第257章

第257章natashadidnotletherfinish;shedrewthecountess’slargehandtoher,andkisseditontheupperside,andthenonthepalm,thenturneditoveragainandbegankissingitontheknuckleofthetopjointofthefinger,thenonthespacebetweentheknuckles,thenonaknuckleagain,whispering：“january,february,march,april,may.”

“speak,mamma;whyareyousilent？speak,”shesaid,lookingroundathermother,whowasgazingtenderlyatherdaughter,andapparentlyingazingatherhadforgottenallshemeanttosay.

“thiswon’tdo,mydear.it’snoteveryonewhowillunderstandyourchildishfeelingsforoneanother,andseeinghimonsuchintimatetermswithyoumayprejudiceyouintheeyesofotheryoungmenwhovisitus,andwhatisofmoreconsequence,it’smakinghimwretchedfornothing.hehadverylikelyfoundamatchthatwouldsuithim,somewealthygirl,andnowhe’shalf-crazy.”

“half-crazy？”repeatednatasha.

“i’lltellyouwhathappenedinmyowncase.ihadacousin…”

“iknow—kirillamatveitch;buthe’sold.”

“hewasnotalwaysold.butitellyouwhat,natasha,i’llspeaktoboris.hemustn’tcomesooften…”

“whymustn’the,ifhewantsto？”

“becauseiknowitcan’tcometoanything.”

“howdoyouknow？no,mamma,don’tspeaktohim.whatnonsense！”saidnatasha,inthetoneofamanbeingrobbedofhisproperty.“well,iwon’tmarryhim,solethimcome,ifheenjoysitandienjoyit.”

natashalookedathermother,smiling.“nottobemarried,but—justso,”sherepeated.

“howso,mydear？”

“oh,justso.iseeit’sverynecessaryishouldn’tmarryhim,but…justso.”

“justso,justso,”repeatedthecountess,andshakingallover,shewentoffintoagood-natured,unexpectedlyelderlylaugh.

“don’tlaugh,stop,”criednatasha;“you’reshakingallthebed.you’reawfullylikeme,justanotherler…stop…”shesnatchedboththecountess’shands,kissedoneknuckleofthelittlefinger,forjune,andwentonkissing—july,august—ontheotherhand.“mamma,isheverymuchinlove？whatdoyouthink？weremenasmuchinlovewithyou？andhe’sverynice,very,verynice！onlynotquitetomyliking—he’ssonarrow,somehow,likeaclockonthewall.…don’tyouunderstand？…narrow,youknow,grey,light-coloured…”

“whatnonsenseyoutalk！”saidthecountess.

natashawenton：

“don’tyoureallyunderstand？nikolenkawouldunderstand…bezuhovnow—he’sblue,darkblueandred,andhe’squadrangular.”

“you’reflirtingwithhim,too,”saidthecountess,laughing.

“no,he’safreemason,ihaveheard.he’sjolly,darkblueandred;howamitoexplaintoyou…”

“littlecountess,”theyheardthecount’svoicethroughthedoor,“you’renotasleep？”natashaskippedup,snatchedupherslippers,andranbarefoottoherownroom.foralongwhileshecouldnotgotosleep.shekeptmusingonnoone’sbeingabletounderstandallsheunderstoodandallthatwasinher.

“sonya？”shewondered,lookingatherfriendasleep,curleduplikeakittenwithhergreatmassofhair.“no,howcouldshe！she’svirtuous.she’sinlovewithnikolenkaanddoesn’tcaretoknowanythingmore.mamma,evenshedoesn’tunderstand.it’swonderfulhowcleveriamandhow…sheischarming,”shewenton,speakingofherselfinthethirdperson,andfancyingthatitwassomeveryclever,theverycleverestandfinestofmen,whowassayingitofher…“thereiseverything,everythinginher,”thismancontinued,“extraordinarilyclever,charmingandthenpretty,extraordinarilypretty,graceful.sheswims,ridescapitally,andavoice！—amarvellousvoice,onemaysay！”shehummedherfavouritemusicalphrasefromanoperaofcherubini,flungherselfintobed,laughedwithdelightatthethoughtthatshewouldsoonbeasleep,calledtodunyashatoblowoutthecandle;andbeforedunyashahadleftherroomshehadalreadypassedintoanotherstillhappierworldofdreams,whereeverythingwasaseasyandasbeautifulasinreality,andwasonlybetterbecauseitwasalldifferent.

nextdaythecountesssentforboris,andtalkedtohim,andfromthatdayhegaveupvisitingattherostovs’.