战争与和平(上)-第319章

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mself　in　a　happy　frame　of　mind；　everything　went　well　and　prospered　with　him。
The　country　gentleman　turned　out　to　be　an　old　cavalry　officer；　a　bachelor；　a　great　horse…fancier；　a　sportsman；　and　the　owner　of　a　smoking…room；　of　hundred…year…old　herb…brandy；　of　some　old　Hungarian　wine；　and　of　superb　horses。
In　a　couple　of　words；　Nikolay　had　bought　for　six　thousand　roubles　seventeen　stallions；　all　perfect　examples　of　their　several　breeds　（as　he　said）；　as　show　specimens　of　his　remounts。　After　dining　and　drinking　a　glass　or　so　too　much　of　the　Hungarian　wine；　Rostov；　exchanging　kisses　with　the　country　gentleman；　with　whom　he　was　already　on　the　friendliest　terms；　galloped　back　over　the　most　atrociously　bad　road　in　the　happiest　frame　of　mind；　continually　urging　the　driver　on；　so　that　he　might　be　in　time　for　the　soirée　at　the　governor’s。
After　dressing；　scenting　himself；　and　douching　his　head　with　cold　water；　Nikolay　made　his　appearance　at　the　governor’s；　a　little　late；　but　with　the　phrase；　“Better　late　than　never；”　ready　on　the　tip　of　his　tongue。
It　was　not　a　ball；　and　nothing　had　been　said　about　dancing；　but　every　one　knew　that　Katerina　Petrovna　would　play　waltzes　and　écossaises　on　the　clavichord；　and　that　there　would　be　dancing；　and　every　one　reckoning　on　it；　had　come　dressed　for　a　ball。
Provincial　life　in　the　year　1812　went　on　exactly　the　same　as　always；　the　only　difference　being　that　the　provincial　towns　were　livelier　owing　to　the　presence　of　many　wealthy　families　from　Moscow；　that；　as　in　everything　going　on　at　that　time　in　Russia；　there　was　perceptible　in　the　gaiety　a　certain　devil…may…care；　desperate　recklessness；　and　also　that　the　small　talk　indispensable　between　people　was　now　not　about　the　weather　and　common　acquaintances；　but　about　Moscow　and　the　army　and　Napoleon。
The　gathering　at　the　governor’s　consisted　of　the　best　society　in　Voronezh。
There　were　a　great　many　ladies；　among　them　several　Moscow　acquaintances　of　Nikolay’s；　but　among　the　men　there　was　no　one　who　could　be　compared　with　the　cavalier　of　St。　George；　the　gallant　hussar；　the　good…natured；　well…bred　Count　Rostov。　Among　the　men　there　was　an　Italian　prisoner—an　officer　of　the　French　army；　and　Nikolay　felt　that　the　presence　of　this　prisoner　gave　an　added　lustre　to　him—the　Russian　hero。　He　was；　as　it　were；　a　trophy　of　victory。　Nikolay　felt　this；　and　it　seemed　to　him　as　though　every　one　looked　at　the　Italian　in　the　same　light；　and　he　treated　the　foreign　officer　with　gracious　dignity　and　reserve。
As　soon　as　Nikolay　came　in　in　his　full…dress　uniform　of　an　officer　of　hussars；　diffusing　a　fragrance　of　scent　and　wine　about　him；　and　said　himself　and　heard　several　times　said　to　him；　the　words；　“Better　late　than　never；”　people　clustered　round　him。　All　eyes　were　turned　on　him；　and　he　felt　at　once　that　he　had　stepped　into　a　position　that　just　suited　him　in　a　provincial　town—a　position　always　agreeable；　but　now　after　his　long　privation　of　such　gratifications；　intoxicatingly　delightful—that　of　a　universal　favourite。　Not　only　at　the　posting…stations；　at　the　taverns；　and　in　the　smoking…room　of　the　horse…breeding　gentleman；　had　he　found　servant…girls　flattered　by　his　attention；　but　here；　at　the　governor’s　assembly；　there　were　（so　it　seemed　to　Nikolay）　an　inexhaustible　multitude　of　young　married　ladies　and　pretty　girls；　who　were　only　waiting　with　impatience　for　him　to　notice　them。　The　ladies　and　the　young　girls　flirted　with　him；　and　the　old　people　began　even　from　this　first　evening　bestirring　themselves　to　try　and　get　this　gallant　young　rake　of　an　hussar　married　and　settled　down。　Among　the　latter　was　the　governor’s　wife　herself；　who　received　Rostov　as　though　he　were　a　near　kinsman；　and　called　him　“Nikolay。”
Katerina　Petrovna　did　in　fact　proceed　to　play　waltzes　and　écossaises；　and　dancing　began；　in　which　Nikolay　fascinated　the　company　more　than　ever　by　his　elegance。　He　surprised　every　one　indeed　by　his　peculiarly　free　and　easy　style　in　dancing。　Nikolay　was　a　little　surprised　himself　at　his　own　style　of　dancing　at　that　soirée。　He　had　never　danced　in　that　manner　at　Moscow；　and　would　indeed　have　regarded　such　an　extremely　free　and　easy　manner　of　dancing　as　not　correct；　as　bad　style；　but　here　he　felt　it　incumbent　on　him　to　astonish　them　all　by　something　extraordinary；　something　that　they　would　be　sure　to　take　for　the　usual　thing　in　the　capital；　though　new　to　them　in　the　provinces。
All　the　evening　Nikolay　paid　the　most　marked　attention　to　a　blue…eyed；　plump；　and　pleasing　little　blonde；　the　wife　of　one　of　the　provincial　officials。　With　the　na？ve　conviction　of　young　men　who　are　enjoying　themselves；　that　other　men’s　wives　are　created　for　their　special　benefit；　Rostov　never　left　this　lady’s　side；　and　treated　her　husband　in　a　friendly　way；　almost　as　though　there　were　a　private　understanding　between　them；　as　though　they　knew　without　speaking　of　it　how　capitally　they；　that　is；　how　Nikolay　and　the　wife；　would　get　on。　The　husband　did　not；　however；　appear　to　share　this　conviction；　and　tried　to　take　a　gloomy　tone　with　Rostov。　But　Nikolay’s　good…humoured　na？veté　was　so　limitless　that　at　times　the　husband　could　not　help　being　drawn　into　his　gay　humour。　Towards　the　end　of　the　evening；　however；　as　the　wife’s　face　grew　more　flushed　and　animated；　the　husband’s　grew　steadily　more　melancholy　and　stolid；　as　though　they　had　a　given　allowance　of　liveliness　between　them；　and　as　the　wife’s　increased；　the　husband’s　dwindled。


Chapter　5
WITH　A　SMILE　that　never　left　his　lips；　Nikolay　sat　bent　a　little　forward　on　a　low　chair；　and　stooping　close　over　his　blonde　beauty；　he　paid　her　mythological　compliments。
Jauntily　shifting　the　posture　of　his　legs　in　his　tight　riding…breeches；　diffusing　a　scent　of　perfume；　and　admiring　his　fair　companion　and　himself　and　the　fine　lines　of　his　legs　in　the　tight　breeches；　Nikolay　told　the　blonde　lady　that　he　wanted　to　elope　with　a　lady　here；　in　Voronezh。
“What　is　she　like？”
“Charming；　divine。　Her　eyes”　（Nikolay　gazed　at　his　companion）　“are　blue；　her　lips　are　coral；　her　whiteness…”　he　gazed　at　her　shoulders；　“the　shape　of　Diana…”
The　husband　came　up　to　them　and　asked　his　wife　gloomily　what　she　was　talking　of。
“Ah！　Nikita　Ivanitch；”　said　Nikolay；　rising　courteously。　And　as　though　anxious　for　Nikita　Ivanitch　to　take　a　share　in　his　jests；　he　began　to　tell　him　too　of　his　intention　of　running　away　with　a　blonde　lady。
The　husband　smiled　grimly；　the　wife　gaily。
The　good…natured　governor’s　wife　came　up　to　them　with　a　disapproving　air。
“Anna　Ignatyevna　wants　to　see　you；　Nikolay；”　she　said；　pronouncing　the　name　in　such　a　way　that　Rostov　was　at　once　aware　that　Anna　Ignatyevna　was　a　very　great　lady。　“Come；　Nikolay。　You　let　me　call　you　so；　don’t　you？”
“Oh；　yes；　ma　tante。　Who　is　she？”
“Anna　Ignatyevna　Malvintsev。　She　has　heard　about　you　from　her　niece；　how　you　rescued　her…Do　you　guess？…”
“Oh；　I　rescued　so　many！”　cried　Nikolay。
“Her　niece；　Princess　Bolkonsky。　She　is　here　in　Voronezh　with　her　aunt。　Oho！　how　he　blushes！　Eh？”
“Not　a　bit　of　it；　nonsense；　ma　tante。”
“Oh；　very　well；　very　well。　Oh！　oh！　what　a　boy　it　is！”
The　governor’s　wife　led　him　up　to　a　tall　and　very　stout　lady　in　a　blue　toque；　who　had　just　finished　a　game　of　cards　with　the　personages　of　greatest　consequence　in　the　town。　This　was　Madame　Malvintsev；　Princess　Marya’s　aunt　on　her　mother’s　side；　a　wealthy；　childless　widow；　who　always　lived　in　Voronezh。　She　was　standing　up；　reckoning　her　losses；　when　Rostov　came　up　to　her。
She　dropped　her　eyelids　with　a　severe　and　dignified　air；　glanced　at　him；　and　went　on　upbraiding　the　general　who　had　been　winning　from　her。
“Delighted；　my　dear　boy；”　she　said；　holding　out　her　hand　to　him。　“Pray　come　and　see　me。”
After　saying　a　few　words　about　Princess　Marya　and　her　late　father；　whom　Madame　Malvintsev　had　evidently　disliked；　and　inquiring　what　Nikolay　knew　about　Prince　Andrey；　who　was　apparently　also　not　in　her　good　graces；　the　dignified　old　lady　dismissed　him；　repeating　her　invitation　to　come　and　see　her。
Nikolay　promised　to　do　so　and　blushed　again　as　he　took　leave　of　Madame　Malvintsev。　At　the　mention　of　Princess　Marya’s　name；　Rostov　experienced　a　sensation　of　shyness；　even　of　terror；　which　he　could　not　have　explained　to　him