第336章

第336章countilyaandreitchtookhistwogirlstothecountessbezuhov’s.therewereagoodmanypeopleassembledthere.butnatashahardlyknewanyofthepersonspresent.countilyaandreitchobservedwithdissatisfactionthatalmostallthecompanyconsistedofmenorofladiesnotoriousforthefreedomoftheirbehaviour.mademoisellegeorgewasstandinginonecorneroftheroom,surroundedbyyoungmen.therewereseveralfrenchmenpresent,andamongthemmetivier,whohadbeenaconstantvisitoratcountessbezuhov’seversinceherarrivalinmoscow.countilyaandreitchmadeuphismindnottotakeahandatcards,nottoleavehisdaughter’sside,andtogetawayassoonasmademoisellegeorge’sperformancewasover.

anatolewasatthedoor,unmistakablyonthelook-outfortherostovs.atoncegreetingthecount,hewentuptonatashaandfollowedherin.assoonasnatashasawhim,thesamefeelingcameuponherasatthetheatre—thefeelingofgratifiedvanityathisadmirationofher,andterrorattheabsenceofanymoralbarrierbetweenthem.

ellengavenatashaadelightedwelcome,andwasloudinheradmirationofherlovelinessandherdress.soonaftertheirarrival,mademoisellegeorgewentoutoftheroomtochangeherdress.inthedrawing-roomchairswerebeingsetinrowsandpeoplebegantositdown.anatolemovedachairfornatasha,andwouldhavesatdownbyher,butthecount,whowaskeepinghiseyeonnatasha,tooktheseatbesideher.anatolesatdownbehind.

mademoisellegeorge,withbare,fat,dimpledarms,andaredscarfflungoveroneshoulder,cameintotheemptyspaceleftforherbetweenthechairsandthrewherselfintoanunnaturalpose.anenthusiasticwhisperwasaudible.

mademoisellegeorgescannedheraudiencewithsternandgloomyeyes,andbeganrecitingfrenchverses,describingherguiltyloveforherson.inplacessheraisedhervoice,inplacesshedroppedtoawhispersolemnlyliftingherhead;inplacesshebrokeoffandhissedwithrollingeyes.

“exquisite,divine,marvellous！”washeardonallsides.natashagazedatthefatactress;butsheheardnothing,sawnothingandunderstoodnothingofwhatwaspassingbeforeher.shefeltnothing,butthatshewasborneawayagainirrevocablyintothatstrangeandsenselessworldsoremotefromheroldworld,aworldinwhichtherewasnoknowingwhatwasgoodandwhatwasbad,whatwassensibleandwhatwassenseless.behindherwassittinganatole;andconsciousofhisnearness,shewasinfrightenedexpectationofsomething.

afterthefirstmonologueallthecompanyroseandsurroundedmademoisellegeorge,expressingtheiradmiration.

“howhandsomesheis！”saidnatashatoherfather,ashegotupwiththerestandmovedthroughthecrowdtotheactress.

“idon’tthinkso,lookingatyou,”saidanatole,followingnatasha.hesaidthisatamomentwhennoonebutshecouldhearhim.“youarecharming…fromthemomentifirstsawyou,ihavenotceased…”

“comealong,comealong,natasha！”saidthecount,turningbackforhisdaughter.“howprettysheis！”

natashasayingnothingwentuptoherfather,andgazedathimwitheyesofinquiringwonder.

afterseveralrecitationsindifferentstyles,mademoisellegeorgewentaway,andcountessbezuhovinvitedallthecompanytothegreathall.