An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 1021 words)
n hour later Dunyásha came to tell the princess that Dron had come, and
all the peasants had assembled at the barn by the princess’ order and
wished to have word with their mistress.
“But I never told them to come,” said Princess Mary. “I only told Dron
to let them have the grain.”
“Only, for God’s sake, Princess dear, have them sent away and don’t go
out to them. It’s all a trick,” said Dunyásha, “and when Yákov Alpátych
returns let us get away... and please don’t...”
“What is a trick?” asked Princess Mary in surprise.
“I know it is, only listen to me for God’s sake! Ask nurse too. They say
they don’t agree to leave Boguchárovo as you ordered.”
“You’re making some mistake. I never ordered them to go away,” said
Princess Mary. “Call Drónushka.”
Dron came and confirmed Dunyásha’s words; the peasants had come by the
princess’ order.
“But I never sent for them,” declared the princess. “You must have given
my message wrong. I only said that you were to give them the grain.”
Dron only sighed in reply.
“If you order it they will go away,” said he.
“No, no. I’ll go out to them,” said Princess Mary, and in spite of
the nurse’s and Dunyásha’s protests she went out into the porch; Dron,
Dunyásha, the nurse, and Michael Ivánovich following her.
“They probably think I am offering them the grain to bribe them to
remain here, while I myself go away leaving them to the mercy of the
French,” thought Princess Mary. “I will offer them monthly rations and
housing at our Moscow estate. I am sure Andrew would do even more in
my place,” she thought as she went out in the twilight toward the crowd
standing on the pasture by the barn.
The men crowded closer together, stirred, and rapidly took off their
hats. Princess Mary lowered her eyes and, tripping over her skirt, came
close up to them. So many different eyes, old and young, were fixed
on her, and there were so many different faces, that she could not
distinguish any of them and, feeling that she must speak to them all
at once, did not know how to do it. But again the sense that she
represented her father and her brother gave her courage, and she boldly
began her speech.
“I am very glad you have come,” she said without raising her eyes, and
feeling her heart beating quickly and violently. “Drónushka tells me
that the war has ruined you. That is our common misfortune, and I
shall grudge nothing to help you. I am myself going away because it
is dangerous here... the enemy is near... because... I am giving you
everything, my friends, and I beg you to take everything, all our grain,
so that you may not suffer want! And if you have been told that I am
giving you the grain to keep you here—that is not true. On the contrary,
I ask you to go with all your belongings to our estate near Moscow, and
I promise you I will see to it that there you shall want for nothing.
You shall be given food and lodging.”
The princess stopped. Sighs were the only sound heard in the crowd.
“I am not doing this on my own account,” she continued, “I do it in the
name of my dead father, who was a good master to you, and of my brother
and his son.”
Again she paused. No one broke the silence.
“Ours is a common misfortune and we will share it together. All that is
mine is yours,” she concluded, scanning the faces before her.
All eyes were gazing at her with one and the same expression. She
could not fathom whether it was curiosity, devotion, gratitude, or
apprehension and distrust—but the expression on all the faces was
identical.
“We are all very thankful for your bounty, but it won’t do for us to
take the landlord’s grain,” said a voice at the back of the crowd.
“But why not?” asked the princess.
No one replied and Princess Mary, looking round at the crowd, found that
every eye she met now was immediately dropped.
“But why don’t you want to take it?” she asked again.
No one answered.
The silence began to oppress the princess and she tried to catch
someone’s eye.
“Why don’t you speak?” she inquired of a very old man who stood just
in front of her leaning on his stick. “If you think something more is
wanted, tell me! I will do anything,” said she, catching his eye.
But as if this angered him, he bent his head quite low and muttered:
“Why should we agree? We don’t want the grain.”
“Why should we give up everything? We don’t agree. Don’t agree.... We
are sorry for you, but we’re not willing. Go away yourself, alone...”
came from various sides of the crowd.
And again all the faces in that crowd bore an identical expression,
though now it was certainly not an expression of curiosity or gratitude,
but of angry resolve.
“But you can’t have understood me,” said Princess Mary with a sad smile.
“Why don’t you want to go? I promise to house and feed you, while here
the enemy would ruin you....”
But her voice was drowned by the voices of the crowd.
“We’re not willing. Let them ruin us! We won’t take your grain. We don’t
agree.”
Again Princess Mary tried to catch someone’s eye, but not a single eye
in the crowd was turned to her; evidently they were all trying to avoid
her look. She felt strange and awkward.
“Oh yes, an artful tale! Follow her into slavery! Pull down your houses
and go into bondage! I dare say! ‘I’ll give you grain, indeed!’ she
says,” voices in the crowd were heard saying.
With drooping head Princess Mary left the crowd and went back to the
house. Having repeated her order to Dron to have horses ready for her
departure next morning, she went to her room and remained alone with her
own thoughts.
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Let's Analyse the Pattern
When good intentions create resistance because the helper fails to see how their offer looks from the recipient's perspective.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to recognize when differences in resources or status create invisible barriers to communication.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when someone rejects help or seems suspicious of your offers—ask yourself what they might be seeing that you're missing.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"They probably think I am offering them the grain to bribe them to remain here, while I myself go away"
Context: Mary realizes the peasants have misunderstood her generous offer
This shows Mary's dawning awareness that her good intentions have been completely misinterpreted. She's beginning to understand how her actions look from the peasants' perspective, but it may be too late to fix the damage.
In Today's Words:
They think I'm trying to buy them off so I can save myself while leaving them behind
"It's all a trick"
Context: Warning Mary not to meet with the peasants
Dunyásha, coming from a lower social class herself, understands the peasants' mindset better than Mary does. She recognizes the danger in the situation that Mary, in her privileged bubble, cannot see.
In Today's Words:
This is a setup - don't fall for it
"But I never sent for them"
Context: When told the peasants came by her order
Mary's confusion reveals how messages get distorted as they pass through layers of hierarchy. What she intended as a generous offer has become something threatening by the time it reaches the peasants.
In Today's Words:
I never called this meeting - something got lost in translation
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
The deep mistrust between nobility and peasants prevents genuine communication despite Mary's sincere intentions
Development
This continues the book's exploration of how class barriers create misunderstanding even in moments of crisis
In Your Life:
You might see this when trying to help someone from a different background and not understanding why they seem ungrateful or suspicious
Communication
In This Chapter
Mary and her peasants are speaking different languages—she hears generosity, they hear manipulation
Development
Builds on earlier scenes where characters fail to understand each other across social divides
In Your Life:
This appears when your words land completely differently than you intended, especially with people who have different life experiences
Power
In This Chapter
Mary's position of privilege blinds her to how her offers of help might be perceived as control or manipulation
Development
Continues examining how power dynamics complicate even well-intentioned relationships
In Your Life:
You see this when you have more resources or authority than someone and don't realize how that affects your interactions
Trust
In This Chapter
Years of broken promises from the nobility have created a wall of suspicion that Mary's good intentions cannot penetrate
Development
Shows how historical patterns of betrayal affect present relationships
In Your Life:
This happens when past experiences make someone resistant to help, even when you genuinely want to assist them
Identity
In This Chapter
Mary's identity as a caring noble clashes with the peasants' identity as self-protecting survivors
Development
Explores how different identities create different interpretations of the same situation
In Your Life:
You experience this when your self-image as helpful conflicts with how others actually receive your help
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why do the peasants reject Princess Mary's offer of grain and safe passage to Moscow?
analysis • surface - 2
How does Princess Mary's position of privilege blind her to how her offer actually sounds to the peasants?
analysis • medium - 3
Think about a time when someone offered to help you but it felt uncomfortable or suspicious. What made you hesitant to accept their help?
application • medium - 4
When you're trying to help someone who seems resistant, what questions could you ask to understand their perspective better?
application • deep - 5
What does this scene reveal about how past experiences shape our ability to trust, even when someone genuinely wants to help us?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Flip the Script: Rewrite from the Peasants' Perspective
Rewrite this scene from the peasants' point of view. What do they see when Princess Mary approaches? What are they thinking when she makes her offer? Focus on their fears, their past experiences with nobility, and why her generosity feels like a trap. This exercise helps you practice seeing situations through other people's eyes—a crucial skill for effective helping.
Consider:
- •What past experiences with nobles might make them suspicious of sudden generosity?
- •How might their economic desperation make them more cautious, not less?
- •What would it feel like to have someone with power suddenly offer you everything, knowing you can't reciprocate?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you offered help and were surprised by someone's reaction. Looking back, what might you have missed about their perspective? How could you approach similar situations differently in the future?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 202: The Weight of Unspoken Words
With her peasants refusing her help and Napoleon's army drawing closer, Princess Mary must make difficult decisions about her own escape. The breakdown in trust will have consequences that extend far beyond this single conversation.
