wouldn’t do,” said the princess all the same.
“But what am I to do?”
“Leave it to me,” said Princess Márya. “I know …”
Pierre was looking into Princess Márya’s eyes.
“Well? … Well? …” he said.
“I know that she loves … will love you,” Princess Márya corrected herself.
Before her words were out, Pierre had sprung up and with a frightened expression seized Princess Márya’s hand.
“What makes you think so? You think I may hope? You think … ?”
“Yes, I think so,” said Princess Márya with a smile. “Write to her parents, and leave it to me. I will tell her when I can. I wish it to happen and my heart tells me it will.”
“No, it cannot be! How happy I am! But it can’t be. … How happy I am! No, it can’t be!” Pierre kept