战争与和平(上)-第10章

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“Yes；”　said　the　countess；　when　the　sunshine　that　had　come　into　the　drawing…room　with　the　young　people　had　vanished。　She　was；　as　it　were；　replying　to　a　question　which　no　one　had　put　to　her；　but　which　was　always　in　her　thoughts：　“What　miseries；　what　anxieties　one　has　gone　through　for　the　happiness　one　has　in　them　now！　And　even　now　one　feels　really　more　dread　than　joy　over　them。　One’s　always　in　terror！　At　this　age　particularly　when　there　are　so　many　dangers　both　for　girls　and　boys。”
“Everything　depends　on　bringing　up；”　said　the　visitor。
“Yes；　you　are　right；”　the　countess　went　on。　“So　far　I　have　been；　thank　God；　my　children’s　friend　and　have　enjoyed　their　full　confidence；”　said　the　countess；　repeating　the　error　of　so　many　parents；　who　imagine　their　children　have　no　secrets　from　them。　“I　know　I　shall　always　be　first　in　my　children’s　confidence；　and　that　Nikolay；　if；　with　his　impulsive　character；　he　does　get　into　mischief　（boys　will　be　boys）　it　won’t　be　like　these　Petersburg　young　gentlemen。”
“Yes；　they’re　capital　children；　capital　children；”　assented　the　count；　who　always　solved　all　perplexing　questions　by　deciding　that　everything　was　capital。　“Fancy　now；　his　taking　it　into　his　head　to　be　an　hussar！　But　what　can　one　expect；　ma　chère？”
“What　a　sweet　little　thing　your　younger　girl　is！”　said　the　visitor。　“Full　of　fun　and　mischief！”
“Yes；　that　she　is；”　said　the　count。　“She　takes　after　me！　And　such　a　voice；　though　she’s　my　daughter；　it’s　the　truth　I’m　telling　you；　she’ll　be　a　singer；　another　Salomini。　We’ve　engaged　an　Italian　to　give　her　lessons。”
“Isn’t　it　too　early？　They　say　it　injures　the　voice　to　train　it　at　that　age。”
“Oh；　no！　Too　early！”　said　the　count。　“Why；　our　mothers　used　to　be　married　at　twelve　and　thirteen。”
“Well；　she’s　in　love　with　Boris　already！　What　do　you　say　to　that？”　said　the　countess；　smiling　softly　and　looking　at　Boris’s　mother。　And　apparently　in　reply　to　the　question　that　was　always　in　her　mind；　she　went　on：　“Why；　you　know；　if　I　were　strict　with　her；　if　I　were　to　forbid　her…God　knows　what　they　might　not　be　doing　in　secret”　（the　countess　meant　that　they　might　kiss　each　other）；　“but　as　it　is　I　know　every　word　she　utters。　She’ll　come　to　me　this　evening　and　tell　me　everything　of　herself。　I　spoil　her；　perhaps；　but　I　really　believe　it’s　the　best　way。　I　brought　my　elder　girl　up　more　strictly。”
“Yes；　I　was　brought　up　quite　differently；”　said　the　elder　girl；　the　handsome　young　Countess　Vera；　and　she　smiled。　But　the　smile　did　not　improve　Vera’s　face；　on　the　contrary　her　face　looked　unnatural；　and　therefore　unpleasing。　Vera　was　good…looking；　she　was　not　stupid；　was　clever　at　her　lessons；　and　well　educated；　she　had　a　pleasant　voice；　and　what　she　said　was　true　and　appropriate。　But；　strange　to　say；　every　one—both　the　visitor　and　the　countess—looked　at　her；　as　though　wondering　why　she　had　said　it；　and　conscious　of　a　certain　awkwardness。
“People　are　always　too　clever　with　their　elder　children；　they　try　to　do　something　exceptional　with　them；”　said　the　visitor。
“We　won’t　conceal　our　errors；　ma　chère！　My　dear　countess　was　too　clever　with　Vera；”　said　the　count。　“But　what　of　it？　she　has　turned　out　capitally　all　the　same；”　he　added；　with　a　wink　of　approval　to　Vera。
The　guests　got　up　and　went　away；　promising　to　come　to　dinner。
“What　manners！　Staying　on　and　on！”　said　the　countess；　when　she　had　seen　her　guests　out。


Chapter　10
WHEN　NATASHA　ran　out　of　the　drawing…room　she　only　ran　as　far　as　the　conservatory。　There　she　stopped　listening　to　the　talk　in　the　drawing…room；　and　waiting　for　Boris　to　come　out。　She　was　beginning　to　get　impatient；　and　stamping　her　foot　was　almost　ready　to　cry　at　his　not　coming　at　once；　when　she　heard　the　young　man’s　footsteps　coming　out　discreetly；　not　too　slowly　nor　too　quickly。　Natasha　darted　swiftly　away　and　hid　among　the　tubs　of　shrubs。
Boris　stood　still　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　looked　round　him；　brushed　a　speck　of　dirt　off　the　sleeve　of　his　uniform；　and　going　up　to　the　looking…glass　examined　his　handsome　face。　Natasha；　keeping　quiet；　peeped　out　of　her　hiding…place；　waiting　to　see　what　he　would　do。　He　stood　a　little　while　before　the　glass；　smiled　at　his　reflection；　and　walked　towards　the　other　door。　Natasha　was　on　the　point　of　calling　to　him；　but　she　changed　her　mind。　“Let　him　look　for　me；”　she　said　to　herself。　Boris　had　only　just　gone　out；　when　at　the　other　door　Sonya　came　in；　flushed　and　muttering　something　angrily　through　her　tears。　Natasha　checked　her　first　impulse　to　run　out　to　her；　and　remained　in　her　hiding…place；　as　it　were　under　the　invisible　cap；　looking　on　at　what　was　going　on　in　the　world。　She　began　to　feel　a　peculiar　novel　sort　of　enjoyment　in　it。　Sonya　was　murmuring　something　as　she　looked　towards　the　drawing…room　door。　The　door　opened　and　Nikolay　came　in。
“Sonya！　what　is　the　matter？　how　can　you？”　said　Nikolay；　running　up　to　her。
“Nothing；　nothing；　leave　me　alone！”　Sonya　was　sobbing。
“No；　I　know　what　it　is。”
“Very　well；　you　do；　so　much　the　better　then；　and　you　can　go　back　to　her。”
“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　li