An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 942 words)
rincess Mary as she sat listening to the old men’s talk and
faultfinding, understood nothing of what she heard; she only wondered
whether the guests had all observed her father’s hostile attitude
toward her. She did not even notice the special attentions and
amiabilities shown her during dinner by Borís Drubetskóy, who was
visiting them for the third time already.
Princess Mary turned with absent-minded questioning look to Pierre, who
hat in hand and with a smile on his face was the last of the guests to
approach her after the old prince had gone out and they were left alone
in the drawing room.
“May I stay a little longer?” he said, letting his stout body sink
into an armchair beside her.
“Oh yes,” she answered. “You noticed nothing?” her look asked.
Pierre was in an agreeable after-dinner mood. He looked straight before
him and smiled quietly.
“Have you known that young man long, Princess?” he asked.
“Who?”
“Drubetskóy.”
“No, not long....”
“Do you like him?”
“Yes, he is an agreeable young man.... Why do you ask me that?” said
Princess Mary, still thinking of that morning’s conversation with her
father.
“Because I have noticed that when a young man comes on leave from
Petersburg to Moscow it is usually with the object of marrying an
heiress.”
“You have observed that?” said Princess Mary.
“Yes,” returned Pierre with a smile, “and this young man now
manages matters so that where there is a wealthy heiress there he is
too. I can read him like a book. At present he is hesitating whom to lay
siege to—you or Mademoiselle Julie Karágina. He is very attentive to
her.”
“He visits them?”
“Yes, very often. And do you know the new way of courting?” said
Pierre with an amused smile, evidently in that cheerful mood of good
humored raillery for which he so often reproached himself in his diary.
“No,” replied Princess Mary.
“To please Moscow girls nowadays one has to be melancholy. He is very
melancholy with Mademoiselle Karágina,” said Pierre.
“Really?” asked 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!”
Pierre’s gaiety vanished completely. He anxiously questioned the
princess, asked her to speak out fully and confide her grief to him; but
she only repeated that she begged him to forget what she had said, that
she did not remember what she had said, and that she had no trouble
except the one he knew of—that Prince Andrew’s marriage threatened
to cause a rupture between father and son.
“Have you any news of the Rostóvs?” she asked, to change the
subject. “I was told they are coming soon. I am also expecting Andrew
any day. I should like them to meet here.”
“And how does he now regard the matter?” asked Pierre, referring to
the old prince.
Princess Mary shook her head.
“What is to be done? In a few months the year will be up. The thing
is impossible. I only wish I could spare my brother the first moments.
I wish they would come sooner. I hope to be friends with her. You have
known them a long time,” said Princess Mary. “Tell me honestly
the whole truth: what sort of girl is she, and what do you think of
her?—The real truth, because you know Andrew is risking so much doing
this against his father’s will that I should like to know....”
An undefined instinct told Pierre that these explanations, and
repeated requests to be told the whole truth, expressed ill-will on
the princess’ part toward her future sister-in-law and a wish that
he should disapprove of Andrew’s choice; but in reply he said what he
felt rather than what he thought.
“I don’t know how to answer your question,” he said, blushing
without knowing why. “I really don’t know what sort of girl she is;
I can’t analyze her at all. She is enchanting, but what makes her so I
don’t know. That is all one can say about her.”
Princess Mary sighed, and the expression on her face said: “Yes,
that’s what I expected and feared.”
“Is she clever?” she asked.
Pierre considered.
“I think not,” he said, “and yet—yes. She does not deign to be
clever.... Oh no, she is simply enchanting, and that is all.”
Princess Mary again shook her head disapprovingly.
“Ah, I so long to like her! Tell her so if you see her before I do.”
“I hear they are expected very soon,” said Pierre.
Princess Mary told Pierre of her plan to become intimate with her future
sister-in-law as soon as the Rostóvs arrived and to try to accustom the
old prince to her.
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Let's Analyse the Pattern
Chronic isolation and emotional abuse make us vulnerable to accepting harmful situations because any change feels like rescue.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to spot people who strategically befriend others based on what they can gain, like Boris shopping between wealthy women or Derek researching salaries.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when someone suddenly becomes friendly after learning about your resources, connections, or status - genuine friends show interest in you before they know what you can offer them.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"I have noticed that when a young man comes on leave from Petersburg to Moscow it is usually with the object of marrying an heiress."
Context: Warning Mary about Boris's true intentions
Pierre cuts through social politeness to reveal the calculated nature of aristocratic courtship. He's protecting Mary from being used.
In Today's Words:
These guys who suddenly show up aren't looking for love - they're shopping for someone with money.
"I would marry anybody!"
Context: Her emotional breakdown about feeling trapped
This desperate outburst reveals how toxic family situations can make people vulnerable to any escape route, even harmful ones.
In Today's Words:
I'm so miserable here I'd take any way out, even if it's with the wrong person.
"She is enchanting, but I don't know why."
Context: Describing Natasha to Mary
His vague praise confirms Mary's fears that Natasha might be all charm and no substance, adding to her anxiety about her brother's choice.
In Today's Words:
She's amazing, but I can't really explain what makes her special.
Thematic Threads
Isolation
In This Chapter
Mary's emotional breakdown reveals how her father's coldness has left her completely alone and desperate for any human connection
Development
Building from earlier chapters showing her father's increasing hostility and her growing desperation
In Your Life:
You might feel this when work stress or family problems leave you so drained that any offer of help feels like salvation, even from questionable sources.
Manipulation
In This Chapter
Boris calculates his courtship strategy, alternating between wealthy prospects and putting on fake melancholy to appeal to fashionable girls
Development
Continues the theme of characters using social position and emotional manipulation for personal gain
In Your Life:
You see this in dating apps, job interviews, or sales situations where people craft personas to get what they want from you.
Class
In This Chapter
Boris shops for wives based on wealth, while Mary's desperation makes her vulnerable to his calculated approach despite her social position
Development
Expands on how class dynamics create both opportunity and vulnerability in relationships
In Your Life:
You might experience this when financial stress makes you consider opportunities you'd normally question, or when people target you based on perceived status.
Family Dysfunction
In This Chapter
Mary feels helpless watching her father's hostility toward Andrew's engagement while being unable to help or protect anyone
Development
Deepens the portrait of how the old prince's controlling behavior damages everyone around him
In Your Life:
You know this feeling when family conflicts leave you caught in the middle, wanting to help but knowing intervention might make things worse.
Identity
In This Chapter
Mary's sense of self has been so eroded by her father's treatment that she defines herself mainly through what she lacks and fears
Development
Shows how prolonged emotional abuse shapes self-perception and decision-making capacity
In Your Life:
You might recognize this when you realize you've been making choices based on fear and scarcity rather than your actual values and desires.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What does Mary reveal about her emotional state when she talks to Pierre, and what specific circumstances have led her to this breaking point?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does Pierre's warning about Boris's calculated courtship strategy not seem to register with Mary, and what does this tell us about how desperation affects our judgment?
analysis • medium - 3
Where do you see this pattern of desperation making people vulnerable to manipulation in today's world - in workplaces, relationships, or online communities?
application • medium - 4
If you were Mary's friend, what specific steps would you suggest to help her make better decisions despite her desperate circumstances?
application • deep - 5
What does Mary's situation teach us about the difference between choosing something because it's good versus choosing it because we're desperate to escape our current situation?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Create Your Desperation Detector
Think of a major decision you're facing or have recently faced. Write down your top three reasons for wanting this choice. Then honestly ask yourself: are these reasons about this option being genuinely good, or about escaping something that feels bad? Create a simple checklist of warning signs that might indicate you're in a desperation trap.
Consider:
- •Notice if you feel pressured to decide quickly or cut off other relationships
- •Pay attention to whether you're focusing more on what you're running from than what you're running toward
- •Consider whether you have trusted people outside the situation who can offer perspective
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when loneliness or desperation led you to accept something that wasn't actually good for you. What warning signs did you miss, and what would you tell your past self?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 150: The Art of Strategic Romance
The Rostovs are coming soon, and Princess Mary prepares to meet the woman who might either save or destroy her family. But first, she must navigate her father's growing hostility and her own conflicted feelings about this mysterious Natasha.
