The countess, with a coldness her son had never seen in her before, replied that he was of age, that Prince Andréy was marrying without his father’s consent, and he could do the same, but that she would never receive that intriguer as her daughter.

Exploding at the word intriguer , Nikoláy, raising his voice, told his mother he had never expected her to try to force him to sell his feelings, but if that were so, he would say for the last time.⁠ ⁠… But he had no time to utter the decisive word which the expression of his face caused his mother to await with terror, and which would perhaps have forever remained a cruel memory to them both. He had not time to say it, for Natásha, with a pale and set face, entered the room from the door at which she had been listening.

“Nikólenka, you are talking nonsense! Be quiet, be quiet, be quiet, I tell you!⁠ ⁠…” she almost screamed, so as to drown his voice.