战争与和平(上)-第158章

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xtremely　disconnected；　and　Vera　resented　the　intervention　of　the　masculine　element；　both　the　young　people　felt　with　satisfaction　that　although　only　one　guest　was　present；　the　soirée　had　begun　very　well；　and　that　their　soirée　was　as　like　every　other　soirée　as　two　drops　of　water；—with　the　same　conversation　and　tea　and　lighted　candles。
The　next　to　arrive　was　Boris；　an　old　comrade　of　Berg’s。　There　was　a　certain　shade　of　patronage　and　condescension　in　his　manner　to　Berg　and　Vera。　After　Boris　came　the　colonel　and　his　lady；　then　the　general　himself；　then　the　Rostovs；　and　the　soirée　now　began　to　be　exactly；　incontestably；　like　all　other　soirées。　Berg　and　Vera　could　hardly　repress　their　smiles　of　glee　at　the　sight　of　all　this　movement　in　their　drawing…room；　at　the　sound　of　the　disconnected　chatter；　and　the　rustle　of　skirts　and　of　curtsies。　Everything　was　precisely　as　everybody　always　has　it；　especially　so　was　the　general；　who　admired　their　rooms；　clapped　Berg　on　the　shoulder；　and　with　paternal　authority　insisted　on　arranging　the　table　for　boston。　The　general　sat　by　Count　Ilya　Andreivitch；　as　the　guest　next　in　precedence　to　himself。　The　elderly　guests　were　together；　the　younger　people　together；　the　hostess　at　the　tea…table；　on　which　there　were　cakes　in　the　silver　cake…basket　exactly　like　the　cakes　at　the　Panins’　soirées。　Everything　was　precisely　like　what　everybody　else　had。


Chapter　21
PIERRE；　as　one　of　the　most　honoured　guests；　was　obliged　to　sit　down　to　boston　with　the　old　count；　the　general；　and　the　colonel。　As　he　sat　at　the　boston…table　he　happened　to　be　directly　facing　Natasha　and　he　was　struck　by　the　curious　change　that　had　come　over　her　since　the　day　of　the　ball。　Natasha　was　silent；　and　not　only　was　she　not　so　pretty　as　she　had　been　at　the　ball；　she　would　have　been　positively　plain　but　for　the　look　of　gentle　indifference　to　everything　in　her　face
“What　is　wrong　with　her？”　Pierre　wondered；　glancing　at　her。　She　was　sitting　by　her　sister　at　the　tea…table；　she　gave　reluctant　answers　to　Boris　at　her　side　and　did　not　look　at　him。　After　playing　all　of　one　suit　and　taking　five　tricks　to　his　partner’s　satisfaction；　Pierre；　having　caught　the　sound　of　greetings　and　the　steps　of　some　one　entering　while　he　took　his　tricks　glanced　at　her　again。
“Why；　what　has　happened　to　her？”　he　said　to　himself　in　still　greater　wonder。
Prince　Andrey　was　standing　before　her　saying　something　to　her　with　an　expression　of　guarded　tenderness　on　his　face。　She；　lifting　her　head；　was　looking　at　him；　flushing　crimson；　and　visibly　trying　to　control　her　breathing；　which　came　in　panting　gasps。　And　the　vivid　glow　of　some　inner　fire　that　had　been　quenched　before　was　alight　in　her　again。　She　was　utterly　transformed。　From　a　plain　girl　she　was　once　more　the　beautiful　creature　she　had　been　at　the　ball。
Prince　Andrey　went　up　to　Pierre；　and　Pierre　noticed　a　new；　youthful　expression　in　his　friend’s　face。　Several　times　Pierre　changed　his　seat　during　the　play；　sitting　sometimes　with　his　back　to　Natasha；　sometimes　facing　her；　and　during　all　the　six　rubbers　he　was　observing　her　and　his　friend。
“Something　very　serious　is　happening　between　them；”　thought　Pierre；　and　a　feeling　at　once　of　gladness　and　of　bitterness　made　him　agitated　and　forgetful　of　the　game。
After　six　rubbers　the　general　got　up；　saying　it　was　of　no　use　playing　like　that；　and　Pierre　was　at　liberty。　Natasha；　at　one　side　of　the　room；　was　talking　to　Sonya　and　Boris。　Vera；　with　a　subtle　smile；　was　saying　something　to　Prince　Andrey。　Pierre　went　up　to　his　friend；　and；　asking　whether　they　were　talking　secrets；　sat　down　beside　them。　Vera；　noticing　Prince　Andrey’s　attention　to　Natasha；　felt　that　at　a　soirée；　at　a　real　soirée；　it　was　absolutely　necessary　there　should　be　delicate　allusions　to　the　tender　passion；　and　seizing　an　opportunity　when　Prince　Andrey　was　alone；　began　a　conversation　with　him　upon　the　emotions　generally；　and　her　sister　in　particular。　She　felt　that；　with　a　guest　so　intellectual　as　she　considered　Prince　Andrey；　she　must　put　all　her　diplomatic　tact　into　the　task　before　her。　When　Pierre　went　up　to　them　he　noticed　that　Vera　was　in　full　flow　of　self…complacent　talk；　while　Prince　Andrey　seemed　embarrassed—a　thing　that　rarely　happened　to　him。
“What　do　you　think？”　Vera　was　saying　with　a　subtle　smile。　“You；　prince；　have　so　much　penetration　and　see　into　people’s　characters　at　once。　What　do　you　think　about　Natalie？　Is　she　capable　of　constancy　in　her　attachments？　Is　she　capable；　like　other　women”　（Vera　meant　herself）　“of　loving　a　man　once　for　all　and　remaining　faithful　to　him　for　ever？　That’s　what　I　regard　as　true　love！　What　do　you　think；　prince？”
“I　know　your　sister　too　little；”　answered　Prince　Andrey；　with　a　sarcastic　smile；　under　which　he　tried　to　conceal　his　embarrassment；　“to　decide　a　question　so　delicate；　and；　besides；　I　have　noticed　that　the　less　attractive　a　woman　is；　the　more　constant　she　is　apt　to　be；”　he　added；　and　he　looked　at　Pierre；　who　at　that　moment　joined　them。
“Yes；　that　is　true；　prince。　In　these　days；”　pursued　Vera　（talking　of　“these　days；”　as　persons　of　limited　intellect　as　a　rule　love　to　do；　supposing　they　have　discovered　and　estimated　the　peculiarities　of　the　times　and　that　human　characteristics　do　change　with　the　times）；　“in　these　days　a　girl　has　so　much　liberty　that　the　pleasure　of　being　paid　attention　often　stifles　these　feelings　in　her。　And　Natalie；　it　must　be　confessed；　is　very　susceptible　on　that　side。”
This　going　back　to　Natasha　again　made　Prince　Andrey　contract　his　brows　disagreeably。　He　tried　to　get　up；　but　Vera　persisted　with　a　still　more　subtle　smile。
“Nobody；　I　imagine；　has　been　so　much　run　after　as　she　has；”　Vera　went　on；　“but　no　one；　until　quite　of　late；　has　ever　made　a　serious　impression　on　her。　Of　course；　you　know；　count；”　she　turned　to　Pierre；　“even　our　charming　cousin；　Boris；　who；　entre　nous；　was　very；　very　far　gone　in　the　region　of　the　tender　passion　…”　She　intended　an　allusion　to　the　map　of　love　then　in　fashion。
Prince　Andrey　scowled；　and　was　mute。
“But；　of　course；　you　are　a　friend　of　Boris’s？”　Vera　said　to　him
“Yes；　I　know　him。　…”
“He　has　probably　told　you　of　his　childish　love　for　Natasha？”
“Oh；　was　there　a　childish　love　between　them？”　asked　Prince　Andrey　with　a　sudden；　unexpected　flush　on　his　face。
“Yes。　You　know　between　cousins　the　close　intimacy　often　leads　to　love。　Cousinhood　is　a　dangerous　neighbourhood。　Isn’t　it？”
“Oh；　not　a　doubt　of　it；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　and　with　sudden　and　unnatural　liveliness；　he　began　joking　with　Pierre　about　the　necessity　of　his　being　careful　with　his　cousins　at　Moscow；　ladies　of　fifty；　and　in　the　middle　of　these　jesting　remarks　he　got　up；　and　taking　Pierre’s　arm；　drew　him　aside。
“Well；　what　is　it？”　said　Pierre；　who　had　been　watching　in　wonder　his　friend’s　excitement；　and　noticed　the　glance　he　turned　upon　Natasha　as　he　got　up。
“I　must；　I　must　talk　to　you；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“You　know　that　pair　of　women’s　gloves”　（he　referred　to　the　masonic　gloves　given　to　a　newly　initiated　brother　to　be　entrusted　to　the　woman　he　loved）。　“I　…　but　no；　I　will　talk　to　you　later　on。　…”　And　with　a　strange　light　in　his　eyes　and　a　restlessness　in　his　movements；　Prince　Andrey　approached　Natasha　and　sat　down　beside　her。　Pierre　saw　that　Prince　Andrey　asked　her　some　question；　and　she　answered　him；　flushing　hotly。
But　at　that　moment　Berg　approached　Pierre；　and　insisted　upon　his　taking　part　in　an　argument　between　the　general　and　the　colonel　on　affairs　in　Spain。
Berg　was　satisfied　and　happy。　The　smile　of　glee　never　left　his　face。　The　soirée　was　a　great　success；　and　exactly　like　other　soirées　he　had　seen。　Everything　was　precisely　similar：　the　ladies’　refined　conversation；　and　the　cards；　and　after　the　cards　the　general　raising　his　voice　and　the　samovar　and　the　tea　cakes；　but　one　thing　was　still　lacking；　which　he　had　always　seen　at　soirées；　and　wished　to　imitate。　There　was　still　wanting　the　usual　loud　conversation　between　the　gentlemen　and　discussion　about　some　serious　intellectual　question。　The　general　had　started　that　conversation；　and　Berg　drew　Pierre　into　it。


Chapter　22
NEXT　DAY　Prince　Andrey　went　to　dine　at　the　Rostovs’；　as　Count　Ilya　Andreitch　had　invited　him；　and　spent　th