Yet in spite of that, his relation to herconsiderate, delicate, and lovingnot only remained unchanged, but it sometimes seemed to Princess Mary that he was even glad that the family connection between them allowed him to express his friendship more freely. She knew that she loved for the first and only time in her life and felt that she was beloved, and was happy in regard to it.

"You are going?" asked Natasha. "I knew you would! Sonya said you wouldn`t go, but I knew that today is the sort of day when you couldn`t help going."