Chapter 8 chapter eight

Nikolay was sometimes distressed when it came to housekeeping, his temper was combined with the old hussar habit of throwing his fists at every turn.At first, he didn't think there was anything wrong with it, but in the second year of marriage, his opinion of this method of punishment suddenly changed. Once in the summer he sent for the new mayor of Bogucharovo, who had replaced the late Dron, because he was accused of malpractice and negligence.Nicholas went to the door to meet him, and the village chief had just answered a few words when Nicholas was shouting, punching and kicking in the hall.Nikolay went home to breakfast, went up to his wife who was doing her embroidery with her head bowed, and told her, as usual, what had happened at breakfast, and mentioned in passing about the mayor of Bogucharov.Countess Marya blushed and then turned pale, her lips were pursed, and she sat with her head bowed, making no reply to her husband's words.

"The lawless bastard," Nikolay said angrily at the thought of him.And said, "It would be all right if he told me that he was drunk, I have never seen it... What's the matter with you, Maria?" He asked suddenly. Countess Maria raised her head to say something, but immediately lowered her head and pursed her lips. "What's the matter with you? What's the matter with you? Honey? . . . " Countess Marya was not pretty, but she looked lovely when she cried.She never wept for pain and trouble, but often for sentimentality and pity.When she cried, those bright eyes had an alluring charm.

No sooner had Nikolai taken her hand than she could not help crying. "Nicolas, I know...he's wrong, but you, why did you do that! Nikolai..." she said, covering her face with her hands. Nikolay was silent, flushed, walked away from her, and walked up and down the room in silence.He understood why she was crying, but he couldn't turn the corner if he was asked to regard the things he had been accustomed to since childhood as mistakes. "Is it because she is warm-hearted and quick-hearted, because she is used to her mother-in-law, or is she right?" Nikolay asked himself inwardly.Unable to answer the question, he cast another glance at her painfully lovely face.Then he suddenly understood that she was right and he had been wrong long ago.

"Mary," he said softly, coming up to her, "it will never happen again, I promise you. It will never happen again." Like a child begging for forgiveness, he trembled. the voice repeated. The countess wept more.She took her husband's hand and kissed it. "Nicholas, when did you break the head?" She said, looking at his hand with the ring of Laocoon's head, in order to change the subject. -------- ①The original text here uses the nickname—Mapu. ② Laocoon is the son of Priam and Hecuba in Greek mythology, and the priest of Apollo in Troy.He warned the Trojans to beware of the waterproof horse plan, which angered the god Athena. As a result, Laocoon and his two sons were entangled to death by a giant python.

"That's it for today. Oh, Mary, don't talk about that." He blushed again. "I swear to you, nothing like that will ever happen again. Just let this ring remind me often," he said, pointing to the shattered ring. Since then, whenever Nicholas had a dispute with the village headman and the steward, and when the blood rushed to his face and his hands clenched into fists, he would turn the broken ring on his finger, so Nicholas took In front of the person who made him angry, he lowered his eyelids.But once or twice a year he forgot his promise, and then Nikolay went up to his wife and confessed his mistake, promising never to do it again.

"Mary, you must despise me?" he said to her. "I did it on my own." "If you feel that you can't control your emotions, then go away, go away as soon as possible," said the countess sadly, trying to comfort her husband. In the aristocratic circles of the province, Nicholas was respected but not liked.He was not interested in aristocratic interests, so he was considered arrogant by some and stupid by others.Throughout the summer, from spring sowing to autumn harvest, he was busy with farming.In autumn, with the same earnestness as in farming, he went out hunting with hunters and hounds, and he went there for a month or two.In winter, he went to various villages to visit or study.He mainly reads history books and spends a lot of money every year.As he said, he has a large collection of books, and he routinely reads all the books he buys.He sat solemnly in his study and read, at first as a task, and later as a habit, from which he experienced a special pleasure and felt that reading was a serious matter.In addition to going out to do errands in winter, he stays at home most of the time, doing chores with his mother and children and enjoying family happiness.His relationship with his wife is getting closer and closer, and he discovers new spiritual wealth from her every day.

After Nicholas married, Sonia still lived in his house.Before he got married, he had told his fiancée all about his relationship with Sonia, and while blaming himself, he praised Sonia.He begged Maria to treat his cousin well.Countess Maria knew that her husband was sorry for Sonia, and at the same time she felt ashamed of Sonia.She understood that it was her family property that influenced Nicholas' choice.She could not blame Sonia in the slightest, but she should like her.But in fact, not only did she not love Sonia, but she often hated her in her heart, and she couldn't restrain this feeling.

On one occasion she spoke of Sonya with her friend Natasha, and of the injustice she had done to her. "Listen," said Natasha, "you have read the Gospels many times, and there is a passage that seems to be directed at Sonia." "Which verse are you talking about?" asked Countess Marya in surprise. "'Anyone who has will be given to him, and whoever does not have will be taken from him.' ① Do you remember? She is the one who has nothing. Why, I don't know, maybe because she has no selfishness, I I don't know, but everything has been taken from her. Sometimes I feel very sorry for her, and I used to wish that Nikolai would marry her. But I have a hunch that this cannot be possible. She is like a strawberry A fruitless flower, you know? Sometimes I pity her, and other times I don't think she feels it the way we do."

-------- ①See Chapter 19, Section 26 of "The Bible·New Testament·Luke's Gospel". Although Countess Maria told Natasha that the passage in the "Gospel" should not be understood that way, but when she saw Sonia, she agreed with Natasha's explanation.Sonia did not seem to be troubled by her situation, and she took her fate of being a liar in peace.It seemed that she loved the whole family rather than some of them.Like a cat, she is not attached to people but to this family.She served the old countess, caressed and pampered the children, and always wanted to do what she could for others. Others accepted her care as if nothing had happened, but they didn't appreciate her very much...

Tongshan Manor has been renovated again, but the scale is not as good as before, and it cannot be compared with the old Duke when he was alive. When renovating a house when money is tight, the project is always crude and simple.The huge house was built on the original stone foundation, all of wooden structure, and the interior was plastered.The house was spacious, with unpainted floors, and simple furniture: a few hard sofas, a few tables and chairs, all made by the family carpenter from birch wood they had at home.The house is spacious enough, with servants and guest rooms.The relatives of the Rostovs and Bolkonskys, sometimes with sixteen horses and dozens of servants, came to Bald Mountain in their entirety and stayed for several months.In addition, on the name day and birthday of the hostess and hostess, four times a year, hundreds of guests come to Tongshan to gather for a day or two.At other times of the year, life is almost the same, with daily work, regular tea, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared with the estate's own produce.