I asked you to give me ten minutes and I have been here a whole hour,” he added, laughing.
“But I leave you with impatient eagerness to see you again as soon as possible.
Will you allow me to visit you as often as I can?”
“Yes, yes,” answered Natasha, “as often as you can . . .
I want to make haste . . . to be fond of you . . .” she added in embarrassment.
“How sincere you are, how truthful,” said Prince Valkovsky, smiling at her words.
“You won’t be insincere even to be polite.
But your sincerity is more precious than all artificial politeness.
Yes!
I recognize that it will take me a long, long time to deserve your love.”
“Hush, don’t praise me . . . . Enough,” Natasha whispered in confusion.
How delightful she was at that moment!
“So be it,” Prince Valkovsky concluded. “I’ll say only a couple of words of something practical.
You cannot imagine how unhappy I am!
Do you know I can’t be with you tomorrow – neither tomorrow nor the day after.
I received a letter this evening of such importance to me (requiring my presence on business at once) that I cannot possibly neglect it.
I am leaving Petersburg tomorrow morning.
Please do not imagine that I came to you tonight because I should have no time tomorrow or the day after.
Of course you don’t think so, but that is just an instance of my suspicious nature.
Why should I fancy that you must think so?
Yes, my suspicious nature has often been a drawback to me in my life, and my whole misunderstanding with your family has perhaps been due to my unfortunate character! ...
Today is Tuesday.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I shall not be in Petersburg.
I hope to return on Saturday for certain; and I will be with you the same day.
Tell me, may I come to you for the whole evening?”
“Of course, of course!” cried Natasha. “On Saturday evening I shall expect you...
I shall expect you impatiently!”
“Ah, how happy I am!
I shall get to know you better and better! But . . . I must go!
I cannot go without shaking hands with you, though,” he added, turning to me.
“I beg your pardon!
We are all talking so disconnectedly. I have several times had the pleasure of meeting you, and once, indeed, we were introduced.
I cannot take my leave without telling you how glad I should be to renew our acquaintance. . . .”
“We have met, it’s true,” I answered, taking his hand. “But I don’t remember that we became acquainted.”
“At Prince M.‘s, last year.”
“I beg your pardon, I’ve forgotten.
But I assure you this time I shall not forget.
This evening will always remain in my memory.”
“Yes, you are right. I feel the same.
I have long known that you have been a good and true friend to Natalya Nikolaevna and my son.
I hope you three will admit me as a fourth.
May I?” he added, addressing Natasha.
“Yes, he is a true friend to us, and we must all hold together,” Natasha answered with deep feeling.
Poor girl!
She was positively beaming with delight that the prince had not overlooked me.
How she loved me!
“I have met many worshippers of your talent,” Prince Valkovsky went on. “And I know two of your most sincere admirers – the countess, my dearest friend, and her stepdaughter Katerina Fyodorovna Filimonov. They would so like to know you personally.
Allow me to hope that you will let me have the pleasure of presenting you to those ladies.”
“You are very flattering, though now I see so few people . . .”
“But give me your address!