第399章
第399章beforeshinshinhadtimetoutterthejokehewasreadytomakeonthecount’spatriotism,natashahadjumpedupfromherseatandruntoherfather.
“whatadarlingthispapais！”shecried,kissinghim,andsheglancedagainatpierrewiththeunconsciouscoquetrythathadcomebackwithherfreshinterestinlife.
“oh,whatapatriotsheis！”saidshinshin.
“notapatriotatall,butsimply…”natashabegan,nettled.“youthinkeverythingfunny,butthisisn’tatallajoke…”
“ajoke,”repeatedthecount.“onlylethimsaytheword,wewillallgo…we’renotasetofgermans！”
“didyounotice,”saidpierre,“thewords,‘fordeliberation…’”
“yes,tobesure,forwhatevermightcome…”
meanwhilepetya,towhomnoonewaspayingattention,wentuptohisfather,andveryred,saidinavoicethatpassedabruptlyfromgruffnesstoshrillness,“well,now,papa,itellyoupositively—andmammatoo,saywhatyouwill—itellyouyoumustletmegointothearmy,becauseicannot…andthat’sallaboutit.”
thecountessindismayturnedhereyesuptoheaven,claspedherhands,andsaidangrilytoherhusband：
“see,whatyourtalkhasbroughtusto！”
butthecountrecoveredthesameinstantfromtheexcitement.
“come,come,”hesaid.“afinewarrioryou’dmake！don’ttalknonsense;youhaveyourstudiestoattendto.”
“it’snotnonsense,papa.fedyaobolensky’syoungerthaniam,andhe’sgoingtoo;andwhat’smore,ican’tanyhowstudynow,when…”petyastopped,flushedtillhisfacewasperspiring,yetstoutlywenton…“whenthecountry’sindanger.”
“hush,hush,nonsense！…”
“why,butyousaidyourselfyouwouldsacrificeeverything.”
“petya！itellyoubequiet,”criedthecount,lookingathiswife,whowasgazingwithawhitefaceandfixedeyesatheryoungerson.
“letmesay…pyotrkirillovitchherewilltellyou…”
“itellyou,it’snonsense;themilk’shardlydryonhislips,andhewantstogointothearmy！come,come,itellyou,”andthecount,takingthepaperswithhim,wasgoingoutoftheroom,probablytoreadthemoncemoreinhisstudybeforehisnap.
“pyotrkirillovitch,letushaveasmoke.…”
pierrefeltembarrassedandhesitating.natasha’sunusuallybrilliantandeagereyes,continuallyturneduponhimwithmorethancordialityinthem,hadreducedhimtothiscondition.
“no;ithinki’llgohome.…”
“gohome？butyoumeanttospendtheeveningwithus.…youcomerarelyenough,asitis.andthisgirlofmine,”saidthecountgood-humouredly,lookingtowardsnatasha,“isneverinspiritsbutwhenyouarehere.…”
“butihaveforgottensomething.ireallymustgohome.…business.…”pierresaidhurriedly.
“well,good-byethen,”saidthecountashewentoutoftheroom.
“whyareyougoingaway？whyareyousoupset？whatfor？”natashaaskedpierre,lookingwithchallengingeyesintohisface.
“becauseiloveyou！”hewantedtosay,buthedidnotsayit.hecrimsonedtillthetearscame,anddroppedhiseyes.
“becauseitisbetterformenottobesooftenwithyou.…because…no,simplyihavebusiness.…”
“whatfor？no,dotellme,”natashawasbeginningresolutely,andshesuddenlystopped.bothindismayandembarrassmentlookedatoneanother.hetriedtolaugh,butcouldnot;hissmileexpressedsuffering,andhekissedherhandandwentoutwithoutaword.
pierremadeuphismindnottovisittherostovsagain.