Page 603 - war-and-peace

or? Knowing him to be an only son, to challenge him and
shoot so straight! It’s well God had mercy on us. And what
was it for? Who doesn’t have intrigues nowadays? Why, if
he was so jealous, as I see things he should have shown it
sooner, but he lets it go on for months. And then to call him
out, reckoning on Fedya not fighting because he owed him
money! What baseness! What meanness! I know you un-
derstand Fedya, my dear count; that, believe me, is why I am
so fond of you. Few people do understand him. He is such a
lofty, heavenly soul!’
Dolokhov himself during his convalescence spoke to
Rostov in a way no one would have expected of him.
‘I know people consider me a bad man!’ he said. ‘Let
them! I don’t care a straw about anyone but those I love;
but those I love, I love so that I would give my life for them,
and the others I’d throttle if they stood in my way. I have
an adored, a priceless mother, and two or three friendsyou
among themand as for the rest I only care about them in
so far as they are harmful or useful. And most of them are
harmful, especially the women. Yes, dear boy,’ he contin-
ued, ‘I have met loving, noble, high-minded men, but I have
not yet met any womencountesses or cookswho were not ve-
nal. I have not yet met that divine purity and devotion I look
for in women. If I found such a one I’d give my life for her!
But those!... and he made a gesture of contempt. ‘And be-
lieve me, if I still value my life it is only because I still hope
to meet such a divine creature, who will regenerate, purify,
and elevate me. But you don’t understand it.’
‘Oh, yes, I quite understand, ‘answered Rostov, who was

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