第112章

第112章inthenovemberof1805princevassilywasobligedtogoonatourofinspectionthroughfourprovinces.hehadsecuredthisappointmentforhimself,inordertobeableatthesametimetovisithisestates,whichwereinaneglectedstate.heintendedtopickuphisson,anatole,ontheway（wherehisregimentwasstationed）,andtopayavisittoprincenikolayandreivitchbolkonsky,withaviewtomarryinghissontothericholdman’sdaughter.butbeforegoingawayandenteringonthesenewaffairs,princevassilywantedtosettlematterswithpierre,whohad,itwastrue,oflatespentwholedaysathome,thatis,atprincevassily’s,wherehewasstaying,andwasasabsurd,asagitated,andasstupidinellen’spresence,asayoungmaninloveshouldbe,butstillmadenooffer.

“thisisallveryfine,butthethingmustcometoaconclusion,”princevassilysaidtohimselfonemorning,withamelancholysigh,recognisingthatpierre,whowassogreatlyindebtedtohim（butthere！godblessthefellow！）,wasnotbehavingquitenicelytohiminthematter.“youth…frivolity…well,godbewithhim,”thoughtprincevassily,enjoyingthesenseofhisowngoodnessofheart,“butthethingmustcometoaconclusion.thedayafterto-morrowisellen’snameday,i’llinvitesomepeople,andifhedoesn’tunderstandwhathe’stodo,thenitwillbemyaffairtoseetoit.yes,myaffair.i’mherfather.”

sixweeksafterannapavlovna’sparty,andthesleeplessandagitatednightafterit,inwhichpierrehadmadeuphismindthatamarriagewithellenwouldbeacalamity,andthathemustavoidherandgoaway;sixweeksafterthatdecisionpierrehadstillnotleftprincevassily’s,andfeltwithhorrorthateverydayhewasmoreandmoreconnectedwithherinpeople’sminds,thathecouldnotgobacktohisformerviewofher,thathecouldnottearhimselfawayfromhereven,thatitwouldbeanawfulthing,butthathewouldhavetounitehislifetohers.perhapshemighthavemasteredhimself,butnotadaypassedwithoutapartyatprincevassily’s（wherereceptionshadnotbeenfrequent）,andpierrewasboundtobepresentifhedidnotwanttodisturbthegeneralsatisfactionanddisappointeveryone.attheraremomentswhenprincevassilywasathome,hetookpierre’shandifhepassedhim,carelesslyofferedhimhisshaven,wrinkledcheekforakiss,andsaid,“tillto-morrow,”or“beintodinner,orishan’tseeyou,”or“ishallstayathomeonyouraccount,”orsomesuchremark.butalthough,whenprincevassilydidstayathomeforpierre（ashesaid）,heneverspoketwowordstohim,pierredidnotfeelequaltodisappointinghim.everydayhesaidthesamethingoverandovertohimself.“imustreallyunderstandherandmakeupmymind,whatsheis.wasimistakenbefore,oramimistakennow？no,she’snotstupid;no,she’sagoodgirl,”hesaidtohimselfsometimes.“shenevermakesamistake,norhassaidanythingstupid.shesaysverylittle,butwhatshedoessayisalwayssimpleandclear.soshe’snotstupid.shehasneverbeenabashed,andsheisnotabashednow.sosheisn’tabadwoman.”itoftenhappenedthathebegantomakereflections,tothinkaloudinhercompany,andeverytimeshehadrepliedeitherbyabrief,butappropriateremark,thatshowedshewasnotinterestedinthematter,orbyamutesmileandglance,whichmorepalpablythananythingprovedtopierrehersuperiority.shewasrightinregardingallreflectionsasnonsenseincomparisonwiththatsmile.

shealwaysaddressedhimnowwithaglad,confidingsmile—asmilehavingreferencetohimalone,andfullofsomethingmoresignificantthanthesocietysmilethatalwaysadornedherface.pierreknewthateveryonewasonlywaitingforhimtosayoneword,tocrossacertainline,andheknewthatsoonerorlaterhewouldcrossit.butakindofuncomprehendedhorrorseizeduponhimatthemerethoughtofthisfearfulstep.athousandtimesinthecourseofthosesixweeks,duringwhichhefelthimselfbeingdrawnonfurtherandfurthertowardtheabyssthathorrifiedhim,pierrehadsaidtohimself：“butwhatdoesitmean？imustactwithdecision！canitbethatihaven’tany？”hetriedtocometoadecision,butfeltwithdismaythathehadnotinthiscasethestrengthofwillwhichhehadknowninhimselfandreallydidpossess.pierrebelongedtothatclassofpersonswhoareonlystrongwhentheyfeelthemselvesperfectlypure.andeversincethedaywhenhehadbeenovercomebythesensationofdesire,thathehadfeltstoopingoverthesnuff-boxatannapavlovna’s,anunconscioussenseofthesinfulnessofthatimpulseparalysedhiswill.