,BOOK #h1 ,*APT] #bb 

#ahfiahfi 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TEXT 3 

,?AT SAME EV5+ ,PI]RE W5T TO ! ,RO/OVS' TO FULFILL ! COMMISSION 
 5TRU/$ TO HIM4 ,NATA%A WAS 9 B$1 ! C\NT AT ! CLUB1 & ,PI]RE1 
 AFT] GIV+ ! LETT]S TO ,SONYA1 W5T TO ,M>YA ,DMITRIEVNA :O WAS 
 9T]E/$ TO KN[ H[ ,PR9CE ,&REW HAD TAK5 ! NEWS4 ,T5 M9UTES LAT] 
 ,SONYA CAME TO ,M>YA ,DMITRIEVNA4 

0,NATA%A 9SI/S ON SEE+ ,C\NT ,PET] ,KIRILOVI*10 SAID %E4 

0,BUT H[8 ,>E WE TO TAKE HIM UP TO H]8 ,! ROOM !RE HAS NOT BE5 TIDI$ 
 UP40 

0,NO1 %E HAS DRESS$ & GONE 9TO ! DRAW+ ROOM10 SAID ,SONYA4 

,M>YA ,DMITRIEVNA ONLY %RUGG$ H] %\LD]S4 

0,:5 WILL H] MO!R COME8 ,%E HAS WORRI$ ME TO DEA?6 ,N[ M9D1 DON'T 
 TELL H] EV]Y?+60 SAID %E TO ,PI]RE4 0,ONE HASN'T ! HE>T TO SCOLD 
 H]1 %E IS SO MU* TO BE PITI$1 SO MU* TO BE PITI$40 

,NATA%A WAS /&+ 9 ! MIDDLE ( ! DRAW+ ROOM1 EMACIAT$1 ) A 
 PALE SET FACE1 BUT NOT AT ALL %AMEFAC$ AS ,PI]RE EXPECT$ TO F9D H]4 
 ,:5 HE APPE>$ AT ! DOOR %E GREW FLURRI$1 EVID5TLY UNDECID$ 
 :E!R TO GO TO MEET HIM OR TO WAIT TILL HE CAME UP4 

,PI]RE HA/5$ TO H]4 ,HE ?\<T %E W\LD GIVE HIM H] H& AS USUAL2 
 BUT %E1 /EPP+ UP TO HIM1 /OPP$1 BREA?+ HEAVILY1 H] >MS HANG+ 
 LIFELESSLY JU/ 9 ! POSE %E US$ TO /& 9 :5 %E W5T TO ! 
 MIDDLE ( ! BALLROOM TO S+1 BUT ) QUITE A DIFF]5T EXPRESSION ( 
 FACE4 

0,PET] ,KIRILOVI*10 %E BEGAN RAPIDLY1 0,PR9CE ,BOLKONSKI WAS Y\R FRI5D--IS 
 Y\R FRI5D10 %E CORRECT$ H]SELF4 7,IT SEEM$ TO H] ?AT EV]Y?+ 
 ?AT HAD ONCE BE5 MU/ N[ BE DIFF]5T47 0,HE TOLD ME ONCE TO APPLY TO 
 Y\4440 

,PI]RE SNIFF$ AS HE LOOK$ AT H]1 BUT DID NOT SPEAK4 ,TILL !N HE HAD 
 REPROA*$ H] 9 HIS HE>T & TRI$ TO DESPISE H]1 BUT HE N[ FELT SO 
 SORRY = H] ?AT !RE WAS NO ROOM 9 HIS S\L = REPROA*4 

0,HE IS H]E N[3 TELL HIM444 TO =444 =GIVE ME60 ,%E /OPP$ & 
 BREA!D /ILL MORE QUICKLY1 BUT DID NOT %$ TE>S4 

0,YES444 ,I WILL TELL HIM10 ANSW]$ ,PI]RE2 0BUT4440 

,HE DID NOT KN[ :AT TO SAY4 

,NATA%A WAS EVID5TLY DISMAY$ AT ! ?\<T ( :AT HE MI<T ?9K %E 
 HAD MEANT4 

0,NO1 ,I KN[ ALL IS OV]10 %E SAID HURRI$LY4 0,NO1 ?AT CAN NEV] BE4 ,I'M 
 ONLY TORM5T$ BY ! WRONG ,I HAVE DONE HIM4 ,TELL HIM ONLY ?AT ,I BEG HIM 
 TO =GIVE1 =GIVE1 =GIVE ME = EV]Y?+44440 

,%E TREMBL$ ALL OV] & SAT D[N ON A *AIR4 

,A S5SE ( PITY HE HAD NEV] BE=E KN[N OV]FL[$ ,PI]RE'S HE>T4 

0,I WILL TELL HIM1 ,I WILL TELL HIM EV]Y?+ ONCE MORE10 SAID ,PI]RE4 
 0,BUT444 ,I %\LD LIKE TO KN[ ONE ?+44440 

0,KN[ :AT80 ,NATA%A'S EYES ASK$4 

0,I %\LD LIKE TO KN[1 DID Y\ LOVE4440 ,PI]RE DID NOT KN[ H[ TO REF] 
 TO ,ANATOLE & FLU%$ AT ! ?\<T ( HIM--0DID Y\ LOVE ?AT BAD 
 MAN80 

0,DON'T CALL HIM BAD60 SAID ,NATA%A4 0,BUT ,I DON'T KN[1 DON'T KN[ AT 
 ALL44440 

,%E BEGAN TO CRY & A /ILL GREAT] S5SE ( PITY1 T5D]NESS1 & LOVE 
 WELL$ UP 9 ,PI]RE4 ,HE FELT ! TE>S TRICKLE UND] HIS SPECTACLES & 
 HOP$ !Y W\LD NOT BE NOTIC$4 

0,WE WON'T SPEAK ( IT ANY MORE1 MY DE>10 SAID ,PI]RE1 & HIS G5TLE1 
 CORDIAL TONE SUDD5LY SEEM$ V]Y /RANGE TO ,NATA%A4 

0,WE WON'T SPEAK ( IT1 MY DE>--,I'LL TELL HIM EV]Y?+2 BUT ONE 
 ?+ ,I BEG ( Y\1 CONSID] ME Y\R FRI5D & IF Y\ WANT HELP1 ADVICE1 
 OR SIMPLY TO OP5 Y\R HE>T TO SOMEONE--NOT N[1 BUT :5 Y\R M9D 
 IS CLE>] ?9K ( ME60 ,HE TOOK H] H& & KISS$ IT4 0,I %ALL BE HAPPY 
 IF IT'S 9 MY P[]4440 

,PI]RE GREW CONFUS$4 

0,DON'T SPEAK TO ME LIKE ?AT4 ,I AM NOT WOR? IT60 EXCLAIM$ ,NATA%A & 
 TURN$ TO LEAVE ! ROOM1 BUT ,PI]RE HELD H] H&4 

,HE KNEW HE HAD SOME?+ MORE TO SAY TO H]4 ,BUT :5 HE SAID IT HE WAS 
 AMAZ$ AT HIS [N WORDS4 

0,/OP1 /OP6 ,Y\ HAVE Y\R :OLE LIFE BE=E Y\10 SAID HE TO H]4 

0,BE=E ME8 ,NO6 ,ALL IS OV] = ME10 %E REPLI$ ) %AME & 
 SELF-ABASEM5T4 

0,ALL OV]80 HE REPEAT$4 0,IF ,I W]E NOT MYSELF1 BUT ! 
 H&SOME/1 CLEV]E/1 & BE/ MAN 9 ! WORLD1 & W]E FREE1 ,I W\LD ?IS 
 MOM5T ASK ON MY KNEES = Y\R H& & Y\R LOVE60 

,= ! FIR/ TIME = MANY DAYS ,NATA%A WEPT TE>S ( GRATITUDE & 
 T5D]NESS1 & GLANC+ AT ,PI]RE %E W5T \T ( ! ROOM4 

,PI]RE TOO :5 %E HAD GONE ALMO/ RAN 9TO ! ANT]OOM1 RE/RA9+ 
 TE>S ( T5D]NESS & JOY ?AT *OK$ HIM1 & )\T F9D+ ! 
 SLEEVES ( HIS FUR CLOAK ?REW IT ON & GOT 9TO HIS SLEI<4 

0,:]E TO N[1 Y\R EXCELL5CY80 ASK$ ! COA*MAN4 

0,:]E TO80 ,PI]RE ASK$ HIMSELF4 0,:]E CAN ,I GO N[8 ,SURELY 
 NOT TO ! ,CLUB OR TO PAY CALLS80 ,ALL M5 SEEM$ SO PITIFUL1 SO POOR1 
 9 COMP>ISON ) ?IS FEEL+ ( T5D]NESS & LOVE HE EXP]I5C$3 9 
 COMP>ISON ) ?AT S(T5$1 GRATEFUL1 LA/ LOOK %E HAD GIV5 HIM ?R\< 
 H] TE>S4 

0,HOME60 SAID ,PI]RE1 & DESPITE TW5TY-TWO DEGREES ( FRO/ ,FAHR5HEIT HE 
 ?REW OP5 ! BE>SK9 CLOAK FROM HIS BROAD *E/ & 9HAL$ ! AIR 
 ) JOY4 

,IT WAS CLE> & FRO/Y4 ,ABOVE ! DIRTY1 ILL-LIT /REETS1 ABOVE ! BLACK 
 RO(S1 /RET*$ ! D>K />RY SKY4 ,ONLY LOOK+ UP AT ! SKY DID 
 ,PI]RE CEASE TO FEEL H[ SORDID & HUMILIAT+ W]E ALL MUNDANE ?+S 
 COMP>$ ) ! HEI<TS TO :I* HIS S\L HAD JU/ BE5 RAIS$4 ,AT ! 
 5TRANCE TO ! ,>BAT ,SQU>E AN IMM5SE EXPANSE ( D>K />RY SKY 
 PRES5T$ ITSELF TO HIS EYES4 ,ALMO/ 9 ! C5T] ( IT1 ABOVE ! 
 ,PRE*I/5KA ,B\LEV>D1 SURR\ND$ & SPR9KL$ ON ALL SIDES BY />S BUT 
 DI/+UI%$ FROM !M ALL BY ITS NE>NESS TO ! E>?1 ITS :ITE LI<T1 
 & ITS LONG UPLIFT$ TAIL1 %ONE ! 5ORM\S & BRILLIANT COMET ( #a#h#a#b--! 
 COMET :I* WAS SAID TO PORT5D ALL K9DS ( WOES & ! 5D ( ! 
 WORLD4 ,9 ,PI]RE1 H[EV]1 ?AT COMET ) ITS LONG LUM9\S TAIL >\S$ 
 NO FEEL+ ( FE>4 ,ON ! CONTR>Y HE GAZ$ JOYFULLY1 HIS EYES MOI/ ) 
 TE>S1 AT ?IS BRI<T COMET :I*1 HAV+ TRAVEL$ 9 ITS ORBIT ) 
 9CONCEIVABLE VELOCITY ?R\< IMMEASURABLE SPACE1 SEEM$ SUDD5LY--LIKE 
 AN >R[ PI]C+ ! E>?--TO REMA9 FIX$ 9 A *OS5 SPOT1 
 VIGOR\SLY HOLD+ ITS TAIL ]ECT1 %9+ & DISPLAY+ ITS :ITE LI<T 
 AMID C\NTLESS O!R SC9TILLAT+ />S4 ,IT SEEM$ TO ,PI]RE ?AT ?IS 
 COMET FULLY RESPOND$ TO :AT WAS PASS+ 9 HIS [N S(T5$ & UPLIFT$ 
 S\L1 N[ BLOSSOM+ 9TO A NEW LIFE4 

,FROM 3 ,GUT5B]G4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,NOVEMB] #c1 #ahfh 3 ,BOOK #h1 ,*APT] #bb -- ,PUBLICATION4 
,FEBRU>Y #a#a1 #bag 3 ,BOOK #h1 ,*APT] #bb -- ,ADD$4 

 FILE G5]AT$ FROM 3  
HTTP3_/_/REVOLTLIB4COM_/