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as his mental faculties were greater and more resourceful； Nicholas
felt himself cornered。 This made him still angrier； for he was fully
convinced； not by reasoning but by something within him stronger
than reason； of the justice of his opinion。
〃I will tell you this；〃 he said； rising and trying with nervously
twitching fingers to prop up his pipe in a corner； but finally
abandoning the attempt。 〃I can't prove it to you。 You say that
everything here is rotten and that an overthrow is coming： I don't see
it。 But you also say that our oath of allegiance is a conditional
matter； and to that I reply： 'You are my best friend； as you know； but
if you formed a secret society and began working against the
government… be it what it may… I know it is my duty to obey the
government。 And if Arakcheev ordered me to lead a squadron against you
and cut you down； I should not hesitate an instant； but should do it。'
And you may argue about that as you like！〃
An awkward silence followed these words。 Natasha was the first to
speak； defending her husband and attacking her brother。 Her defense
was weak and inapt but she attained her object。 The conversation was
resumed； and no longer in the unpleasantly hostile tone of Nicholas'
last remark。
When they all got up to go in to supper； little Nicholas Bolkonski
went up to Pierre； pale and with shining； radiant eyes。
〃Uncle Pierre； you。。。 no。。。 If Papa were alive。。。 would he agree
with you？〃 he asked。
And Pierre suddenly realized what a special； independent； complex；
and powerful process of thought and feeling must have been going on in
this boy during that conversation； and remembering all he had said
he regretted that the lad should have heard him。 He had； however； to
give him an answer。
〃Yes； I think so；〃 he said reluctantly； and left the study。
The lad looked down and seemed now for the first time to notice what
he had done to the things on the table。 He flushed and went up to
Nicholas。
〃Uncle； forgive me； I did that。。。 unintentionally；〃 he said；
pointing to the broken sealing wax and pens。
Nicholas started angrily。
〃All right； all right；〃 he said； throwing the bits under the table。
And evidently suppressing his vexation with difficulty； he turned
away from the boy。
〃You ought not to have been here at all；〃 he said。
EP1｜CH15
CHAPTER XV
The conversation at supper was not about politics or societies；
but turned on the subject Nicholas liked best… recollections of
1812。 Denisov started these and Pierre was particularly agreeable
and amusing about them。 The family separated on the most friendly
terms。
After supper Nicholas； having undressed in his study and given
instructions to the steward who had been waiting for him； went to
the bedroom in his dressing gown； where he found his wife still at her
table； writing。
〃What are you writing； Mary？〃 Nicholas asked。
Countess Mary blushed。 She was afraid that what she was writing
would not be understood or approved by her husband。
She had wanted to conceal what she was writing from him； but at
the same time was glad he had surprised her at it and that she would
now have to tell him。
〃A diary； Nicholas；〃 she replied； handing him a blue exercise book
filled with her firm； bold writing。
〃A diary？〃 Nicholas repeated with a shade of irony； and he took up
the book。
It was in French。
December 4。 Today when Andrusha （her eldest boy） woke up he did
not wish to dress and Mademoiselle Louise sent for me。 He was
naughty and obstinate。 I tried threats； but he only grew angrier。 Then
I took the matter in hand： I left him alone and began with nurse's
help to get the other children up； telling him that I did not love
him。 For a long time he was silent； as if astonished； then he jumped
out of bed； ran to me in his shirt； and sobbed so that I could not
calm him for a long time。 It was plain that what troubled him most was
that he had grieved me。 Afterwards in the evening when I gave him
his ticket； he again began crying piteously and kissing me。 One can do
anything with him by tenderness。
〃What is a 'ticket'？〃 Nicholas inquired。
〃I have begun giving the elder ones marks every evening； showing how
they have behaved。〃
Nicholas looked into the radiant eyes that were gazing at him； and
continued to turn over the pages and read。 In the diary was set down
everything in the children's lives that seemed noteworthy to their
mother as showing their characters or suggesting general reflections
on educational methods。 They were for the most part quite
insignificant trifles； but did not seem so to the mother or to the
father either； now that he read this diary about his children for
the first time。
Under the date 〃5〃 was entered：
Mitya was naughty at table。 Papa said he was to have no pudding。
He had none； but looked so unhappily and greedily at the others
while they were eating！ I think that punishment by depriving
children of sweets only develops their greediness。 Must tell
Nicholas this。
Nicholas put down the book and looked at his wife。 The radiant
eyes gazed at him questioningly： would he approve or disapprove of her
diary？ There could be no doubt not only of his approval but also of
his admiration for his wife。
Perhaps it need not be done so pedantically； thought Nicholas； or
even done at all； but this untiring； continual spiritual effort of
which the sole aim was the children's moral welfare delighted him。 Had
Nicholas been able to analyze his feelings he would have found that
his steady； tender； and proud love of his wife rested on his feeling
of wonder at her spirituality and at the lofty moral world； almost
beyond his reach； in which she had her being。
He was proud of her intelligence and goodness； recognized his own
insignificance beside her in the spiritual world； and rejoiced all the
more that she with such a soul not only belonged to him but was part
of himself。
〃I quite； quite approve； my dearest！〃 said he with a significant
look； and after a short pause he added： 〃And I behaved badly today。
You weren't in the study。 We began disputing… Pierre and I… and I lost
my temper。 But he is impossible： such a child！ I don't know what would
become of him if Natasha didn't keep him in hand。。。。 Have you any idea
why he went to Petersburg？ They have formed。。。〃
〃Yes； I know；〃 said Countess Mary。 〃Natasha told me。〃
〃Well； then； you know；〃 Nicholas went on； growing hot at the mere
recollection of their discussion； 〃he wanted to convince me that it is
every honest man's duty to go against the government； and that the
oath of allegiance and duty。。。 I am sorry you weren't there。 They
all fell on me… Denisov and Natasha。。。 Natasha is absurd。 How she
rules over him！ And yet there need only be a discussion and she has no
words of her own but only repeats his sayings。。。〃 added Nicholas；
yielding to that irresistible inclination which tempts us to judge
those nearest and dearest to us。 He forgot that what he was saying
about Natasha could have been applied word for word to himself in
relation to his wife。
〃Yes； I have noticed that；〃 said Countess Mary。
〃When I told him that duty and the oath were above everything； he
started proving goodness knows what！ A pity you were not there… what
would you have said？〃
〃As I see it you were quite right； and I told Natasha so。 Pierre
says everybody is suffering； tortured； and being corrupted； and that
it is our duty to help our neighbor。 Of course he is right there；〃
said Countess Mary； 〃but he forgets that we have other duties nearer
to us； duties indicated to us by God Himself； and that though we might
expose ourselves to risks we must not risk our children。〃
〃Yes； that's it！ That's just what I said to him；〃 put in Nicholas；
who fancied he really had said it。 〃But they insisted on their own
view： love of one's neighbor and Christianity… and all this in the
presence of young Nicholas； who had gone into my study and broke all
my things。〃
〃Ah； Nicholas； do you know I am often troubled about little
Nicholas；〃 said Countess Mary。 〃He is such an exceptional boy。 I am
afraid I neglect him in favor of my own： we all have children and
relations while he has no one。 He is constantly alone with his
thoughts。〃
〃Well； I don't think you need reproach yourself on his account。
All that the fondest mother could do for her son you have done and are
doing for him； and of course I am glad of it。 He is a fine lad； a fine
lad！ This evening he listened to Pierre in a sort of trance； and
fancy… as we were going in to supper I looked and he had broken
everything on my table to bits； and he told me of it himself at
once！ I never knew him to tell an untruth。 A fine lad； a fine lad！〃
repeated Nicholas； who at heart was not fond of Nicholas Bolkonski but
was always anxious to recognize that he was a fine lad。
〃Still； I am not the same as his own mother；〃