y HAD TO GO 
 TO ,MOSC[4 ,BUT ! C\NTESS' HEAL? OBLIG$ !M TO DELAY !IR DEP>TURE 
 FROM DAY TO DAY4 

,NATA%A1 :O HAD BORNE ! FIR/ P]IOD ( SEP>ATION FROM H] BETRO!D 
 LI<TLY & EV5 *E]FULLY1 N[ GREW MORE AGITAT$ & IMPATI5T EV]Y 
 DAY4 ,! ?\<T ?AT H] BE/ DAYS1 :I* %E W\LD HAVE EMPLOY$ 9 
 LOV+ HIM1 W]E BE+ VA9LY WA/$1 ) NO ADVANTAGE TO ANYONE1 
 TORM5T$ H] 9CESSANTLY4 ,HIS LETT]S = ! MO/ P>T IRRITAT$ H]4 ,IT 
 HURT H] TO ?9K ?AT :ILE %E LIV$ ONLY 9 ! ?\<T ( HIM1 HE WAS 
 LIV+ A REAL LIFE1 SEE+ NEW PLACES & NEW PEOPLE ?AT 9T]E/$ HIM4 
 ,! MORE 9T]E/+ HIS LETT]S W]E ! MORE VEX$ %E FELT4 ,H] LETT]S 
 TO HIM1 F> FROM GIV+ H] ANY COM=T1 SEEM$ TO H] A WE>ISOME & 
 >TIFICIAL OBLIGATION4 ,%E C\LD NOT WRITE1 BECAUSE %E C\LD NOT CONCEIVE 
 ! POSSIBILITY ( EXPRESS+ S9C]ELY 9 A LETT] EV5 A ?\S&? P>T 
 ( :AT %E EXPRESS$ BY VOICE1 SMILE1 & GLANCE4 ,%E WROTE TO HIM 
 =MAL1 MONOTON\S1 & DRY LETT]S1 TO :I* %E ATTA*$ NO IMPORTANCE 
 H]SELF1 & 9 ! R\< COPIES ( :I* ! C\NTESS CORRECT$ H] 
 MI/AKES 9 SPELL+4 

,!RE WAS /ILL NO IMPROVEM5T 9 ! C\NTESS' HEAL?1 BUT IT WAS 
 IMPOSSIBLE TO DEF] ! J\RNEY TO ,MOSC[ ANY LONG]4 ,NATA%A'S TR\SSEAU 
 HAD TO BE ORD]$ & ! H\SE SOLD4 ,MOREOV]1 ,PR9CE ,&REW WAS EXPECT$ 
 9 ,MOSC[1 :]E OLD ,PR9CE ,BOLKONSKI WAS SP5D+ ! W9T]1 & ,NATA%A 
 FELT SURE HE HAD ALREADY >RIV$4 

,SO ! C\NTESS REMA9$ 9 ! C\NTRY1 & ! C\NT1 TAK+ ,SONYA & 
 ,NATA%A ) HIM1 W5T TO ,MOSC[ AT ! 5D ( ,JANU>Y4 

,FROM 3 ,GUT5B]G4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,NOVEMB] #c1 #ahfh 3 ,BOOK #g1 ,*APT] #ac -- ,PUBLICATION4 
,FEBRU>Y #a#a1 #bag 3 ,BOOK #g1 ,*APT] #ac -- ,ADD$4 

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