Texts
Book 8 References
How was it I noticed nothing? How could it go so far? Can she have left off loving Prince Andrew? And how could she let Kurágin go to such lengths? He is a deceiver and a villain, that’s plain! What will Nicholas, dear noble Nicholas, do when he hears of it? So this is the meaning of her excited, resolute, unnatural look the day before yesterday, yesterday, and today, thought Sónya. But it can’t be that she loves him! She probably opened the letter without knowing who it was from. Probably she is offended by it. She could not do such a thing!
Natásha! she said, just audibly. Natásha awoke and saw Sónya. Ah, you’re back?
And with the decision and tenderness that often come at the moment of awakening, she embraced her friend, but noticing Sónya’s look of embarrassment, her own face expressed confusion and suspicion.
Sónya, you’ve read that letter? she demanded. Yes, answered Sónya softly. Natásha smiled rapturously. No, Sónya, I can’t any longer! she said. I can’t hide it from you any longer. You know, we love one another! Sónya, darling, he writes... Sónya... Sónya stared open-eyed at Natásha, unable to believe her ears. And Bolkónski? she asked. Ah, Sónya, if you only knew how happy I am! cried Natásha. You don’t know what love is.... But, Natásha, can that be all over? Natásha looked at Sónya with wide-open eyes as if she could not grasp the question. Well, then, are you refusing Prince Andrew? said Sónya. Oh, you don’t understand anything! Don’t talk nonsense, just listen! said Natásha, with momentary vexation. But I can’t believe it, insisted Sónya. I don’t understand. How is it you have loved a man for a whole year and suddenly... Why, you have only seen him three times! Natásha, I don’t believe you, you’re joking! In three days to forget everything and so... Three days? said Natásha. It seems to me I’ve loved him a hundred years. It seems to me that I have never loved anyone before. You can’t understand it.... Sónya, wait a bit, sit here, and Natásha embraced and kissed her. I had heard that it happens like this, and you must have heard it too, but it’s only now that I feel such love. It’s not the same as before. As soon as I saw him I felt he was my master and I his slave, and that I could not help loving him. Yes, his slave! Whatever he orders I shall do. You don’t understand that. What can I do? What can I do, Sónya? cried Natásha with a happy yet frightened expression. But think what you are doing, cried Sónya. I can’t leave it like this. This secret correspondence... How could you let him go so far? she went on, with a horror and disgust she could hardly conceal. I told you that I have no will, Natásha replied. Why can’t you understand? I love him! Then I won’t let it come to that... I shall tell! cried Sónya, bursting into tears. What do you mean? For God’s sake... If you tell, you are my enemy! declared Natásha. You want me to be miserable, you want us to be separated.... When she saw Natásha’s fright, Sónya shed tears of shame and pity for her friend. But what has happened between you? she asked. What has he said to you? Why doesn’t he come to the house? Natásha did not answer her questions. For God’s sake, Sónya, don’t tell anyone, don’t torture me, Natásha entreated. Remember no one ought to interfere in such matters! I have confided in you.... But why this secrecy? Why doesn’t he come to the house? asked Sónya. Why doesn’t he openly ask for your hand? You know Prince Andrew gave you complete freedom—if it is really so; but I don’t believe it! Natásha, have you considered what these secret reasons can be? Natásha looked at Sónya with astonishment. Evidently this question presented itself to her mind for the first time and she did not know how to answer it. I don’t know what the reasons are. But there must be reasons! Sónya sighed and shook her head incredulously. If there were reasons... she began. But Natásha, guessing her doubts, interrupted her in alarm. Sónya, one can’t doubt him! One can’t, one can’t! Don’t you understand? she cried. Does he love you? Does he love me? Natásha repeated with a smile of pity at her friend’s lack of comprehension. Why, you have read his letter and you have seen him. But if he is dishonorable? He! dishonorable? If you only knew! exclaimed Natásha. If he is an honorable man he should either declare his intentions or cease seeing you; and if you won’t do this, I will. I will write to him, and I will tell Papa! said Sónya resolutely. But I can’t live without him! cried Natásha. Natásha, I don’t understand you. And what are you saying! Think of your father and of Nicholas. I don’t want anyone, I don’t love anyone but him. How dare you say he is dishonorable? Don’t you know that I love him? screamed Natásha. Go away, Sónya! I don’t want to quarrel with you, but go, for God’s sake go! You see how I am suffering! Natásha cried angrily, in a voice of despair and repressed irritation. Sónya burst into sobs and ran from the room.
Natásha went to the table and without a moment’s reflection wrote that answer to Princess Mary which she had been unable to write all the morning. In this letter she said briefly that all their misunderstandings were at an end; that availing herself of the magnanimity of Prince Andrew who when he went abroad had given her her freedom, she begged Princess Mary to forget everything and forgive her if she had been to blame toward her, but that she could not be his wife. At that moment this all seemed quite easy, simple, and clear to Natásha.
Oh, Sónya, if you knew him as I do! He said... He asked me what I had promised Bolkónski. He was glad I was free to refuse him. Sónya sighed sorrowfully. But you haven’t refused Bolkónski? said she. Perhaps I have. Perhaps all is over between me and Bolkónski. Why do you think so badly of me?
Sónya did not succumb to the tender tone Natásha used toward her. The more emotional and ingratiating the expression of Natásha’s face became, the more serious and stern grew Sónya’s.
Natásha, I am afraid for you! Afraid of what? I am afraid you’re going to your ruin, said Sónya resolutely, and was herself horrified at what she had said. Anger again showed in Natásha’s face. And I’ll go to my ruin, I will, as soon as possible! It’s not your business! It won’t be you, but I, who’ll suffer. Leave me alone, leave me alone! I hate you! Natásha! moaned Sónya, aghast. I hate you, I hate you! You’re my enemy forever! And Natásha ran out of the room.
Sonya and Natasha
Featured Characters: SONYA, NATASHA
[SONYA]
How was it I noticed nothing?
How could it go so
far?
It can’t be that she loves him
It can’t be
Natasha
Natasha awakes and sees Sonya.
[NATASHA]
Sonya, you’re back
And with the tender resolve that often
comes at the moment of awakening
I embraced my friend
But
noticing Sonya’s look of embarrassment
My face expressed
confusion
And suspicion
Sonya, you’ve read the letter?
[SONYA]
Yes
[NATASHA]
Oh Sonya, I’m glad
I can’t hide it any longer!
Now you know, we love one another!
Oh Sonya, he writes, he writes
He writes, he writes, he writes
[SONYA]
And Andrey?
[NATASHA]
Oh Sonya, if you only knew how happy I am!
You don’t
know what love is
[SONYA]
But Natasha, can that all be over?
[NATASHA]
I do not grasp the question
[SONYA]
Are you refusing Prince Andrey?
[NATASHA]
Oh, you don’t understand anything!
Don’t talk
nonsense, just listen
[SONYA]
But I can’t believe it, I don’t understand
How you
loved one man a whole year
And suddenly—
You’ve only known him
three days!
Natasha, you're joking!
[NATASHA]
Three days?
It seems to me I’ve loved him a hundred
years
It seems to me I’ve never loved anyone before
Not like
this
I have no will
My life is his
I’ll do anything he wants
me to
What can I do?
Sonya, what can I do?
[NATASHA]
I’m so happy
And so frightened
Why can’t you understand?
I love him!
[SONYA]
Then I won’t let it come to that, I shall tell!
Bursting into tears
[NATASHA]
What do you mean?
For God’s sake, if you tell, you
are my enemy!
You want me to be miserable
You want to tear us
apart
For God’s sake, Sonya, don’t tell anyone, don’t torture me
I
have confided in you
[SONYA]
What has happened between you?
What has he said to
you?
Why doesn’t he come to the house and openly ask for your hand?
Why this secrecy?
Have you thought what his secret reasons may be?
[NATASHA]
I don’t know what the reasons are
But there must be
reasons!
Sonya, one can’t doubt him!
[SONYA]
Does he love you?
[NATASHA]
Does he love me?
Why, you’ve read his letter, you’ve
seen him
I can’t live without him
[SONYA]
Natasha, think of our family
And think of
Prince Andrey
[NATASHA]
Andrey said I was free to refuse him
[SONYA]
But you haven’t refused him, or have you?
[NATASHA]
Perhaps I have
Perhaps all is over between me and
Bolkonsky
Would you think so badly of me?
[SONYA]
I won’t succumb to your tender tone Natasha
I don’t trust him, Natasha!
I’m afraid for you, Natasha!
Afraid you are going to
your ruin
[NATASHA]
Then I’ll go to my ruin, yes I will, as soon as
possible!
But it’s not your business!
It won’t be you, it’ll be me,
who’ll suffer
Leave me alone, yes leave me alone!
I hate you
Sonya!
I hate you Sonya!
I hate you, I hate you!
You’re my
enemy forever!
[SONYA]
I burst into sobs
Natasha runs out of the room.
[NATASHA]
And without a moment’s reflection
I wrote the answer to Princess Mary
I’d been unable to write all
morning
[NATASHA]
All our misunderstandings are at an end
Forget
everything and forgive me
But I can’t be Andrey’s wife