第272章

第272章nextdayprinceandreywenttodineattherostovs’,ascountilyaandreitchhadinvitedhim,andspentthewholedaywiththem.

everyoneinthehouseperceivedonwhoseaccountprinceandreycame,andheopenlytriedtobealldaylongwithnatasha.

notonlyinthesoulofnatasha—scared,buthappyandenthusiastic—inthewholehousehold,too,therewasafeelingofawe,ofsomethingofgreatgravitybeingboundtohappen.withsorrowfulandsternlyseriouseyesthecountesslookedatprinceandreyashetalkedtonatasha,andshylyandself-consciouslytriedtobeginsomeinsignificanttalkwithhimassoonashelookedroundather.sonyawasafraidtoleavenatasha,andafraidofbeingintheirwayifshestayedwiththem.natashaturnedpaleinapanicofexpectationeverytimeshewasleftforamomentalonewithhim.princeandrey’stimidityimpressedher.shefeltthathewantedtotellhersomething,butcouldnotbringhimselfuptothepoint.

whenprinceandreyhadgoneawayintheevening,thecountesswentuptonatashaandwhispered：

“well？”

“mamma,forgod’ssake,don’taskmeanythingjustnow.thisonecan’ttalkof,”saidnatasha.

butinspiteofthisanswer,natashalayalongwhileinhermother’sbedthatnight,hereyesfixedbeforeher,excitedandscaredbyturns.shetoldherhowhehadpraisedher,howhehadsaidhewasgoingabroad,howhehadaskedwheretheyweregoingtospendthesummer,andhowhehadaskedheraboutboris.

“butanythinglikethis,likethis…ihaveneverfeltbefore！”shesaid.“onlyi’mafraidwithhim,i’malwaysafraidwithhim.whatdoesthatmean？doesitmeanthatit’stherealthing？mamma,areyouasleep？”

“no,mydarling.i’mafraidofhimmyself,”answeredhermother.“gotobed.”

“anyhow,ishouldn’tgotosleep.howstupidsleepis！mamma,mamma,nothinglikethishaveieverfeltbefore,”shesaid,withwonderandterroratthefeelingsherecognisedinherself.“andcouldweeverhavedreamed！…”

itseemedtonatashathatshehadfalleninlovewithprinceandreythefirsttimeshesawhimatotradnoe.shewasasitwereterrifiedatthisstrange,unexpectedhappinessthatthemanshehadchoseneventhen（shewasfirmlyconvincedthatshehaddoneso）—thatverymanshouldmeetthemagainnowandbeapparentlynotindifferenttoher.

“anditseemsasthoughitallhappenedonpurpose—hiscomingtopetersburgjustwhilewearehere.andourmeetingatthatball.itwasallfate.it’sclearthatitisfate,thatithasallleduptothis.eventhen,assoonasisawhim,ifeltsomethingquitedifferent.”

“whathashesaidtoyou？whatarethoseverses？readthem…”saidthemotherthoughtfully,referringtotheversesprinceandreyhadwritteninnatasha’salbum.

“mamma,doesitmatterhisbeingawidower？”

“hush,natasha.praytogod.marriagesaremadeinheaven,”shesaid,quotingthefrenchproverb.

“mamma,darling,howiloveyou！howhappyiam！”criednatasha,sheddingtearsofexcitementandhappinessandinghermother.

atthatverytimeprinceandreywastellingpierreofhislovefornatashaandofhisfixeddeterminationtomarryher.

thateveningthecountesselenavassilyevnagaveareception;thefrenchambassadorwasthere,andaroyalprincewhohadbecomeaveryfrequentvisitoratthecountess’soflateandmanybrilliantladiesandgentlemen.pierrecamedowntoit,wanderedthroughtheroomsandimpressedalltheguestsbyhislookofconcentratedupationandgloom.