战争与和平(上)-第191章

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“Oh；　do　make　me　acquainted　with　your　charming　daughters；”　she　said。　“All　the　town　is　singing　their　praises；　and　I　don’t　know　them。”
Natasha　got　up　and　curtseyed　to　the　magnificent　countess。　Natasha　was　so　delighted　at　the　praise　from　this　brilliant　beauty　that　she　blushed　with　pleasure。
“I　quite　want　to　become　a　Moscow　resident　myself；”　said　Ellen。　“What　a　shame　of　you　to　bury　such　pearls　in　the　country！”
Countess　Bezuhov　had　some　right　to　her　reputation　of　being　a　fascinating　woman。　She　could　say　what　she　did　not　think；　especially　what　was　flattering；　with　perfect　simplicity　and　naturalness。
“No；　dear　count；　you　must　let　me　help　to　entertain　your　daughters；　though　I’m　not　here　now　for　very　long；　nor　you　either。　But　I’ll　do　my　best　to　amuse　them。　I　have　heard　a　great　deal　about　you　in　Petersburg；　and　wanted　to　know　you；”　she　said　to　Natasha；　with　her　unvarying　beautiful　smile。　“I　have　heard　of　you；　too；　from　my　page；　Drubetskoy—you　have　heard　he　is　to　be　married—and　from　my　husband’s　friend；　Bolkonsky；　Prince　Andrey　Bolkonsky；”　she　said；　with　peculiar　emphasis；　by　which　she　meant　to　signify　that　she　knew　in　what　relation　he　stood　to　Natasha。　She　asked　that　one　of　the　young　ladies　might　be　allowed　to　sit　through　the　rest　of　the　performance　in　her　box　that　they　might　become　better　acquainted；　and　Natasha　moved　into　it。
In　the　third　act　the　scene　was　a　palace　in　which　a　great　many　candles　were　burning；　and　pictures　were　hanging　on　the　walls；　representing　knights　with　beards。　In　the　middle　stood　a　man　and　a　woman；　probably　meant　for　a　king　and　a　queen。　The　king　waved　his　right　hand；　and；　obviously　nervous；　sang　something　very　badly；　and　sat　down　on　a　crimson　throne。　The　actress；　who　had　been　in　white　at　first　and　then　in　blue；　was　now　in　nothing　but　a　smock；　and　had　let　her　hair　down。　She　was　standing　near　the　throne；　singing　something　very　mournful；　addressed　to　the　queen。　But　the　king　waved　his　hand　sternly；　and　from　the　sides　there　came　in　men　and　women　with　bare　legs　who　began　dancing　all　together。　Then　the　violins　played　very　shrilly　and　merrily：　one　of　the　actresses；　with　thick；　bare　legs　and　thin　arms；　leaving　the　rest；　went　to　the　side　to　set　straight　her　bodice；　then　walked　into　the　middle　of　the　stage　and　began　skipping　into　the　air　and　kicking　one　leg　very　rapidly　with　the　other。　Every　one　in　the　stalls　clapped　their　hands　and　roared　“bravo！”　Then　one　man　stood　alone　at　one　corner　of　the　stage。　The　cymbals　and　trumpets　struck　up　more　loudly　in　the　orchestra；　and　this　man　began　leaping　very　high　in　the　air　and　rapidly　waving　his　legs。　（This　was　Duport；　who　earned　sixty　thousand　a　year　by　this　accomplishment。）　Every　one　in　the　boxes　and　in　the　stalls　began　clapping　and　shouting　with　all　their　might；　and　the　man　stood　still　and　began　smiling　and　bowing　in　all　directions。　Then　other　men　and　women　with　bare　legs　danced；　then　again　the　king　shouted　something　to　music；　and　they　all　began　singing。　But　suddenly　a　storm　came　on；　chromatic　scales　and　chords　with　the　diminishing　sevenths　could　be　heard　in　the　orchestra；　and　they　all　ran　off；　dragging　one　of　the　performers　again　behind　the　scenes；　and　the　curtain　dropped。　Again　a　fearful　uproar　of　applause　arose　among　the　spectators；　and　all　began　screaming　with　rapturous　faces：
“Duport！　Duport！　Duport！”
Natasha　did　not　now　feel　this　strange。　She　looked　about　her　with　pleasure；　smiling　joyfully。
“Isn’t　Duport　admirable？”　said　Ellen；　turning　to　her。
“Oh　yes；”　answered　Natasha。


Chapter　10
IN　THE　ENTR’ACTE　there　was　a　current　of　chill　air　in　Ellen’s　box；　the　door　was　opened；　and　Anatole　walked　in；　bending　and　trying　not　to　brush　against　any　one。
“Allow　me　to　introduce　my　brother；”　said　Ellen；　her　eyes　shifting　uneasily　from　Natasha　to　Anatole。　Natasha　turned　her　pretty　little　head　towards　the　handsome　adjutant　and　smiled　over　her　bare　shoulder。　Anatole；　who　was　as　handsome　on　a　closer　view　as　he　was　from　a　distance；　sat　down　beside　her；　and　said　he　had　long　wished　to　have　this　pleasure；　ever　since　the　Narishkins’　ball；　at　which　he　had　had　the　pleasure　he　had　not　forgotten　of　seeing　her。　Kuragin　was　far　more　sensible　and　straightforward　with　women　than　he　was　in　men’s　society。　He　talked　boldly　and　simply；　and　Natasha　was　strangely　and　agreeably　impressed　by　finding　nothing　so　formidable　in　this　man；　of　whom　such　stories　were　told；　but；　on　the　contrary；　seeing　on　his　face　the　most　innocent；　merry；　and　simple…hearted　smile。
Kuragin　asked　her　what　she　thought　of　the　performance；　and　told　her　that　at　the　last　performance　Semyonovna　had　fallen　down　while　she　was　acting。
“And　do　you　know；　countess；”　said　he；　suddenly　addressing　her　as　though　she　were　an　old　friend；　“we　are　getting　up　a　costume　ball；　you　ought　to　take　part　in　it；　it　will　be　great　fun。　They　are　all　assembling　at　the　Karagins’。　Please；　do　come；　really　now；　eh？”　he　said。　As　he　said　this　he　never　took　his　smiling　eyes　off　the　face；　the　neck；　the　bare　arms　of　Natasha。　Natasha　knew　beyond　all　doubt　that　he　was　fascinated　by　her。　That　pleased　her；　yet　she　felt　for　some　reason　constrained　and　oppressed　in　his　presence。　When　she　was　not　looking　at　him　she　felt　that　he　was　looking　at　her　shoulders；　and　she　could　not　help　trying　to　catch　his　eyes　that　he　might　rather　look　in　her　face。　But　as　she　looked　into　his　eyes　she　felt　with　horror　that；　between　him　and　her；　there　was　not　that　barrier　of　modest　reserve　she　had　always　been　conscious　of　between　herself　and　other　men。　In　five　minutes　she　felt—she　did　not　know　how—that　she　had　come　fearfully　close　to　this　man。　When　she　turned　away；　she　felt　afraid　he　might　take　her　from　behind　by　her　bare　arm　and　kiss　her　on　the　neck。　They　talked　of　the　simplest　things；　and　she　felt　that　they　were　close　as　she　had　never　been　with　any　man。　Natasha　looked　round　at　Ellen　and　at　her　father；　as　though　to　ask　them　what　was　the　meaning　of　it。　But　Ellen　was　absorbed　in　talking　to　a　general　and　did　not　respond　to　her　glance；　and　her　father’s　eyes　said　nothing　to　her　but　what　they　always　said：　“Enjoying　yourself？　Well；　I’m　glad　then。”
In　one　of　the　moments　of　awkward　silence；　during　which　Anatole　gazed　calmly　and　persistently　at　her；　Natasha；　to　break　the　silence；　asked　him　how　he　liked　Moscow。　Natasha　asked　this　question　and　blushed　as　she　did　so；　she　was　feeling　all　the　while　that　there　she　was　doing　something　improper　in　talking　to　him。　Anatole　smiled　as　though　to　encourage　her。
“At　first　I　didn’t　like　it　much；　for　what　is　it　makes　one　like　a　town？　It’s　the　pretty　women；　isn’t　it？　Well；　but　now　I　like　it　awfully；”　he　said；　with　a　meaning　look　at　her。　“You’ll　come　to　the　fancy　dress　ball；　countess？　Do　come；”　he　said；　and　putting　his　hand　out　to　her　bouquet　he　said；　dropping　his　voice；　“You　will　be　the　prettiest。　Come；　dear　countess；　and　as　a　pledge　give　me　this　flower。”
Natasha　did　not　understand　what　he　was　saying；　nor　did　he　himself；　but　she　felt　that　in　his　uncomprehended　words　there　was　some　improper　intention。　She　did　not　know　what　to　say；　and　turned　away　as　though　she　had　not　heard　what　he　said。　But　as　soon　as　she　turned　away　she　felt　that　he　was　here　behind　her；　so　close　to　her。
“What　is　he　feeling　now？　Is　he　confused？　Is　he　angry？　Must　I　set　it　right？”　she　wondered。　She　could　not　refrain　from　looking　round。　She　glanced　straight　into　his　eyes；　and　his　nearness　and　confidence；　and　the　simple…hearted　warmth　of　his　smile　vanquished　her。　She　smiled　exactly　as　he　did；　looking　straight　into　his　eyes。　And　again；　she　felt　with　horror　that　no　barrier　lay　between　him　and　her。
The　curtain　rose　again。　Anatole　walked　out　of　the　box；　serene　and　good…humoured。　Natasha　went　back　to　her　father’s　box；　completely　under　the　spell　of　the　world　in　which　she　found　herself。　All　that　passed　before　her　eyes　now　seemed　to　her　perfectly　natural。　But　on　the　other　hand　all　previous　thoughts　of　her　betrothed；　of　Princess　Marya；　of　her　life　in　the　country；　did　not　once　recur　to　her　mind；　as　though　all　that　belonged　to　the　remote　past。
In　the　fourth　act　there　was　some　sort　of　devil　who　sang；　waving　his　arms　till　the　boards　were　moved　away　under　him　and　he　sank　into　the　opening。　That　was　all　Natasha　saw　of　the　fourth　act；　she　felt　harassed　and　excited；　and　the　cause