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"Sonya," she suddenly exclaimed, as if she had guessed the true

reason of her friend's sorrow, "I'm sure Vera has said something

to you since dinner? Hasn't she?"

"Yes, these verses Nicholas wrote himself and I copied some

others, and she found them on my table and said she'd show them

to Mamma, and that I was ungrateful, and that Mamma would never

allow him to marry me, but that he'll marry Julie. You see how

he's been with her all day... Natasha, what have I done to

deserve it?..."

And again she began to sob, more bitterly than before. Natasha

lifted her up, hugged her, and, smiling through her tears, began

comforting her.