“But you can’t have understood me,” said Princess Márya with a sad smile. “Why don’t you want to go? I promise to house and feed you, while here the enemy would ruin you.⁠ ⁠…”

But her voice was drowned by the voices of the crowd.

“We’re not willing. Let them ruin us! We won’t take your grain. We don’t agree.”

Again Princess Márya tried to catch someone’s eye, but not a single eye in the crowd was turned to her; evidently they were all trying to avoid her look. She felt strange and awkward.

“Oh yes, an artful tale! Follow her into slavery! Pull down your houses and go into bondage! I dare say! ‘I’ll give you grain, indeed!’ she says,” voices in the crowd were heard saying.