"Yes, time will pass," he said to himself, "time which solves all problems; and our relations will be brought into the old order, so that I shall not feel the disorder that has broken up the current of my life. She must be unhappy, but I am not to blame, and so I do not see why I must be unhappy too."
CHAPTER XIV
Alekseï Aleksandrovitch during his drive back to Petersburg not only fully decided on the line of conduct which he should adopt, but even composed in his head a letter to be sent to his wife. When he reached his Switzer's room, he glanced at the official papers and letters which had been brought from the ministry, and ordered them to be brought into the library.
"Shut the door, and let no one in," said he in reply to a question of the Swiss, emphasizing the last words—nye prinimat' —let no one in—with some satisfaction, which was an evident sign that he was in a better state of mind.
Alekseï Aleksandrovitch walked up and down the library once or twice, and then, coming to his huge writing-table, on which his lackey, before going out, had placed six lighted candles, he cracked his fingers and sat down, and began to examine his writing-materials. Then, leaning his elbow on the table, he bent his head to one side, and after a moment of reflection he began to write without the slightest hesitancy. He wrote in French without addressing her by name, employing the pronoun vous, which has less coldness than the corresponding Russian word, vui, has. He wrote:—
At our recent interview, I expressed the intention of communicating to you my resolution concerning the subject of our conversation. Having carefully taken everything into consideration, I am writing now with the view of fulfilling my promise. This is my decision: whatever your conduct may have been, I do not acknowledge that I have the right to break the bonds which a Power Supreme has consecrated. The family cannot
