During that year after his son’s departure, Prince Nikoláy Andréevich Bolkónski’s health and temper became much worse. He grew still more irritable, and it was Princess Márya who generally bore the brunt of his frequent fits of unprovoked anger. He seemed carefully to seek out her tender spots so as to torture her mentally as harshly as possible. Princess Márya had two passions and consequently two joys⁠—her nephew, Nikolúshka, and religion⁠—and these were the favorite subjects of the prince’s attacks and ridicule. Whatever was spoken of he would bring round to the superstitiousness of old maids, or the petting and spoiling of children. “You want to make him”⁠—Nikólenka⁠—“into an old maid like yourself! A pity! Prince Andréy wants a son and not an old maid,” he would say. Or, turning to Mademoiselle Bourienne, he would ask her in Princess Márya’s presence how she liked our village priests and icons and would joke about them.