战争与和平(上)-第12章

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“How　handsome　the　old　man　was；”　said　the　countess；　“only　last　year！　A　finer…looking　man　I　have　never　seen。”
“Now　he’s　very　much　altered；”　said　Anna　Mihalovna。　“Well；　I　was　just　saying；”　she　went　on；　“the　direct　heir　to　all　the　property　is　Prince　Vassily　through　his　wife；　but　the　father　is　very　fond　of　Pierre；　has　taken　trouble　over　his　education；　and　he　has　written　to　the　Emperor…so　that　no　one　can　tell；　if　he　dies　（he’s　so　ill　that　it’s　expected　any　moment；　and　Lorrain　has　come　from　Petersburg）；　whom　that　immense　property　will　come　to；　Pierre　or　Prince　Vassily。　Forty　thousand　serfs　and　millions　of　money。　I　know　this　for　a　fact；　for　Prince　Vassily　himself　told　me　so。　And　indeed　Kirill　Vladimirovitch　happens　to　be　a　third　cousin　of　mine　on　my　mother’s　side；　and　he’s　Boris’s　godfather　too；”　she　added；　apparently　attaching　no　importance　to　this　circumstance。
“Prince　Vassily　arrived　in　Moscow　yesterday。　He’s　coming　on　some　inspection　business；　so　I　was　told；”　said　the　visitor。
“Yes；　between　ourselves；”　said　the　princess；　“that’s　a　pretext；　he　has　come　simply　to　see　Prince　Kirill　Vladimirovitch；　hearing　he　was　in　such　a　serious　state。”
“But；　really；　ma　chère；　that　was　a　capital　piece　of　fun；”　said　the　count；　and　seeing　that　the　elder　visitor　did　not　hear　him；　he　turned　to　the　young　ladies。　“A　funny　figure　the　police　officer　must　have　looked；　I　can　just　fancy　him。”
And　showing　how　the　police　officer　waved　his　arms　about；　he　went　off　again　into　his　rich　bass　laugh；　his　sides　shaking　with　mirth；　as　people　do　laugh　who　always　eat　and；　still　more；　drink　well。　“Then　do；　please；　come　to　dinner　with　us；”　he　said。


Chapter　8
A　SILENCE　followed。　The　countess　looked　at　her　guest；　smiling　affably；　but　still　not　disguising　the　fact　that　she　would　not　take　it　at　all　amiss　now　if　the　guest　were　to　get　up　and　go。　The　daughter　was　already　fingering　at　the　folds　of　her　gown　and　looking　interrogatively　at　her　mother；　when　suddenly　they　heard　in　the　next　room　several　girls　and　boys　running　to　the　door；　and　the　grating　sound　of　a　chair　knocked　over　and　a　girl　of　thirteen　ran　in；　hiding　something　in　her　short　muslin　petticoat；　and　stopped　short　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　She　had　evidently　bounded　so　far　by　mistake；　unable　to　stop　in　her　flight。　At　the　same　instant　there　appeared　in　the　doorway　a　student　with　a　crimson　band　on　his　collar；　a　young　officer　in　the　Guards；　a　girl　of　fifteen；　and　a　fat；　rosy…cheeked　boy　in　a　child’s　smock。
The　prince　jumped　up；　and　swaying　from　side　to　side；　held　his　arms　out　wide　round　the　little　girl。
“Ah；　here　she　is！”　he　cried；　laughing。　“Our　little　darling　on　her　fête　day！”
“My　dear；　there　is　a　time　for　everything；”　said　the　countess；　affecting　severity。　“You’re　always　spoiling　her；　Elie；”　she　added　to　her　husband。
“Bonjour；　ma　chère；　je　vous　félicite；”　said　the　visitor。　“Quelle　délicieuse　enfant！”　she　added；　turning　to　her　mother。
The　dark…eyed　little　girl；　plain；　but　full　of　life；　with　her　wide　mouth；　her　childish　bare　shoulders；　which　shrugged　and　panted　in　her　bodice　from　her　rapid　motion；　her　black　hair　brushed　back；　her　slender　bare　arms　and　little　legs　in　lace…edged　long　drawers　and　open　slippers；　was　at　that　charming　stage　when　the　girl　is　no　longer　a　child；　while　the　child　is　not　yet　a　young　girl。　Wriggling　away　from　her　father；　she　ran　up　to　her　mother；　and　taking　no　notice　whatever　of　her　severe　remarks；　she　hid　her　flushed　face　in　her　mother’s　lace　kerchief　and　broke　into　laughter。　As　she　laughed　she　uttered　some　incoherent　phrases　about　the　doll；　which　was　poking　out　from　her　petticoat。
“Do　you　see？…My　doll…Mimi…you　see…”　And　Natasha　could　say　no　more；　it　all　seemed　to　her　so　funny。　She　sank　on　her　mother’s　lap；　and　went　off　into　such　a　loud　peal　of　laughter　that　every　one；　even　the　prim　visitor；　could　not　help　laughing　too。
“Come；　run　along；　run　along　with　your　monstrosity！”　said　her　mother；　pushing　her　daughter　off　with　a　pretence　of　anger。　“This　is　my　younger　girl；”　she　said　to　the　visitor。　Natasha；　pulling　her　face　away　from　her　mother’s　lace　kerchief　for　a　minute；　peeped　down　at　her　through　tears　of　laughter；　and　hid　her　face　again。
The　visitor；　forced　to　admire　this　domestic　scene；　thought　it　suitable　to　take　some　part　in　it。
“Tell　me；　my　dear；”　she　said；　addressing　Natasha；　“how　did　you　come　by　your　Mimi？　Your　daughter；　I　suppose？”
Natasha　did　not　like　the　tone　of　condescension　to　childish　things　with　which　the　visitor　had　spoken　to　her。　She　made　no　answer；　but　stared　solemnly　at　her。
Meanwhile　all　the　younger　generation；　Boris；　the　officer；　Anna　Milhalovna’s　son；　Nikolay；　the　student；　the　count’s　elder　son；　Sonya；　the　count’s　niece；　and　little　Petya；　his　younger　son；　had　all　placed　themselves　about　the　drawing…room；　and　were　obviously　trying　to　restrain　within　the　bounds　of　decorum　the　excitement　and　mirth　which　was　brimming　over　in　their　faces。　Clearly　in　the　back　part　of　the　house；　from　which　they　had　dashed　out　so　impetuously；　the　conversation　had　been　more　amusing　than　the　small…talk　in　the　drawing…room　of　the　scandal　of　the　town；　the　weather；　and　Countess　Apraxin。　Now　and　then　they　glanced　at　one　another　and　could　hardly　suppress　their　laughter。
The　two　young　men；　the　student　and　the　officer；　friends　from　childhood；　were　of　the　same　age；　and　both　good…looking；　but　not　like　each　other。　Boris　was　a　tall；　fair…haired　lad　with　delicate；　regular　features；　and　a　look　of　composure　on　his　handsome　face。　Nikolay　was　a　curly…headed　youth；　not　tall；　with　an　open　expression。　On　his　upper　lip　there　were　already　signs　of　a　black　moustache　coming；　and　his　whole　face　expressed　impulsiveness　and　enthusiasm。　Nikolay　flushed　red　as　he　came　into　the　drawing…room。　He　was　unmistakably　trying　to　find　something　to　say；　and　unable　to　find　anything。　Boris；　on　the　contrary；　was　at　home　immediately　and　talked　easily　and　playfully　of　the　doll　Mimi；　saying　that　he　had　known　her　as　a　young　girl　before　her　nose　was　broken；　and　she　had　grown　older　during　the　five　years　he　remembered　her；　and　how　her　head　was　cracked　right　across　the　skull。　As　he　said　this　he　looked　at　Natasha。　Natasha　turned　away　from　him；　glanced　at　her　younger　brother；　who；　with　a　scowl　on　his　face；　was　shaking　with　noiseless　laughter；　and　unable　to　restrain　herself；　she　skipped　up　and　flew　out　of　the　room　as　quickly　as　her　swift　little　legs　could　carry　her。　Boris　did　not　laugh。
“You　were　meaning　to　go　out；　mamma；　weren’t　you？　Do　you　want　the　carriage？”　he　said；　addressing　his　mother　with　a　smile。
“Yes；　go　along　and　tell　them　to　get　it　ready；”　she　said；　smiling。　Boris　walked　slowly　to　the　door　and　went　after　Natasha。　The　stout　boy　ran　wrathfully　after　them；　as　though　resenting　the　interruption　of　his　pursuits。


Chapter　9
OF　THE　YOUNG　PEOPLE；　not　reckoning　the　countess’s　elder　daughter　（who　was　four　years　older　than　her　sister　and　behaved　quite　like　a　grown…up　person）　and　the　young　lady　visitor；　there　were　left　in　the　drawing…room　Nikolay　and　Sonya；　the　niece。　Sonya　was　a　slender；　miniature　brunette；　with　soft　eyes　shaded　by　long　lashes；　thick　black　hair　twisted　in　two　coils　round　her　head；　and　a　skin　of　a　somewhat　sallow　tint；　particularly　marked　on　her　bare；　thin；　but　shapely；　muscular　arms　and　neck。　The　smoothness　of　her　movements；　the　softness　and　flexibility　of　her　little　limbs；　and　something　of　slyness　and　reserve　in　her　manner；　suggested　a　lovely　half…grown　kitten；　which　would　one　day　be　a　charming　cat。　Apparently　she　thought　it　only　proper　to　show　an　interest　in　the　general　conversation　and　to　smile。　But　against　her　own　will；　her　eyes　turned　under　their　thick；　long　lashes　to　her　cousin；　who　was　going　away　into　the　army；　with　such　girlish；　passionate　adoration；　that　her　smile　could　not　for　one　moment　impose　upon　any　one；　and　it　was　clear　that　the　kitten　had　only　perched　there　to　skip　off　more　energetically　than　ever　and　to　play　with　her　cousin　as　soon　as　they　could；　like　Boris　and　Natasha；　get　out　of　the　drawing…room。
“Yes；　ma　chère；”　said　the　old　count；　addressing　the　visitor　and　pointing　to　his　Nikolay；　“here　his　friend　Boris　has　received　his　commission　as　an　officer；　and　he’s　so　fond　of　him　he　doesn’t　want　to　be　left　behind；　and　is　giving　up　the　un