第354章

第354章“wewon’ttalkanymoreofit,mydear,”hesaid.itseemedsuddenlysostrangetonatashatohearthegentle,tender,sympatheticvoiceinwhichhespoke.“wewon’ttalkofit,mydear,i’lltellhimeverything.butonethingibegyou,lookonmeasyourfriend;andifyouwanthelp,advice,orsimplywanttoopenyourhearttosomeone—notnow,butwhenthingsareclearerinyourheart—thinkofme.”hetookherhandandkissedit.“ishallbehappy,ifiamable…”pierrewasconfused.

“don’tspeaktomelikethat;i’mnotworthit！”criednatasha,andshewouldhavelefttheroom,butpierreheldherhand.heknewtherewassomethingmorehemustsaytoher.butwhenhesaidit,hewassurprisedathisownwords.

“hush,hush,yourwholelifeliesbeforeyou,”hesaidtoher.

“beforeme！no！allisoverforme,”shesaid,withshameandself-humiliation.

“allover？”herepeated.“ifiwerenotmyself,butthehandsomest,cleverest,bestmanintheworld,andifiwerefreeiwouldbeonmykneesthisminutetobegforyourhandandyourlove.”

forthefirsttimeformanydaysnatashaweptwithtearsofgratitudeandsoftenedfeeling,andglancingatpierre,shewentoutoftheroom.

pierrefollowedher,almostrunningintothevestibule,andrestrainingthetearsoftendernessandhappinessthatmadealumpinhisthroat.heflungonhisfurcoat,unabletofindthearmholes,andgotintohissledge.

“nowwhere,yourexcellency？”askedthecoachman.

“where？”pierreaskedhimself.“wherecanigonow？nottotheclubortopaycalls.”allmenseemedtohimsopitiful,sopoorincomparisonwiththefeelingoftendernessandloveinhisheart,incomparisonwiththatsoftened,gratefulglanceshehadturneduponhimthatlastminutethroughhertears.

“home,”saidpierre,throwingopenthebearskincoatoverhisbroad,joyouslybreathingchestinspiteoftendegreesoffrost.

itwasclearandfrosty.overthedirty,half-darkstreets,overtheblackroofswasadark,starlitsky.itwasonlylookingattheskythatpierreforgotthemortifyingmeannessofallthingsearthlyincomparisonwiththeheighthissoulhadrisento.ashedroveintoarbatskysquare,theimmenseexpanseofdark,starlitskylayopenbeforepierre’seyes.almostinthecentreofitabovetheprechistenskyboulevard,surroundedonallsidesbystars,butdistinguishedfromallbyitsnearnesstotheearth,itswhitelightandlong,upturnedtail,shonethehuge,brilliantcometof1812;thecometwhichbetokened,itwassaid,allmannerofhorrorsandtheendoftheworld.butinpierre’sheartthatbrightcomet,withitslong,luminoustail,arousednofeelingofdread.onthecontrary,hiseyeswetwithtears,pierrelookedjoyouslyatthisbrightcomet,whichseemedasthoughafterflyingwithinconceivableswiftnessthroughinfinitespaceinaparabola,ithadsuddenly,likeanarrowpiercingtheearth,stuckfastatonechosenspotintheblacksky,andstayedthere,vigorouslytossingupitstail,shiningandplayingwithitswhitelightamongthecountlessothertwinklingstars.itseemedtopierrethatitwasinfullharmonywithwhatwasinhissoftenedandemboldenedheart,thathadgainedvigourtoblossomintoanewlife.