“I wanted to listen at the door, but I knew you would tell me.”

Understandable and touching as the look with which Natásha gazed at her seemed to Princess Márya, and sorry as she was to see her agitation, these words pained her for a moment. She remembered her brother and his love.

“But what’s to be done? She can’t help it,” thought the princess.

And with a sad and rather stern look she told Natásha all that Pierre had said. On hearing that he was going to Petersburg Natásha was astounded.

“To Petersburg!” she repeated as if unable to understand.

But noticing the grieved expression on Princess Márya’s face she guessed the reason of that sadness and suddenly began to cry.