, , irritatinghimandhavingtobearthebruntofhisdispleasurewithoutattainingherobject."Besides," hewrote, ", halfofthatperiod, havepassed, , ; buttogoagainsthiswillandarousehisanger, nowthathemayperhapsremainwithussuchashorttime, , andbegyoutochooseagoodmomenttohandhimtheletterandtoletmeknowhowhelooksatthewholematterandwhetherthereishopethathemayconsenttoreducethetermbyfourmonths."
Afterlonghesitations, doubts, andprayers, :
"WriteandtellyourbrothertowaittillIamdead....Itwon'tbelong—Ishallsoonsethimfree."
Theprincesswasabouttoreply, butherfatherwouldnotletherspeakand, raisinghisvoicemoreandmore, cried:
"Marry, marry, myboy!...Agoodfamily!...Cleverpeople, eh? Rich, eh? Yes, anicestepmotherlittleNicholaswillhave! ' stepmotherandI'llmarryBourienne!...Ha, ha, ha! Hemustn'tbewithoutastepmothereither! Onlyonething, nomorewomenarewantedinmyhouse—?" headded, turningtoPrincessMary."Goinheaven'sname! Gooutintothefrost...thefrost...thefrost!"
'—allusionstostepmothersandamiabilitiestoMademoiselleBourienne.
"Whyshouldn'tImarryher?" heaskedhisdaughter."She'llmakeasplendidprincess!"
Andlatterly, tohersurpriseandbewilderment, , butcomfortedhimwithhopesofreconcilingtheirfathertotheidea.
