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The pilgrim woman was appeased and, being encouraged to talk,
gave a long account of Father Amphilochus, who led so holy a life
that his hands smelled of incense, and how on her last visit to
Kiev some monks she knew let her have the keys of the catacombs,
and how she, taking some dried bread with her, had spent two days
in the catacombs with the saints. "I'd pray awhile to one,
ponder awhile, then go on to another. I'd sleep a bit and then
again go and kiss the relics, and there was such peace all around,
such blessedness, that one don't want to come out, even into the
light of heaven again."
Pierre listened to her attentively and seriously. Prince Andrew
went out of the room, and then, leaving "God's folk"
to finish their tea, Princess Mary took Pierre into the drawing
room.
"You are very kind," she said to him.
"Oh, I really did not mean to hurt her feelings. I understand
them so well and have the greatest respect for them."
Princess Mary looked at him silently and smiled affectionately.
"I have known you a long time, you see, and am as fond
of you as of a brother," she said. "How do you find
Andrew?" she added hurriedly, not giving him time to reply
to her affectionate words. "I am very anxious about him.
His health was better in the winter, but last spring his wound
reopened and the doctor said he ought to go away for a cure. And
I am also very much afraid for him spiritually. He has not a character
like us women who, when we suffer, can weep away our sorrows.
He keeps it all within him. Today he is cheerful and in good spirits,
but that is the effect of your visit- he is not often like that.
If you could persuade him to go abroad. He needs activity, and
this quiet regular life is very bad for him. Others don't notice
it, but I see it."
Toward ten o'clock the men servants rushed to the front door,
hearing the bells of the old prince's carriage approaching. Prince
Andrew and Pierre also went out into the porch.
"Who's that?" asked the old prince, noticing Pierre
as he got out of, the carriage.
"Ah! Very glad! Kiss me," he said, having learned
who the young stranger was.
The old prince was in a good temper and very gracious to Pierre.
Before supper, Prince Andrew, coming back to his father's
study, found him disputing hotly with his visitor. Pierre was
maintaining that a time would come when there would be no more
wars. The old prince disputed it chaffingly, but without getting
angry.
"Drain the blood from men's veins and put in water instead,
then there will be no more war! Old women's nonsense- old women's
nonsense!" he repeated, but still he patted Pierre affectionately
on the shoulder, and then went up to the table where Prince Andrew,
evidently not wishing to join in the conversation, was looking
over the papers his father had brought from town. The old prince
went up to him and began to talk business.
"The marshal, a Count Rostov, hasn't sent half his contingent.
He came to town and wanted to invite me to dinner- I gave him
a pretty dinner!... And there, look at this.... Well, my boy,"
the old prince went on, addressing his son and patting Pierre
on the shoulder. "A fine fellow- your friend- I like him!
He stirs me up. Another says clever things and one doesn't care
to listen, but this one talks rubbish yet stirs an old fellow
up. Well, go! Get along! Perhaps I'll come and sit with you at
supper. We'll have another dispute. Make friends with my little
fool, Princess Mary," he shouted after Pierre, through the
door.
Only now, on his visit to Bald Hills, did Pierre fully realize
the strength and charm of his friendship with Prince Andrew. That
charm was not expressed so much in his relations with him as with
all his family and with the household. With the stern old prince
and the gentle, timid Princess Mary, though he had scarcely known
them, Pierre at once felt like an old friend. They were all fond
of him already. Not only Princess Mary, who had been won by his
gentleness with the pilgrims, gave him her most radiant looks,
but even the one-year-old "Prince Nicholas" (as his
grandfather called him) smiled at Pierre and let himself be taken
in his arms, and Michael Ivanovich and Mademoiselle Bourienne
looked at him with pleasant smiles when he talked to the old prince.
The old prince came in to supper; this was evidently on Pierre's
account. And during the two days of the young man's visit he was
extremely kind to him and told him to visit them again.
When Pierre had gone and the members of the household met
together, they began to express their opinions of him as people
always do after a new acquaintance has left, but as seldom happens,
no one said anything but what was good of him.
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