战争与和平(上)-第150部分

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e　face　at　the　new…comers。　It　might　have　been　supposed　that　she　was　irritated　at　their　arrival；　and　would　pack　them　off　again　at　once；　had　she　not　at　the　very　time　been　giving　careful　instructions　to　her　servants　where　to　install　her　guests　and　their　belongings。
“The　count’s　things？　Bring　them　here；”　she　said；　pointing　to　the　trunks；　and　not　bestowing　a　greeting　on　any　one。　“The　young　ladies’；　this　way　to　the　left。　Well；　what　are　we　pottering　about　for？”　she　called　to　her　maids。　“Warm　the　samovar！　She’s　plumper；　prettier；”　she　pronounced　of　Natasha；　flushed　from　the　frosty　air；　as　she　drew　her　closer　by　her　hood。　“Foo！　she　is　cold！　You　make　haste　and　get　your　wraps　off；”　she　shouted　to　the　count；　who　would　have　kissed　her　hand。　“You’re　frozen；　I　warrant。　Rum　for　the　tea！　Sonyushka；　bonjour；”　she　said　to　Sonya；　indicating　by　this　French　phrase　the　slightly　contemptuous　affectionateness　of　her　attitude　to　Sonya。
When　they　had　all　taken　off　their　outdoor　things；　set　themselves　straight　after　the　journey；　and　come　in　to　tea；　Marya　Dmitryevna　kissed　them　all　in　due　course。
“Heartily　glad　you　have　come；　and　are　staying　with　me；”　she　said。　“It’s　long　been　time　you　were　here；”　she　said；　with　a　significant　glance　at　Natasha。…　“The　old　fellow’s　here；　and　his　son’s　expected　from　day　to　day。　You　must；　you　must　make　their　acquaintance。　Oh；　well；　we　shall　talk　of　that　later　on；”　she　added；　with　a　glance　at　Sonya；　showing　that　she　did　not　care　to　talk　of　it　before　her。　“Now；　listen；”　she　turned　to　the　count；　“what　do　you　want　to　do　to…morrow？　Whom　will　you　send　for？　Shinshin？”—she　crooked　one　finger。　“The　tearful　Anna　Mihalovna—　two。　She’s　here　with　her　son。　The　son’s　to　be　married　too！　Then　Bezuhov。　He’s　here；　too；　with　his　wife。　He　ran　away　from　her；　and　she　has　come　trotting　after　him。　He　dined　with　me　last　Wednesday。　Well；　and　I’ll　take　them”—she　indicated　the　young　ladies—“to…morrow　to　Iversky　chapel；　and　then　we　shall　go　to　Aubert…Chalmey。　You’ll　be　getting　everything　now；　I　expect！　Don’t　judge　by　me—the　sleeves　nowadays　are　like　this！　The　other　day　the　young　princess；　Irina　Vassilyevna；　came　to　see　me；　just　as　though　she　had　put　two　barrels　on　her　arms；　a　dreadful　fright。　Every　day　there’s　a　new　fashion。　And　what　sort　of　business　is　it　you　have　come　for　yourself？”　she　said　severely；　addressing　the　count。
“Everything　has　come　together；”　answered　the　count。　“There’s　the　girl’s　rags　to　buy；　and　now　there’s　a　purchaser　turned　up　for　the　Moscow　estate　and　the　house。　If　you’ll　graciously　permit　it；　I’ll　choose　an　opportunity　and　drive　over　to　Maryinskoe　for　a　day；　leaving　my　girls　on　your　hands。”
“Very　good；　very　good；　they’ll　be　safe　enough　with　me。　I’m　as　safe　as　the　Mortgage　Bank。　I’ll　take　them　where　they　must　go；　and　scold　them　and　pet　them　too；”　said　Marya　Dmitryevna；　putting　her　big　hand　on　the　cheek　of　her　favourite　and　god…daughter　Natasha。
Next　morning　Marya　Dmitryevna　bore　the　young　ladies　off　to　Iversky　chapel　and　to　Madame　Aubert…Chalmey；　who　was　so　frightened　of　Marya　Dmitryevna　that　she　always　sold　her　dresses　at　a　loss　simply　to　get　rid　of　her　as　soon　as　possible。　Marya　Dmitryevna　ordered　almost　the　whole　trousseau。　On　their　return；　she　sent　every　one　out　of　the　room　but　Natasha；　and　called　her　favourite　to　sit　beside　her　arm…chair。
“Well；　now　we　can　have　a　chat。　I　congratulate　you　on　your　betrothed。　A　fine　fellow　you　have　hooked！　I’m　glad　of　it　for　your　sake；　and　I　have　known　him　since　he　was　that　high”—she　held　her　hand　a　yard　from　the　floor。　Natasha　flushed　joyfully。　“I　like　him　and　all　his　family。　Now；　listen！　You　know；　of　course；　that　old　Prince　Nikolay　was　very　much　against　his　son’s　marrying。　He’s　a　whimsical　old　fellow！　Of　course；　Prince　Andrey　is　not　a　child；　he　can　get　on　without　him；　but　to　enter　a　family　against　the　father’s　will　is　not　a　nice　thing　to　do。　One　wants　peace　and　love　in　a　family。　You’re　a　clever　girl；　you’ll　know　how　to　manage　things。　You　must　use　your　wits　and　your　kind　heart。　And　every　thing　will　come　right。”
Natasha　was　silent；　not　as　Marya　Dmitryevna　supposed　from　shyness。　In　reality　Natasha　disliked　any　one’s　interfering　in　what　touched　her　love　for　Prince　Andrey；　which　seemed　to　her　something　so　apart　from　all　human　affairs；　that　no　one；　as　she　imagined；　could　understand　it。　She　loved　Prince　Andrey；　and　only　him；　and　knew　only　him；　he　loved　her；　and　was　to　arrive　in　a　day　or　two　and　carry　her　off。　She　did　not　care　about　anything　else。
“I　have　known　him　a　long　while；　do　you　see；　and　Masha；　your　sister…in…law；　I　love。　Sisters…in…law　are　said　to　be　mischief…makers；　but　she—　well；　she　wouldn’t　hurt　a　fly。　She　has　begged　me　to　bring　you　two　together。　You　must　go　to　see　her　to…morrow　with　your　father；　and　be　as　nice　as　possible；　you　are　younger　than　she　is。　By　the　time　your　young　man　comes　back；　you’ll　be　friends　with　his　sister　and　his　father；　and　they　will　have　learned　to　love　you。　Yes　or　no？　It　will　be　better　so；　eh？”
“Oh　yes！”　Natasha　responded　reluctantly。


Chapter　7
NEXT　DAY；　by　the　advice　of　Marya　Dmitryevna；　Count　Ilya　Andreitch　went　with　Natasha　to　call　on　Prince　Nikolay　Andreitch。　The　count　prepared　for　the　visit　by　no　means　in　a　cheerful　spirit：　in　his　heart　he　was　afraid。　Count　Ilya　Andreitch　had　a　vivid　recollection　of　his　last　interview　with　the　old　prince　at　the　time　of　the　levying　of　the　militia；　when；　in　reply　to　his　invitation　to　dinner；　he　had　had　to　listen　to　a　heated　reprimand　for　furnishing　less　than　the　required　number　of　men。　Natasha　in　her　best　dress　was；　on　the　contrary；　in　the　most　cheerful　frame　of　mind。　“They　can’t　help　liking　me；”　she　thought；　“every　one　always　does　like　me。　And　I’m　so　ready　to　do　anything　they　please　for　them；　so　readily　to　love　them—him　for　being　his　father；　and　her　for　being　his　sister—they　can　have　no　reason　for　not　loving　me！”
They　drove　to　the　gloomy　old　house　in　Vosdvizhenka；　and　went　into　the　vestibule。
“Well　now；　with　God’s　blessing；”　said　the　count；　half　in　jest；　half　in　earnest。　But　Natasha　noticed　that　her　father　was　in　a　nervous　fidget　as　he　went　into　the　entry；　and　asked　timidly　and　softly　whether　the　prince　and　the　princess　were　at　home。　After　their　arrival　had　been　announced；　there　was　some　perturbation　visible　among　the　prince’s　servants。　The　footman；　who　was　running　to　announce　them；　was　stopped　by　another　footman　in　the　big　hall；　and　they　whispered　together。　A　maid…servant　ran　into　the　hall；　and　hurriedly　said　something；　mentioning　the　princess。　At　last　one　old　footman　came　out　with　a　wrathful　air；　and　announced　to　the　Rostovs　that　the　prince　was　not　receiving；　but　the　princess　begged　them　to　walk　up。　The　first　person　to　meet　the　visitors　was　Mademoiselle　Bourienne。　She　greeted　the　father　and　daughter　with　marked　courtesy；　and　conducted　them　to　the　princess’s　apartment。　The　princess；　with　a　frightened　and　agitated　face；　flushed　in　patches；　ran　in；　treading　heavily；　to　meet　her　visitors；　doing　her　best　to　seem　cordial　and　at　ease。　From　the　first　glance　Princess　Marya　disliked　Natasha。　She　thought　her　too　fashionably　dressed；　too　frivolously　gay　and　vain。　Princess　Marya　had　no　idea　that　before　she　had　seen　her　future　sister…in…law　she　had　been　unfavourably　disposed　to　her；　through　unconscious　envy　of　her　beauty；　her　youth；　and　her　happiness；　and　through　jealousy　of　her　brother’s　love　for　her。　Apart　from　this　insuperable　feeling　of　antipathy　to　her；　Princess　Marya　was　at　that　moment　agitated　by　the　fact　that　on　the　Rostovs’　having　been　announced　the　old　prince　had　shouted　that　he　didn’t　want　to　see　them；　that　Princess　Marya　could　see　them　if　she　chose；　but　they　were　not　to　be　allowed　in　to　see　him。　Princess　Marya　resolved　to　see　the　Rostovs；　but　she　was　every　instant　in　dread　of　some　freak　on　the　part　of　the　old　prince；　as　he　had　appeared　greatly　excited　by　the　arrival　of　the　Rostovs。
“Well；　here　I　have　brought　you　my　songstress；　princess；”　said　the　count；　bowing　and　scraping；　while　he　looked　round　uneasily　as　though　he　were　afraid　the　old　prince　might　come　in。　“How　glad　I　am　that　you　should　make　friends。…Sorry；　very　sorry；　the　prince　is　still　unwell”；　and　uttering　a　few　more　stock　phrases；　he　got　up。　“If　you’ll　allow　me；　princess；　to　leave　you　my　Natasha　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　I　will　drive　round—only　a　few　steps　from　here—to　Dogs’　Square　to　see　Anna　Semyonovna；　and　then　come　back　for　her。”
Count　Ilya　Andreitch　bethought　himself　of　this　diplomatic　stratagem　to　give　the　future　sisters…in…law　greater　freedom　to　express　their　feelings　to　one　another　（so　he　told　his　daughter　afterwards）；　but　also　to　avoid　the　possibility　of　meeting　the　prince；　of　whom　he　was　afraid。　He　did　not　tell　his　daughter　this；　but　Natasha　perceived　this　dread　and　uneasiness　of　her　father’s；　and　felt　mortified　by　it。　She　blushed　for　her　father；　felt　still　angrier　at　having　blushed；　and　glanced　at　the　princess　with　a　bold；　challenging　air；　meant　to　express　that　she　was　not　afraid　of　any　one。　The　princess　told　the　count　that　she　would　be　delighted；　and　only　begged　him　to　stay　a　little　longer　at　Anna　Semyonovna’s；　and　Ilya　Andreitch　departed。
In　spite　of　the　uneasy　glances　flung　at　her　by　Princess　Marya；　who　wanted　to　talk　to　Natasha　by　herself；　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　would　not　leave　the　room；　and　persisted　in　keeping　up　a　conversation　about　Moscow　entertainments　and　theatres。　Natasha　felt　offended　by　the　delay　in　the　entry；　by　her　father’s　nervousness；　and　by　the　constrained　manner　of　the　princess；　who　seemed　to　her　to　be　making　a　favour　of　receiving　her。　And　then　everything　displeased　her。　She　did　not　like　Princess　Marya。　She　seemed　to　her　very　ugly；　affected；　and　frigid。　Natasha　suddenly；　as　it　were；　shrank　into　herself；　and　unconsciously　assumed　a　non…chalant　air；　which　repelled　Princess　Marya　more　and　more。　After　five　minutes　of　irksome　and　constrained　conversation；　they　heard　the　sound　of　slippered　feet　approaching　rapidly。　Princess　Marya’s　face　expressed　terror：　the　door　of　the　room　opened；　and　the　prince　came　in；　in　a　white　night…cap　and　dressing…gown。
“Ah；　madam；”　he　began；　“madam；　countess。…Countess　Rostov…　if　I’m　not　mistaken…I　beg　you　to　excuse　me；　to　excuse　me…I　didn’t　know；　madam。　As　God’s　above；　I　didn’t　know　that　you　were　deigning　t