Page 647 of 3800

But although Alpatych, frightened at his own temerity in avoiding

the stroke, came up to the prince, bowing his bald head

resignedly before him, or perhaps for that very reason, the

prince, though he continued to shout: "Blackguards!... Throw the

snow back on the road!" did not lift his stick again but hurried

into the house.

Before dinner, Princess Mary and Mademoiselle Bourienne, who knew

that the prince was in a bad humor, stood awaiting him;

Mademoiselle Bourienne with a radiant face that said: "I know

nothing, I am the same as usual," and Princess Mary pale,

frightened, and with downcast eyes. What she found hardest to

bear was to know that on such occasions she ought to behave like

Mademoiselle Bourienne, but could not. She thought: "If I seem

not to notice he will think that I do not sympathize with him; if

I seem sad and out of spirits myself, he will say (as he has done

before) that I'm in the dumps."

The prince looked at his daughter's frightened face and snorted.