第169章

第169章onthe3rdofmarchalltheroomsoftheenglishclubwerefullofthehumofvoices,andthemembersandguestsoftheclub,inuniformsandfrock-coats,someeveninpowderandrussiankaftans,werestandingmeeting,parting,andrunningtoandfrolikebeesswarminginspring.powderedfootmeninlivery,wearingslippersandstockings,stoodateverydoor,anxiouslytryingtofolloweverymovementoftheguestsandclubmembers,soastoproffertheirservices.themajorityofthosepresentwereelderlyandrespectedpersons,withbroad,self-confidentfaces,fatfingers,andresolutegesturesandvoices.guestsandmembersofthisclasssatincertainhabitualplaces,andmettogetherincertainhabitualcircles.asmallproportionofthosepresentwerecasualguests—chieflyyoungmen,amongthemdenisov,rostov,anddolohov,whowasnowanofficerinthesemyonovskyregimentagain.thefacesoftheyoungermen,especiallytheofficers,worethatexpressionofcondescendingdeferencetotheirelderswhichseemstosaytotheoldergeneration,“respectanddeferencewearepreparedtogiveyou,butrememberallthesamethefutureisforus.”nesvitsky,anoldmemberoftheclub,wastheretoo.pierre,whoathiswife’scommandhadlethishairgrowandleftoffspectacles,waswalkingabouttheroomsdressedintheheightofthefashion,butlookingmelancholyanddepressed.here,aseverywhere,hewassurroundedbytheatmosphereofpeoplepayinghomagetohiswealth,andhebehavedtothemwiththecareless,contemptuousairofsovereigntythathadbecomehabitualwithhim.

inyears,hebelongedtotheyoungergeneration,butbyhiswealthandconnectionshewasamemberoftheoldercircles,andsohepassedfromonesettotheother.themostdistinguishedoftheeldermembersformedthecentresofcircles,whichevenstrangersrespectfullyapproachedtolistentothewordsofwell-knownmen.thelargergroupswereformedroundcountrostoptchin,valuev,andnaryshkin.rostoptchinwasdescribinghowtherussianshadbeentrampledunderfootbythefleeingaustrians,andhadhadtoforceawaywiththebayonetthroughthefugitives.valuevwasconfidentiallyinforminghiscirclethatuvarovhadbeensentfrompetersburgtoascertainthestateofopinioninmoscowinregardtoausterlitz.

inthethirdgroupnaryshkinwasrepeatingthetaleofthemeetingoftheaustriancouncilofwar,atwhich,inreplytothestupidityoftheaustriangeneral,suvorovcrowedlikeacock.shinshin,whostoodnear,triedtomakeajoke,sayingthatkutuzov,itseemed,hadnotevenbeenabletolearnfromsuvorovthatnotverydifficultartofcrowinglikeacock—buttheelderclubmemberslookedsternlyatthewit,givinghimtherebytounderstandthatevensuchareferencetokutuzovwasoutofplaceonthatday.

countilyaandreitchrostovkeptanxiouslyhurryinginhissoftbootstoandfrofromthedining-roomtothedrawing-room,givinghastygreetingstoimportantandunimportantpersons,allofwhomheknew,andallofwhomhetreatedalike,onanequalfooting.nowandthenhiseyessoughtoutthegraceful,dashingfigureofhisyoungson,restedgleefullyonhim,andwinkedtohim.youngrostovwasstandingatthewindowwithdolohov,whoseacquaintancehehadlatelymade,andgreatlyprized.theoldcountwentuptothem,andshookhandswithdolohov.

“ibegyouwillcomeandseeus;soyou’reafriendofmyyoungster’s…beentogether,playingtheherotogetheroutthere.…ah！vassilyignatitch…agooddaytoyou,oldman,”heturnedtoanoldgentlemanwhohadjustcomein,butbeforehehadtimetofinishhisgreetingstohimtherewasageneralstir,andafootmanrunninginwithanalarmedcountenance,announced：“hehadarrived！”

bellsrang;thestewardsrushedforward;theguests,scatteredaboutthedifferentrooms,gatheredtogetherinonemass,likeryeshakentogetherinashovel,andwaitedatthedoorofthegreatdrawing-room.