“My vocation is to be happy with another kind of happiness, the happiness of love and self-sacrifice. And cost what it may, I will arrange poor Amélie’s happiness, she loves him so passionately, and so passionately repents. I will do all I can to arrange the match between them. If he is not rich I will give her the means; I will ask my father and Andréy. I shall be so happy when she is his wife. She is so unfortunate, a stranger, alone, helpless! And, oh God, how passionately she must love him if she could so far forget herself! Perhaps I might have done the same! …” thought Princess Márya.
VI
It was long since the Rostóvs had news of Nikolúshka. Not till midwinter was the count at last handed a letter addressed in his son’s handwriting. On receiving it, he ran