第182章

第182章intheautumntherostovfamilyreturnedtomoscow.atthebeginningofthewinterdenisovtoocamebackandstayedagainwiththerostovs.theearlypartofthewinterof1806spentbynikolayrostovinmoscow,wasoneofthehappiestandliveliestperiodsforhimandallthefamily.nikolaybroughtalotofyoungmenabouthimintohisparents’house.verawasahandsomegirloftwenty;sonya,agirlofsixteen,withallthecharmofanopeningflower;natasha,halfgrownup,halfachild,atonetimechildishlyabsurd,andatanotherfascinatingwiththecharmofayounggirl.

therostovs’housewasatthattimefullofasortofpeculiaratmosphereoflove-making,ascommonlyhappensinahouseholdwherethereareveryyoungandverycharminggirls.amongthoseyounggirls’faces,impressionableandalwayssmiling（probablyattheirownhappiness）,inthatwhirlofeagerbustle,amidthatyoungfemininechatter,soinconsequent,butsofriendlytoeveryone,soreadyforanything,sofullofhope,andtheinconsequentsoundofsingingandofmusic,anyyoungmanwhocameintothehousefeltthesamesensationofreadinesstofallinloveandlongingforhappiness,thattheyoungermembersoftherostovhouseholdwerefeelingthemselves.

amongtheyoungmenrostovbroughttothehouse,oneoftheforemostwasdolohov,whowaslikedbyeveryoneinthehouseexceptnatasha.shealmosthadaquarrelwithherbrotheroverdolohov.shepersistedthathewasaspitefulman;thatintheduelwithbezuhov,pierrehadbeenintherightanddolohovinthewrong,andthathewashorridandnotnatural.

“iknownothingaboutit,indeed,”natashawouldcrywithself-willedobstinacy;“he’sspitefulandheartless.yourdenisovnow,yousee,ilike;he’sarake,andallthat,butstillilikehim,soidounderstand.idon’tknowhowtotellyou;withhimeverythingisdoneonaplan,andidon’tlikethat.denisov,now…”

“oh,denisov’sanothermatter,”answerednikolay,inatonethatimpliedthatincomparisonwithdolohovevendenisovwasnotofmuchaccount.“onemustunderstandwhatsoulthereisinthatdolohov;onemustseehimwithhismother;suchanobleheart！”

“iknownothingaboutthat,butidon’tfeelathomewithhim.anddoyouknowhe’sfallinginlovewithsonya？”

“whatnonsense！”

“iamsure,youwillseeheis.”

natasha’spredictionwasfulfilled.dolohov,whodidnotasarulecareforladies,begantocomeoftentothehouse;andthequestion,forwhosesakehecame,wassoon（thoughnoonespokeofit）decided—itwasonsonya’saccount.andthoughsonyawouldneverhaveventuredtosayso,sheknewit,andblushedscarleteverytimedolohovmadehisappearance.

dolohovoftendinedattherostovs’,nevermissedaperformanceatwhichtheyweretobepresent,andattendediogel’sballs“fortheboysandgirls,”atwhichtherostovswerealwaystobefound.heshowedmarkedattentiontosonya,andlookedatherwithsuchanexpressioninhiseyesthatsonyacouldnotbearhiseyesonherwithoutturningcrimson,andeventheoldcountessandnatashablushedwhentheysawthatlook.

itwasevidentthatthisstrong,strangemancouldnotshakeofftheimpressionmadeonhimbythedark,gracefulyounggirl,whowasinlovewithanotherman.

rostovnoticedsomethingnewbetweendolohovandsonya,buthedidnotdefinetohimselfpreciselywhatthatnewattitudewas.“theyareallinlovewithsomeone,”hethoughtofsonyaandnatasha.buthedidnotfeelquiteathiseaseasbeforewithsonyaanddolohov,andhebegantobelessoftenathome.

intheautumnof1806everyonewasbeginningtotalkagainofwarwithnapoleon,andwithevengreaterfervourthaninthepreviousyear.alevywasdecreed,notonlyoftenrecruitsforactiveservice,butofninemilitiamenforthereserveaswell,fromeverythousandofthepopulation.everywherebonapartewasanathematised,andtheonlythingtalkedofinmoscowwastheimpendingwar.totherostovfamilytheinterestofthesepreparationsforwarwasentirelycenteredinthefactthatnikolushkarefusedtoremainlongerinmoscow,andwasonlywaitingfortheendofdenisov’sleavetorejoinhisregimentwithhimaftertheholidays.hisapproachingdeparture,farfromhinderinghimfromenjoyinghimself,gaveanaddedzesttohispleasures.thegreaterpartofhistimehespentawayfromhome,atdinners,parties,andballs.