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Prince Vasili, in the rare moments when he was at home, would

take Pierre's hand in passing and draw it downwards, or

absent-mindedly hold out his wrinkled, clean-shaven cheek for

Pierre to kiss and would say: "Till tomorrow," or, "Be in to

dinner or I shall not see you," or, "I am staying in for your

sake," and so on. And though Prince Vasili, when he stayed in (as

he said) for Pierre's sake, hardly exchanged a couple of words

with him, Pierre felt unable to disappoint him. Every day he said

to himself one and the same thing: "It is time I understood her

and made up my mind what she really is. Was I mistaken before, or

am I mistaken now? No, she is not stupid, she is an excellent

girl," he sometimes said to himself "she never makes a mistake,

never says anything stupid. She says little, but what she does

say is always clear and simple, so she is not stupid.