按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ant to be left behind； and is giving up the university and his poor old father to go into the army； ma chère。 And there was a place all ready for him in the archives department； and all。 Isn’t that friendship now？” said the count interrogatively。
“But they do say that war has been declared； you know；” said the visitor。
“They’ve been saying so a long while；” said the count。 “They’ll say so again and again； and so it will remain。 There’s friendship for you； ma chère！” he repeated。 “He’s going into the hussars。”
The visitor； not knowing what to say； shook her head。
“It’s not from friendship at all；” answered Nikolay； flushing hotly； and denying it as though it were some disgraceful imputation。 “Not friendship at all； but simply I feel drawn to the military service。”
He looked round at his cousin and the young lady visitor； both looked at him with a smile of approval。
“Schubert’s dining with us to…night； the colonel of the Pavologradsky regiment of hussars。 He has been here on leave； and is taking him with him。 There’s no help for it；” said the count； shrugging his shoulder and speaking playfully of what evidently was a source of much distress to him。
“I’ve told you already； papa；” said his son； “that if you’re unwilling to let me go； I’ll stay。 But I know I’m no good for anything except in the army。 I’m not a diplomatist； or a government clerk。 I’m not clever at disguising my feelings；” he said； glancing repeatedly with the coquetry of handsome youth at Sonya and the young lady。
The kitten； her eyes riveted on him； seemed on the point of breaking into frolic； and showing her cat…like nature。
“Well； well； it’s all…right！” said the old count； “he always gets so hot。 Bonaparte’s turned all their heads； they’re all dreaming of how he rose from a lieutenant to be an emperor。 Well； and so may it turn out again； please God；” he added； not noticing the visitor’s sarcastic smile。
While their elders began talking about Bonaparte； Julie； Madame Karagin’s daughter； turned to young Rostov。
“What a pity you weren’t at the Arharovs’ on Thursday。 I was so dull without you；” she said； giving him a tender smile。 The youth； highly flattered； moved with a coquettish smile nearer her； and entered into a conversation apart with the smiling Julie； entirely unaware that his unconscious smile had dealt a jealous stab to the heart of Sonya； who was flushing crimson and assuming a forced smile。 In the middle of his talk with Julie he glanced round at her。 Sonya gave him an intensely furious look； and； hardly able to restrain her tears； though there was still a constrained smile on her lips； she got up and went out of the room。 All Nikolay’s animation was gone。 He waited for the first break in the conversation； and； with a face of distress； walked out of the room to look for Sonya。
“How all the young things wear their hearts on their sleeves！” said Anna Mihalovna； pointing to Nikolay’s retreating figure。 “Cousinage； dangereux voisinage；” she added。
“Yes；” said the countess； when the sunshine that had come into the drawing…room with the young people had vanished。 She was； as it were； replying to a question which no one had put to her； but which was always in her thoughts： “What miseries； what anxieties one has gone through for the happiness one has in them now！ And even now one feels really more dread than joy over them。 One’s always in terror！ At this age particularly when there are so many dangers both for girls and boys。”
“Everything depends on bringing up；” said the visitor。
“Yes； you are right；” the countess went on。 “So far I have been； thank God； my children’s friend and have enjoyed their full confidence；” said the countess； repeating the error of so many parents； who imagine their children have no secrets from them。 “I know I shall always be first in my children’s confidence； and that Nikolay； if； with his impulsive character； he does get into mischief （boys will be boys） it won’t be like these Petersburg young gentlemen。”
“Yes； they’re capital children； capital children；” assented the count； who always solved all perplexing questions by deciding that everything was capital。 “Fancy now； his taking it into his head to be an hussar！ But what can one expect； ma chère？”
“What a sweet little thing your younger girl is！” said the visitor。 “Full of fun and mischief！”
“Yes； that she is；” said the count。 “She takes after me！ And such a voice； though she’s my daughter； it’s the truth I’m telling you； she’ll be a singer； another Salomini。 We’ve engaged an Italian to give her lessons。”
“Isn’t it too early？ They say it injures the voice to train it at that age。”
“Oh； no！ Too early！” said the count。 “Why； our mothers used to be married at twelve and thirteen。”
“Well； she’s in love with Boris already！ What do you say to that？” said the countess； smiling softly and looking at Boris’s mother。 And apparently in reply to the question that was always in her mind； she went on： “Why； you know； if I were strict with her； if I were to forbid her…God knows what they might not be doing in secret” （the countess meant that they might kiss each other）； “but as it is I know every word she utters。 She’ll come to me this evening and tell me everything of herself。 I spoil her； perhaps； but I really believe it’s the best way。 I brought my elder girl up more strictly。”
“Yes； I was brought up quite differently；” said the elder girl； the handsome young Countess Vera； and she smiled。 But the smile did not improve Vera’s face； on the contrary her face looked unnatural； and therefore unpleasing。 Vera was good…looking； she was not stupid； was clever at her lessons； and well educated； she had a pleasant voice； and what she said was true and appropriate。 But； strange to say； every one—both the visitor and the countess—looked at her； as though wondering why she had said it； and conscious of a certain awkwardness。
“People are always too clever with their elder children； they try to do something exceptional with them；” said the visitor。
“We won’t conceal our errors； ma chère！ My dear countess was too clever with Vera；” said the count。 “But what of it？ she has turned out capitally all the same；” he added； with a wink of approval to Vera。
The guests got up and went away； promising to come to dinner。
“What manners！ Staying on and on！” said the countess； when she had seen her guests out。
Chapter 10
WHEN NATASHA ran out of the drawing…room she only ran as far as the conservatory。 There she stopped listening to the talk in the drawing…room； and waiting for Boris to come out。 She was beginning to get impatient； and stamping her foot was almost ready to cry at his not coming at once； when she heard the young man’s footsteps coming out discreetly； not too slowly nor too quickly。 Natasha darted swiftly away and hid among the tubs of shrubs。
Boris stood still in the middle of the room； looked round him； brushed a speck of dirt off the sleeve of his uniform； and going up to the looking…glass examined his handsome face。 Natasha； keeping quiet； peeped out of her hiding…place； waiting to see what he would do。 He stood a little while before the glass； smiled at his reflection； and walked towards the other door。 Natasha was on the point of calling to him； but she changed her mind。 “Let him look for me；” she said to herself。 Boris had only just gone out； when at the other door Sonya came in； flushed and muttering something angrily through her tears。 Natasha checked her first impulse to run out to her； and remained in her hiding…place； as it were under the invisible cap； looking on at what was going on in the world。 She began to feel a peculiar novel sort of enjoyment in it。 Sonya was murmuring something as she looked towards the drawing…room door。 The door opened and Nikolay came in。
“Sonya！ what is the matter？ how can you？” said Nikolay； running up to her。
“Nothing； nothing； leave me alone！” Sonya was sobbing。
“No； I know what it is。”
“Very well； you do； so much the better then； and you can go back to her。”
“So…o…onya！ one word！ How can you torture me and yourself for a mere fancy？” said Nikolay； taking her hand。 Sonya did not pull her hand away； and left off crying。
Natasha； not stirring and hardly breathing； looked with shining eyes from her hiding…place。 “What’s coming now？” she thought。
“Sonya！ I care for nothing in the whole world！ You’re everything to me；” said Nikolay。 “I’ll prove it to you。”
“I don’t like you to talk like that。”
“Well； I won’t then； come； forgive me； Sonya。” He drew her to him and kissed her。
“Oh； that’s nice；” thought Natasha； and when Sonya and Nikolay had gone out of the room she followed them and called Boris to her。
“Boris； come here；” she said with a sly and significant look。 “I’ve something I want to tell you。 Here； here；” she said； and she led him into the conservatory； to the place where she had hidden between the tubs。 Boris followed her； smiling。
“What is the something？” he inquired。 She was a little embarrassed； she looked round her； and seeing her doll flung down on a tub she picked it up。
“Kiss the doll；” she said。 Boris looked with observant； affectionate eyes at her eager face and made no answer。 “Don’t you want to？ Well； then come here；” she said； and went further in among the shrubs and tossed away the doll。 “Closer； closer！” she whispered。 She caught hold of the young officer’s arms above the cuff； and her flushed face had a look of solemnity and awe。
“Would you like to kiss me？” she whispered； hardly audibly； peeping up at him from under her eyelids； smiling and almost crying with excitement。
Boris reddened。 “How absurd you are！” he said； bending down to her； flushing redder still； but doing nothing； waiting what would come next。 Suddenly she jumped on to a tub； so that as she stood she was taller than he； flung both arms round him so that her slender； bare arms clasped him above his neck； and flinging back her hair with a toss of her head； she kissed him just on his lips。
She slipped away among the flower…pots on the other side； and stood with hanging head。
“Natasha；” he said； “you know I love you； but—”
“You’re in love with me；” Natasha broke in。
“Yes I am； but； please； don’t let us do like that。… In another four years… Then I shall ask for your hand。” Natasha pondered a moment。
“Thirteen； fourteen； fifteen； sixteen …” she said； counting on her thin little fingers。
“Very well。 Then it’s settled？” And her excited face beamed with a smile of delight and relief。
“Settled！” said Boris。
“For ever？” said the little girl。 “Till death？” And taking his arm； with a happy face she walked quietly beside him into the next room。
Chapter 11
THE COUNTESS was so tired from seeing visitors that she gave orders that she would see no one else； and the doorkeeper was told to be sure and invite to dinner every one who should call with congratulations。 The countess was longing for a tête…à…tête talk with the friend of her childhood； Anna Mihalovna； whom she had not seen properly since she had arrived from Petersburg。 Anna Mihalovna； with her tear…worn and amiable face； moved closer up to the countess’s easy…chair。
“With you I will be perfectly open；” said Anna Mihalovna。 “We haven’t many old friends left。 That’s how it is I value your friendship so。”
Anna Mihalovna looked at Vera and stopped。 The countess pressed her friend’s hand。
“Vera；” said the countess to her eldest daughter； unmistakably not her favourite； “how is it you have no notion about anything？ Don’t you feel that you’re not wanted here？ Go to your sister or …”
The handsome young countess smiled scornfully； apparently not in the least mortified。
“If you had told me； mamma； I would have gone away long ago；” she said； and went off towards her own room。 But passing through the divan…room； she noticed two couples sitting symmetrically in the two windows。 She stopped and smiled contemptuously at them。 Sonya was sitting close beside Nikolay； who was copying out some verses for her； the first he had ever written。 Boris and Natasha were sitting in the other window； and were silent when Vera came in。 Sonya and Natasha looked at Vera with guilty； happy faces。
It was an amusing a