father to agree to the marriage and like her, or dispense with his consent altogether; then he marvelled at the feeling which had taken possession of him, as something strange, and apart, independent of himself.

“I should never have believed it, if any one had told me I could love like this,” said Prince Andrey. “It is utterly different from the feeling I once had. The whole world is split into two halves for me: one—she, and there all is happiness, hope, and light; the other half—all where she is not, there all is dejection and darkness.…”

“Darkness and gloom,” repeated Pierre; “yes, yes, I understand that.”

“I can’t help loving the light; that’s not my fault; and I am very happy. Do you understand me? I know you are glad for me.”

“Yes, yes,” Pierre assented, looking at his friend with eyes full of tenderness and sadness. The brighter the picture of Prince Andrey’s fate before his mind, the darker seemed his own.