Page 1369 - war-and-peace

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 say-
ing.
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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