第278章

第278章theoldcountsometimescameuptoprinceandrey,kissedhimandaskedhisadviceaboutsomequestionrelatingtopetya’seducationornikolay’sposition.theoldcountesssighedasshelookedatthem.sonyawasafraideveryinstantofbeingintheirway,andwasalwaystryingtofindexcusesforleavingthemalone,evenwhentheyhadnowishtobealone.whenprinceandreytalked—hedescribedthingsverywell—natashalistenedtohimwithpride.whenshetalked,shenoticedwithjoyanddreadthathewatchedherwithanintentandscrutinisinglook.sheaskedherselfinperplexity：“whatisitheseeksinme？whatisitheisprobingforwiththatlook？whatifihaven’tinmewhatheissearchingforinthatlook？”sometimesshefellintothemoodofwildgaietycharacteristicofher,andthensheparticularlylovedtoseeandhearhowprinceandreylaughed.herarelylaughed,butwhenhedidlaughheabandonedhimselfutterlytohismirth,andshealwaysfeltherselfdrawnclosertohimbythislaughter.natashawouldhavebeenperfectlyhappyifthethoughtoftheseparationbeforeher,comingcloserandcloser,hadnotterrifiedher.hetooturnedpaleandcoldatthemerethoughtofit.

onthedaybeforehewastoleavepetersburg,princeandreybroughtwithhimpierre,whohadnotbeenattherostovs’sincethedayoftheball.pierreseemedabsent-mindedandembarrassed.hetalkedchieflytothecountess.natashawassittingatthechess-boardwithsonya,andinvitedprinceandreytojointhem.hewenttothem.

“youhaveknownbezuhovalongwhile,haven’tyou？”heasked.“doyoulikehim？”

“yes;he’sverynice,butveryabsurd.”

andshebegan,aspeoplealwaysdidwhenspeakingofpierre,totellanecdotesofhisabsent-mindedness,anecdoteswhichweremadeup,indeed,abouthim.

“youknow,ihaveconfidedoursecrettohim,”saidprinceandrey.“ihaveknownhimfromchildhood.hehasaheartofgold.ibegyou,natalie,”hesaid,withsuddenseriousness,“iamgoingaway;godknowswhatmayhappen.youmaychange…oh,iknowioughtnottospeakofthat.onlyonething—ifanythingweretohappentoyou,whileiamaway…”

“whatcouldhappen？”

“ifanytroubleweretocome,”pursuedprinceandrey.“ibegyou,mademoisellesophie,ifanythingweretohappen,togotohimandnooneelseforadviceandhelp.heisamostabsent-mindedandeccentricperson,buthehasthetruestheart.”

neitherherfathernorhermother,neithersonyanorprinceandreycouldhaveforeseentheeffectofthepartingonnatasha.shewanderedaboutthehouseallthatday,flushed,excited,andtearless,busyingherselfaboutthemosttrivialmattersasthoughshehadnonotionofwhatwasbeforeher.shedidnotweepevenatthemomentwhenhekissedherhandforthelasttime.

“don’tgoaway！”wasallshesaid,inavoicethatmadehimwonderwhetherheoughtnotreallytoremain,andthatherememberedlongafter.whenhehadgone,shestilldidnotweep;butforseveraldaysshesatinherroom,notcrying,buttakingnointerestinanything,andonlysayingfromtimetotime：“oh,whydidhego？”butafortnightafterhisdeparture,shesurprisedthosearoundherequallybyrecoveringfromherstateofspiritualsickness,andbecameherselfagain,onlywithachangeinhermoralphysiognomy,suchasoneseesinthefacesofchildrenafteralongillness.