as it seemed to
Princess Mary merely to offend her, shown special endearments to
the companion and expressed his dissatisfaction with his daughter by
demonstrations of love of Bourienne.

One day in Moscow in Princess Mary's presence (she thought her father
did it purposely when she was there) the old prince kissed Mademoiselle
Bourienne's hand and, drawing her to him, embraced her affectionately.
Princess Mary flushed and ran out of the room. A few minutes later
Mademoiselle Bourienne came into Princess Mary's room smiling and making
cheerful remarks in her agreeable voice. Princess Mary hastily wiped
away her tears, went resolutely up to Mademoiselle Bourienne, and
evidently unconscious of what she was doing began shouting in angry
haste at the Frenchwoman, her voice breaking: "It's horrible, vile,
inhuman, to take advantage of the weakness..." She did not finish.
"Leave my room," she exclaimed, and burst into sobs.

Next day the prince did not say a word to his daughter, but she noticed
that at dinner he gave orders that Mademoiselle Bourienne should be
served first. After dinner, when the footman handed coffee and from
habit began with the princess, the prince suddenly grew furious,
threw his stick at Philip, and instantly gave instructions to have him
conscripted for the army.

"He doesn't obey... I said it twice... and he doesn't obey! She is the
first person in this house; she's my best friend," cried the prince.
"And if you allow yourself," he screamed in a fury, addressing Princess
Mary for the first time, "to forget yourself again before her as you
dared to do yesterday, I will show you who is master in this house. Go!
Don't let me set eyes on you; beg her pardon!"

Princess Mary asked Mademoiselle Bourienne's pardon, and also her
father's pardon for herself and for Philip the footman, who had begged
for her intervention.

At such moments something like a pride of sacrifice gathered in her
soul. And suddenly that father whom she had judged would look for his
spectacles in her presence, fumbling near them and not seeing them, or
would forget something that had just occurred, or take a false step with
his failing legs and turn to see if anyone had noticed his feebleness,
or, worst of all, at dinner when there were no visitors to excite him
would suddenly fall asleep, letting his napkin drop and his shaking head
sink over his plate. "He is old and feeble, and I dare to condemn
him!" she thought at such mom