战争与和平(上)-第3章

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tainly　was　somewhat　bigger　than　any　of　the　other　men　in　the　room；　this　expression　could　only　have　reference　to　the　clever；　though　shy；　observant　and　natural　look　that　distinguished　him　from　every　one　else　in　the　drawing…room。
“It　is　very　kind　of　you；　M。　Pierre；　to　have　come　to　see　a　poor　invalid；”　Anna　Pavlovna　said　to　him；　exchanging　anxious　glances　with　her　aunt；　to　whom　she　was　conducting　him。
Pierre　murmured　something　unintelligible；　and　continued　searching　for　something　with　his　eyes。　He　smiled　gleefully　and　delightedly；　bowing　to　the　little　princess　as　though　she　were　an　intimate　friend；　and　went　up　to　the　aunt。　Anna　Pavlovna’s　alarm　was　not　without　grounds；　for　Pierre　walked　away　from　the　aunt　without　waiting　to　the　end　of　her　remarks　about　her　majesty’s　health。　Anna　Pavlovna　stopped　him　in　dismay　with　the　words：　“You　don’t　know　Abbé　Morio？　He’s　a　very　interesting　man；”　she　said。
“Yes；　I　have　heard　of　his　scheme　for　perpetual　peace；　and　it’s　very　interesting；　but　hardly　possible　…”
“You　think　so？”　said　Anna　Pavlovna　in　order　to　say　something　and　to　get　away　again　to　her　duties　as　hostess；　but　Pierre　committed　the　opposite　incivility。　Just　now　he　had　walked　off　without　listening　to　the　lady　who　was　addressing　him；　now　he　detained　by　his　talk　a　lady　who　wanted　to　get　away　from　him。　With　head　bent　and　legs　planted　wide　apart；　he　began　explaining　to　Anna　Pavlovna　why　he　considered　the　abbé’s　scheme　chimerical。
“We　will　talk　of　it　later；”　said　Anna　Pavlovna；　smiling。
And　getting　rid　of　this　unmannerly　young　man　she　returned　to　her　duties；　keeping　her　eyes　and　ears　open；　ready　to　fly　to　the　assistance　at　any　point　where　the　conversation　was　flagging。　Just　as　the　foreman　of　a　spinning…mill　settles　the　work…people　in　their　places；　walks　up　and　down　the　works；　and　noting　any　stoppage　or　unusual　creaking　or　too　loud　a　whir　in　the　spindles；　goes　up　hurriedly；　slackens　the　machinery　and　sets　it　going　properly；　so　Anna　Pavlovna；　walking　about　her　drawing…room；　went　up　to　any　circle　that　was　pausing　or　too　loud　in　conversation　and　by　a　single　word　or　change　of　position　set　the　conversational　machine　going　again　in　its　regular；　decorous　way。　But　in　the　midst　of　these　cares　a　special　anxiety　on　Pierre’s　account　could　still　be　discerned　in　her。　She　kept　an　anxious　watch　on　him　as　he　went　up　to　listen　to　what　was　being　said　near　Mortemart；　and　walked　away　to　another　group　where　the　abbé　was　talking。　Pierre　had　been　educated　abroad；　and　this　party　at　Anna　Pavlovna’s　was　the　first　at　which　he　had　been　present　in　Russia。　He　knew　all　the　intellectual　lights　of　Petersburg　gathered　together　here；　and　his　eyes　strayed　about　like　a　child’s　in　a　toy…shop。　He　was　afraid　at　every　moment　of　missing　some　intellectual　conversation　which　he　might　have　heard。　Gazing　at　the　self…confident　and　refined　expressions　of　the　personages　assembled　here；　he　was　continually　expecting　something　exceptionally　clever。　At　last　he　moved　up　to　Abbé　Morio。　The　conversation　seemed　interesting；　and　he　stood　still　waiting　for　an　opportunity　of　expressing　his　own　ideas；　as　young　people　are　fond　of　doing。


Chapter　3
ANNA　PAVLOVNA’S　soirée　was　in　full　swing。　The　spindles　kept　up　their　regular　hum　on　all　sides　without　pause。　Except　the　aunt；　beside　whom　was　sitting　no　one　but　an　elderly　lady　with　a　thin；　careworn　face；　who　seemed　rather　out　of　her　element　in　this　brilliant　society；　the　company　was　broken　up　into　three　groups。　In　one　of　these；　the　more　masculine；　the　centre　was　the　abbé；　in　the　other；　the　group　of　young　people；　the　chief　attractions　were　the　beautiful　Princess　Ellen；　Prince　Vassily’s　daughter；　and　the　little　Princess　Bolkonsky；　with　her　rosy　prettiness；　too　plump　for　her　years。　In　the　third　group　were　Mortemart　and　Anna　Pavlovna。
The　vicomte　was　a　pretty　young　gentleman　with　soft　features　and　manners；　who　obviously　regarded　himself　as　a　celebrity；　but　with　good　breeding　modestly　allowed　the　company　the　benefit　of　his　society。　Anna　Pavlovna　unmistakably　regarded　him　as　the　chief　entertainment　she　was　giving　her　guests。　As　a　clever　ma？tre　d’h？tel　serves　as　something　superlatively　good　the　piece　of　beef　which　no　one　would　have　cared　to　eat　seeing　it　in　the　dirty　kitchen；　Anna　Pavlovna　that　evening　served　up　to　her　guests　—　first；　the　vicomte　and　then　the　abbé；　as　something　superlatively　subtle。　In　Mortemart’s　group　the　talk　turned　at　once　on　the　execution　of　the　duc　d’Enghien。　The　vicomte　said　that　the　duc　d’Enghien　had　been　lost　by　his　own　magnanimity　and　that　there　were　special　reasons　for　Bonaparte’s　bitterness　against　him。
“Ah；　come！　Tell　us　about　that；　vicomte；”　said　Anna　Pavlovna　gleefully；　feeling　that　the　phrase　had　a　peculiarly　Louis　Quinze　note　about　it：　“Contez…nous　cela；　vicomte。”
The　vicomte　bowed　and　smiled　courteously　in　token　of　his　readiness　to　obey。　Anna　Pavlovna　made　a　circle　round　the　vicomte　and　invited　every　one　to　hear　his　story。
“The　vicomte　was　personally　acquainted　with　his　highness；”　Anna　Pavlovna　whispered　to　one。　“The　vicomte　tells　a　story　perfectly；”　she　said　to　another。　“How　one　sees　the　man　of　quality；”　she　said　to　a　third；　and　the　vicomte　was　presented　to　the　company　in　the　most　elegant　and　advantageous　light；　like　the　roast…beef　on　the　hot　dish　garnished　with　green　parsley。
The　vicomte　was　about　to　begin　his　narrative；　and　he　smiled　subtly。
“Come　over　here；　chère　Hélène；”　said　Anna　Pavlovna　to　the　young　beauty　who　was　sitting　a　little　way　off；　the　centre　of　another　group。
Princess　Ellen　smiled。　She　got　up　with　the　same　unchanging　smile　of　the　acknowledged　beauty　with　which　she　had　entered　the　drawing…room。　Her　white　ball…dress　adorned　with　ivy　and　moss　rustled　lightly；　her　white　shoulders；　glossy　hair；　and　diamonds　glittered；　as　she　passed　between　the　men　who　moved　apart　to　make　way　for　her。　Not　looking　directly　at　any　one；　but　smiling　at　every　one；　as　it　were　courteously　allowing　to　all　the　right　to　admire　the　beauty　of　her　figure；　her　full　shoulders；　her　bosom　and　back；　which　were　extremely　exposed　in　the　mode　of　the　day；　she　moved　up　to　Anna　Pavlovna；　seeming　to　bring　with　her　the　brilliance　of　the　ballroom。　Ellen　was　so　lovely　that　she　was　not　merely　free　from　the　slightest　shade　of　coquetry；　she　seemed　on　the　contrary　ashamed　of　the　too　evident；　too　violent　and　all…conquering　influence　of　her　beauty。　She　seemed　to　wish　but　to　be　unable　to　soften　the　effect　of　her　beauty。
“What　a　beautiful　woman！”　every　one　said　on　seeing　her。　As　though　struck　by　something　extraordinary；　the　vicomte　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　dropped　his　eyes；　when　she　seated　herself　near　him　and　dazzled　him　too　with　the　same　unchanging　smile。
“Madame；　I　doubt　my　abilities　before　such　an　audience；”　he　said；　bowing　with　a　smile。
The　princess　leaned　her　plump；　bare　arm　on　the　table　and　did　not　find　it　necessary　to　say　anything。　She　waited；　smiling。　During　the　vicomte’s　story　she　sat　upright；　looking　from　time　to　time　at　her　beautiful；　plump　arm；　which　lay　with　its　line　changed　by　pressure　on　the　table；　then　at　her　still　lovelier　bosom；　on　which　she　set　straight　her　diamond　necklace。　Several　times　she　settled　the　folds　of　her　gown　and　when　the　narrative　made　a　sensation　upon　the　audience；　she　glanced　at　Anna　Pavlovna　and　at　once　assumed　the　expression　she　saw　on　the　maid…of…honour’s　face；　then　she　relapsed　again　into　her　unvarying　smile。　After　Ellen　the　little　princess　too　moved　away　from　the　tea…table。
“Wait　for　me；　I　will　take　my　work；”　she　said。　“Come；　what　are　you　thinking　of？”　she　said　to　Prince　Ippolit。　“Bring　me　my　reticule。”
The　little　princess；　smiling　and　talking　to　every　one；　at　once　effected　a　change　of　position；　and　settling　down　again；　gaily　smoothed　out　her　skirts。
“Now　I’m　comfortable；”　she　said；　and　begging　the　vicomte　to　begin；　she　took　up　her　work。　Prince　Ippolit　brought　her　reticule；　moved　to　her　side；　and　bending　close　over　her　chair；　sat　beside　her。
Le　charmant　Hippolyte　struck　every　one　as　extraordinarily　like　this　sister；　and；　still　more；　as　being；　in　spite　of　the　likeness；　strikingly　ugly。　His　features　were　like　his　sister’s；　but　in　her；　everything　was　radiant　with　joyous　life；　with　the　complacent；　never…failing　smile　of　youth　and　life　and　an　extraordinary　a