第166章

第166章onhisreturntomoscowfromthearmy，nikolayrostovwasreceivedbyhisfamilyasahero，asthebestofsons，theiridolisednikolenka；byhisrelations，asacharming，agreeable，andpoliteyoungman；byhisacquaintancesasahandsomelieutenantofhussars，agooddancer，andoneofthebestmatchesinmoscow.

allmoscowwasacquaintedwiththerostovs；theoldcounthadplentyofmoneythatyear，becauseallhisestateshadbeenmortgaged，andsonikolenka，whokepthisownracehorse，andworethemostfashionableriding-breechesofaspecialcut，unlikeanyyetseeninmoscow，andthemostfashionableboots，withextremelypointedtoes，andlittlesilverspurs，wasabletopasshistimeveryagreeably.afterthefirstbriefintervalofadaptinghimselftotheoldconditionsoflife，rostovfeltveryhappyatbeinghomeagain.hefeltthathehadgrownupandbecomeaman.hisdespairatfailinginascriptureexamination，hisborrowingmoneyfromgavriloforhissledge-drivers，hisstolenkisseswithsonya—allthathelookedbackuponaschildishnessfromwhichhewasnowimmeasurablyremote.nowhewasalieutenantofhussarswithasilver-braidedjacket，andasoldier’scrossofst.george，hehadahorseintrainingforarace，andkeptcompanywithwell-knownracingmen，elderlyandrespectedpersons.hehadstruckupanacquaintancetoo，withaladylivinginaboulevard，whomheusedtovisitintheevening.heledthemazurkaatthearharovs’balls，talkedtofield-marshalkamenskyaboutthewar，andusedfamiliarformsofaddresstoacolonelofforty，towhomhehadbeenintroducedbydenisov.

hispassionforthetsaredalittleinmoscow，ashedidnotseehim，andhadnochanceofseeinghimallthattime.butstillheoftenusedtotalkabouttheemperorandhisloveforhim，alwayswithaestioninhistonethathewasnotsayingallthattherewasinhisfeelingfortheemperor，somethingthateveryonecouldnotunderstand；andwithhiswholehearthesharedthegeneralfeelinginmoscowofadorationfortheemperoralexanderpavlovitch，whowasspokenofatthattimeinmoscowbythedesignationofthe“angelincarnate.”

duringthisbriefstayinmoscow，beforehisreturntothearmy，rostovdidnotcomenearertosonya，butonthecontrarydriftedfurtherawayfromher.shewasveryprettyandcharming，anditwasobviousthatshewaspassionatelyinlovewithhim.buthewasatthatstageofyouthwhenthereseemssomuchtodo，thatonehasnottimetopayattentiontolove，andayoungmandreadsbeingbound，andprizeshisliberty，whichhewantsforsomuchelse.whenhethoughtaboutsonyaduringthisstayatmoscow，hesaidtohimself：“ah！therearemany，manymorelikehertocome，andtherearemanyofthemsomewherenow，thoughidon’tknowthemyet.there’splentyoftimebeforemetothinkaboutlovewheniwantto，butihavenotthetimenow.”moreover，itseemedtohimthatfemininesocietywassomewhatbeneathhismanlydignity.hewenttoballs，andintoladies’societywithanaffectionofdoingsoagainsthiswill.races，theenglishclub，carousalswithdenisov，andthenocturnalvisitsthatfollowed—allthatwasdifferent，allthatwasthecorrectthingforadashingyounghussar.

atthebeginningofmarchtheoldcount，ilyaandreivitchrostov，wasverybusilyengagedinarrangingadinnerattheenglishclub，tobegiveninhonourofprincebagration.

thecount，inhisdressing-gown，wascontinuallywalkingupanddowninthebighall，seeingtheclubmanager，thecelebratedfeoktista，andtheheadcook，andgivingtheminstructionsrelativetoasparagus，freshcucumbers，strawberries，veal，andfish，forprincebagration’sdinner.fromthedayofitsfoundation，thecounthadbeenamemberoftheclub，andwasitssteward.hehadbeenentrustedwiththeorganisationofthebanquettobagrationbytheclub，becauseitwouldhavebeenhardtofindanyonesowellabletoorganiseabanquetonalargeandhospitablescale，andstillmorehardtofindanyonesoableandwillingtoadvancehisownmoney，iffundswereneeded，fortheorganisationofthefête.thecookandtheclubmanagerlistenedtothecount’sorderswithgood-humouredfaces，becausetheyknewthatwithnoonebetterthanwithhimcouldonemakeahandsomeprofitoutofadinnercostingseveralthousands.

“well，then，mindtherearescallops，scallopsinpie-crust，youknow.”

“coldentrées，isuppose—three？…”questionedthecook.

thecountpondered.

“couldn’tdowithless，three…mayonnaise，one，”hesaid，crookinghisfinger.

“thenit’syourexcellency’sordertotakethebigsturgeons？”askedthemanager.

“yes；itcan’tbehelped，wemusttakethem，iftheywon’tknockthepricedown.ah，mercyonus，iwasforgetting.ofcoursewemusthaveanotherentréeonthetable.ah，goodheavens！”heclutchedathishead.“andwho’sgoingtogetmetheflowers？mitenka！hey，mitenka！yougallop，mitenka，”hesaidtothestewardwhocameinathiscall，“yougallopofftothepodmoskovnyestate”（thecount’spropertyintheenvironsofmoscow），“andtellmaksimkathegardenertosettheserfstoworktogetdecorationsfromthegreenhouses.tellhimeverythingfromhisconservatoriesistobebroughthere，andistobepackedinfelt.andthati’mtohavetwohundredpotsherebyfriday.”

aftergivingfurtherandyetfurtherdirectionsofallsorts，hewasjustgoingofftothecountesstorestfromhislabours，butherecollectedsomethingelse，turnedbackhimself，broughtthecookandmanagerback，andbegangivingordersagain.theyheardinthedoorwayalight，manlytreadandajinglingofspurs，andtheyoungcountcamein，handsomeandrosy，withhisdarkeningmoustache，visiblysleekerandinbettertrimforhiseasylifeinmoscow.