第349章

第349章pierredidnotstaytodinnerbutwentawayatonceonleavingnatasha’sroom.hedroveaboutthetownlookingforanatolekuragin,attheverythoughtofwhomthebloodrushedtohisheart,andhefeltadifficultyinbreathing.ontheice-hills,atthegypsies’,atsomonenohewasnottobefound.pierredrovetotheclub.intheclubeverythingwasgoingonjustasusual：thememberswhohadcomeintodinnerweresittingingroups;theygreetedpierre,andtalkedofthenewsofthetown.thefootman,aftergreetinghim,toldhim,asheknewhisfriendsandhishabits,thattherewasaplaceleftforhiminthelittledining-room,thatprincemihailzaharitchwasinthelibrary,andthatpaveltimofeitchhadnotcomeinyet.oneofpierre’sacquaintancesaskedhiminthemiddleofaconversationabouttheweather,whetherhehadheardofkuragin’selopementwithnatalierostov,ofwhicheveryonewastalkinginthetown;wasittrue？pierresaid,laughing,thatitwasallnonsense,forhehadjustcomefromtherostovs’.heaskedeveryoneaboutanatole;onemantoldhimhehadnotcomeinyet;anothersaidhewastodinetherethatday.itwasstrangetopierretolookatthatcalm,indifferentcrowdofpeople,whoknewnothingofwhatwaspassinginhissoul.hewalkedaboutthehall,waitedtilleveryonehadcomein,andstillseeingnothingofanatole,hedidnotdine,butdrovehome.

anatolewasdiningthatdaywithdolohov,andconsultingwithhimhowtoachievetheexploitthathadmiscarried.itseemedtohimessentialtoseenatasha.intheeveninghewenttohissister’s,todiscusswithhermeansforarrangingtheirmeeting.whenpierre,aftervainlydrivingaboutallmoscow,returnedhome,hisvalettoldhimthatprinceanatolevassilyevitchwaswiththecountess.thedrawing-roomofthecountesswasfullofguests.

pierredidnotbestowagreetingonhiswife,whomhehadnotseensincehisreturn（shewasmorehatefultohimthaneveratthatmoment）;hewalkedintothedrawing-room,andseeinganatole,wentstraightuptohim.

“ah,pierre,”saidthecountess,goinguptoherhusband,“youdon’tknowwhataplightourpooranatoleisin…”shestoppedshort,seeinginherhusband’sbowedhead,inhisglitteringeyes,inhisresolutetread,thatterriblelookofrageandpower,whichsheknewandhadexperiencedinherowncaseaftertheduelwithdolohov.

“whereveryouare,thereisviceandwickedness,”saidpierretohiswife.“anatole,comealong,iwantawordwithyou,”hesaidinfrench.anatolelookedroundathissister,andgotupobediently,preparedtofollowpierre.

pierretookhimbythearm,drewhimtohim,andwalkedoutoftheroom.

“ifyouallowyourselfinmydrawing-room…”ellenwhispered;butpierrewalkedoutoftheroom,withoutansweringher.

anatolefollowedhim,withhisusualjauntyer.buthisfacebetrayeduneasiness.goingintohisownroom,pierreshutthedoor,andaddressedanatolewithoutlookingathim.“didyoupromisecountessrostovtomarryher？didyoutrytoelopewithher？”

“mydearfellow,”answeredanatole,infrench（aswasthewholeconversation）,“idon’tconsidermyselfboundtoanswerquestionsputtomeinthattone.”