Page 365 - war-and-peace

in the depth of his heart it had always seemed to him that
he really was very kind and intelligent. Even people who
had formerly been spiteful toward him and evidently un-
friendly now became gentle and affectionate. The angry
eldest princess, with the long waist and hair plastered down
like a doll’s, had come into Pierre’s room after the funeral.
With drooping eyes and frequent blushes she told him she
was very sorry about their past misunderstandings and did
not now feel she had a right to ask him for anything, ex-
cept only for permission, after the blow she had received,
to remain for a few weeks longer in the house she so loved
and where she had sacrificed so much. She could not refrain
from weeping at these words. Touched that this statuesque
princess could so change, Pierre took her hand and begged
her forgiveness, without knowing what for. From that day
the eldest princess quite changed toward Pierre and began
knitting a striped scarf for him.
‘Do this for my sake, mon cher; after all, she had to put
up with a great deal from the deceased,’ said Prince Vasili to
him, handing him a deed to sign for the princess’ benefit.
Prince Vasili had come to the conclusion that it was nec-
essary to throw this bonea bill for thirty thousand rublesto
the poor princess that it might not occur to her to speak of
his share in the affair of the inlaid portfolio. Pierre signed
the deed and after that the princess grew still kinder. The
younger sisters also became affectionate to him, especially
the youngest, the pretty one with the mole, who often made
him feel confused by her smiles and her own confusion
when meeting him.

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