“Nikólenka, I’ll explain to you. Go away! Listen, Mamma darling,” said Natásha.
Her words were incoherent, but they attained the purpose at which she was aiming.
The countess, sobbing heavily, hid her face on her daughter’s breast, while Nikoláy rose, clutching his head, and left the room.
Natásha set to work to effect a reconciliation, and so far succeeded that Nikoláy received a promise from his mother that Sónya should not be troubled, while he on his side promised not to undertake anything without his parents’ knowledge.
Firmly resolved, after putting his affairs in order in the regiment, to retire from the army and return and marry Sónya, Nikoláy, serious, sorrowful, and at variance with his parents, but, as it seemed to him, passionately in love, left at the beginning of January to rejoin his regiment.
After Nikoláy had gone things in the Rostóv household were more depressing than ever, and the countess fell ill from mental agitation.
Sónya was unhappy at the separation from Nikoláy and still more so on account of the hostile tone the countess could not help adopting toward her. The count was more perturbed than ever by the condition of his affairs, which called for some decisive action. Their town house and estate near Moscow had inevitably to be sold, and for this they had to go to Moscow. But the countess’ health obliged them to delay their departure from day to day.
Natásha, who had borne the first period of separation from her betrothed lightly and even cheerfully, now grew more agitated and