第115章

第115章afewofthenearestrelationswerestilllingeringon.theyweresittinginthebigdrawing-room.princevassilywalkedwithlanguidstepstowardspierre.pierreroseandobservedthatitwasgettinglate.princevassilylevelledalookofsterninquiryuponhim,asthoughwhathehadsaidwassostrangethatonecouldnotbelieveone’sears.buttheexpressionofseverityimmediatelypassedaway,andprincevassilytakingpierre’shanddrewhimdownintoaseatandsmiledaffectionately.

“well,ellen？”hesaidatonce,addressinghisdaughterinthatcarelesstoneofhabitualtendernesswhichcomesnaturaltoparentswhohavepettedtheirchildrenfrominfancy,butinprincevassily’scasewasonlyarrivedatbyimitationofotherparents.andheturnedtopierreagain：“‘sergeykuzmitchonallsides,’”herepeated,unbuttoningthetopbuttonofhiswaistcoat.

pierresmiled,buthissmilebetrayedthatheunderstoodthatitwasnottheanecdoteofsergeykuzmitchthatinterestedprince.vassilyatthatmoment,andprincevassilyknewthatpierreknewit.princevassilyallatoncemutteredsomethingandwentaway.itseemedtopierrethatprincevassilywaspositivelydisconcerted.thesightofthediscomfitureofthiselderlymanoftheworldtouchedpierre;helookedroundatellen—andshe,hefancied,wasdisconcertedtoo,andherglanceseemedtosay：“well,it’syourownfault.”

“imustinevitablycrossthebarrier,butican’t,ican’t,”thoughtpierre,andhebeganagainspeakingofextraneoussubjects,ofsergeykuzmitch,inquiringwhatwasthepointoftheanecdote,ashehadnotcaughtitall.ellen,withasmile,repliedthatshedidnotknowiteither.

whenprincevassilywentintothedrawing-room,theprincesswastalkinginsubduedtoneswithanelderlyladyaboutpierre.

“ofcourseitisaverybrilliantmatch,buthappiness,mydear…”

“marriagesaremadeinheaven,”respondedtheelderlylady.

princevassilywalkedtothefurthestcornerandsatdownonasofa,asthoughhehadnotheardtheladies.heclosedhiseyesandseemedtodoze.hisheadbegantodroop,andherousedhimself.

“aline,”hesaidtohiswife,“goandseewhattheyaredoing.”

theprincesswentuptothedoor,walkedbyitwithacountenancefullofmeaningandaffectednonchalance,andglancedintothelittledrawing-room.pierreandellenweresittingandtalkingasbefore.

“justthesame,”shesaidinanswertoherhusband.princevassilyfrowned,twistinghismouthononeside,hischeekstwitchedwiththeunpleasant,brutalexpressionpeculiartohimatsuchmoments.heshookhimself,gotup,flunghisheadback,andwithresolutestepspassedtheladiesandcrossedovertothelittledrawing-room.hewalkedquickly,joyfullyuptopierre.theprince’sfacewassoextraordinarilysolemnthatpierregotupinalarmonseeinghim.

“thankgod！”hesaid.“mywifehastoldmeallaboutit.”heputonearmroundpierre,theotherroundhisdaughter.“mydearboy！ellen！iamvery,veryglad.”hisvoicequavered.“ilovedyourfather…andshewillmakeyouagoodwife…god’sblessingonyou！…”heembracedhisdaughter,thenpierreagain,andkissedhimwithhiselderlylips.tearswereactuallymoistonhischeeks.“aline,comehere,”hecalled.

theprincesswentinandwepttoo.theelderlyladyalsoputherhandkerchieftohereye.theykissedpierre,andheseveraltimeskissedthehandofthelovelyellen.alittlelatertheywereagainleftalone.

“allthishadtobesoandcouldnothavebeenotherwise,”thoughtpierre,“sothatit’snousetoinquirewhetheritwasagoodthingornot.it’sagoodthingbecauseit’sdefinite,andthere’snoneoftheagonisingsuspensetherewasbefore.”pierreheldhisbetrothed’shandinsilence,andgazedattheheavingandfallingofherlovelybosom.

“ellen！”hesaidaloud,andstopped.“there’ssomethingspecialissaidontheseoccasions,”hethought;buthecouldnotrecollectpreciselywhatitwasthatwassaidontheseoccasions.heglancedintoherface.shebentforwardclosertohim.herfaceflushedrosyred.

“ah,takeoffthose…those…”shepointedtohisspectacles.

pierretookoffhisspectacles,andtherewasinhiseyesbesidesthestrangelookpeople’seyesalwayshavewhentheyremovespectacles,alookofdismayandinquiry.hewouldhavebentoverherhandandhavekissedit.butwithanalmostbrutalmovementofherhead,shecaughtathislipsandpressedthemtoherown.pierrewasstruckbythetransformed,theunpleasantlyconfusedexpressionofherface.

“nowit’stoolate,it’sallover,andbesidesiloveher,”thoughtpierre.

“iloveyou！”hesaid,rememberingwhathadtobesaidontheseoccasions.butthewordssoundedsopoorthathefeltashamedofhimself.

sixweekslaterhewasmarried,andtheluckypossessorofalovelywifeandmillionsofmoney,aspeoplesaid;hetookuphisabodeinthegreat,newlydecoratedpetersburgmansionofthecountsbezuhov.