战争与和平(上)-第14章

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“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　and　touching　sight　to　see　these　little　girls　in　love；　but　the　sight　of　them　did　not　apparently　arouse　any　agreeable　feeling　in　Vera。　“How　often　have　I　asked　you；”　she　said；　“not　to　take　my　things？　You　have　a　room　of　your　own。”　She　took　the　inkstand　away　from　Nikolay。
“One　minute；　one　minute；”　he　said；　dipping　his　pen　in。
“You　always　manage　to　do　things　just　at　the　wrong　moment；”　said　Vera。　“First　you　burst　into　the　drawing…room　so　that　every　one　was　ashamed　of　you。”　Although　or　just　because　what　she　said　was　perfectly　true；　no　one　answered；　all　the　four　simply　looked　at　one　another。　She　lingered　in　the　room　with　the　inkstand　in　her　hand。　“And　what　sort　of　secrets　can　you　have　at　your　age；　Natasha　and　Boris；　and　you　two！—it’s　all　simply　silly　nonsense！”
“Well；　what　has　it　to　do　with　you；　Vera？”　Natasha　said　in　defence；　speaking　very　gently。　She　was　evidently　more　good…humoured　and　affectionate　than　usual　that　day　with　every　one。
“It’s　very　silly；”　said　Vera；　“I　am　ashamed　of　you。　What　sort　of　secret…”
“Every　one　has　secrets。　We　don’t　interfere　with　you　and　Berg；”　said　Natasha；　getting　warmer。
“I　should　think　you　didn’t　interfere；”　said　Vera；　“because　there　could　be　no　harm　in　any　conduct　of　mine。　But　I　shall　tell　mamma　how　you　behave　with　Boris。”
“Natalya　Ilyinishna　behaves　very　well　to　me；”　said　Boris。　“I　have　nothing　to　complain　of；”　he　said。
“Leave　off；　Boris；　you’re　such　a　diplomatist”　（the　world　diplomatist　was　much　in　use　among　the　children　in　the　special　sense　they　attached　to　the　word）。　“It’s　tiresome；　really；”　said　Natasha；　in　a　mortified　and　shaking　voice；　“why　does　she　set　upon　me？”
“You’ll　never　understand　it；”　she　said；　addressing　Vera；　“because　you’ve　never　cared　for　any　one；　you’ve　no　heart；　you’re　simply　Madame　de　Genlis”　（this　nickname；　considered　most　offensive；　had　been　given　to　Vera　by　Nikolay）；　“and　your　greatest　delight　is　in　getting　other　people　into　trouble。　You　can　flirt　with　Berg；　as　much　as　you　like；”　she　said　quickly。
“Well；　I’m　not　likely　to　run　after　a　young　man　before　visitors。…”
“Well；　she　has　gained　her　object！”　Nikolay　put　in；　“she　has　said　something　nasty　to　every　one；　and　upset　everybody。　Let’s　go　into　the　nursery。”
All　four　rose；　like　a　flock　of　scared　birds；　and　went　out　of　the　room。
“You’ve　said　nasty　things　to　me；　and　I　said　nothing　to　any　one；”　said　Vera。
“Madame　de　Genlis！　Madame　de　Genlis！”　cried　laughing　voices　through　the　door。
The　handsome　girl　who　produced　such　an　irritating　and　unpleasant　effect　on　every　one　smiled；　and；　obviously　unaffected　by　what　had　been　said　to　her；　she　went　up　to　the　looking…glass　and　put　her　scarf　and　her　hair　tidy。　Looking　at　her　handsome　face；　she　seemed　to　become　colder　and　more　composed　than　ever。
In　the　drawing…room　the　conversation　was　still　going　on。
“Ah；　chère；”　said　the　countess；　“in　my　life；　too；　everything　is　not　rose…coloured。　Do　you　suppose　I　don’t　see　that；　in　the　way　we　are　going　on；　our　fortune　can’t　last　long？　And　it’s　all　the　club　and　his　good…nature。　When　we’re　in　the　country　we　have　no　rest　from　it；—it’s　nothing　but　theatricals；　hunting　parties；　and　God　knows　what。　But　we　won’t　talk　of　me。　Come；　tell　me　how　you　managed　it　all。　I　often　wonder　at　you；　Annette；　the　way　you　go　racing　off　alone；　at　your　age；　to　Moscow；　and　to　Petersburg；　to　all　the　ministers；　and　all　the　great　people；　and　know　how　to　get　round　them　all　too。　I　admire　you；　really！　Well；　how　was　it　arranged？　Why；　I　could　never　do　it。”
“Ah；　my　dear！”　answered　Princess　Anna　Mihalovna；　“God　grant　that　you　never　know　what　it　is　to　be　left　a　widow；　with　no　one　to　support　you；　and　a　son　whom　you　love　to　distraction。　One　learns　how　to　do　anything；”　she　said　with　some　pride。　“My　lawsuit　trained　me　to　it。　If　I　want　to　see　one　of　these　great　people；　I　write　a　note：　‘Princess　so…and…so　wishes　to　see　so…and…so；’　and　I　go　myself　in　a　hired　cab　two　or　three　times—four；　if　need　be—till　I　get　what　I　want。　I　don’t　mind　what　they　think　of　me。