第44章

第44章therewasbynownooneinthereception-roomexceptprincevassilyandtheeldestprincess,whowereineagerconversationtogether,sittingundertheportraitofcatherine.theyweremuteatonceonseeingpierreandhiscompanion,andtheprincessconcealedsomethingaspierrefanciedandmurmured：“ican’tstandthesightofthatwoman.”

“katishhashadteaservedinthelittledrawing-room,”princevassilysaidtoannamihalovna.“go,mypoorannamihalovna,takesomethingoryouwillnotholdout.”

topierrehesaidnothing;hesimplypressedhisarmsympathetically.pierreandannamihalovnawentonintothelittledrawing-room.

“thereisnothingsorevivingasacupofthisexcellentrussiantea,afterasleeplessnight,”saidlorrainwithanairofrestrainedbriskness,sippingitoutofadelicatechinacupwithoutahandle,ashestoodinthelittlecirculardrawing-roomclosetoatablelaidwithtea-thingsandcoldsupper-dishes.allwhowereincountbezuhov’shouseonthatnighthad,withaviewtofortifyingthemselves,gatheredaroundthetable.pierrerememberedwellthatlittlecirculardrawing-roomwithitsmirrorsandlittletables.whentherehadbeenballsinthecount’shouse,pierre,whocouldnotdance,hadlikedsittinginthatlittleroomfullofmirrors,watchingtheladiesinball-dresseswithpearlsanddiamondsontheirbareshoulders,astheycrossedthatroomandlookedatthemselvesinthebrightlylightedmirrorsthatrepeatedtheirreflectionsseveraltimes.nowthesameroomwasdimlylightedwithtwocandles,andinthemiddleofthenightthetea-setandsupper-dishesstoodindisorderononeofthelittletables,andheterogeneous,plainlydressedpersonsweresittingatit,whisperingtogether,andshowingineverywordthatnoonecouldforgetwhatwaspassingatthatmomentandwhatwasstilltocomeinthebedroom.pierredidnoteatanything,thoughhefeltverymuchinclinedto.helookedroundinquiringlytowardshismonitress,andperceivedthatshehadgoneoutagainontiptoeintothereception-roomwhereprincevassilyhadremainedwiththeeldestprincess.pierresupposedthatthistoowasaninevitablepartoftheproceedings,and,afteralittledelay,hefollowedher.annamihalovnawasstandingbesidetheprincess,andtheywerebothtalkingatonceinexcitedtones.

“allowme,madam,toknowwhatisandwhatisnottobedone,”saidtheprincess,whowasapparentlyinthesameexasperatedtemperasshehadbeenwhensheslammedthedoorofherroom.

“but,dearprincess,”annamihalovnawassayingmildlyandpersuasively,blockingupthewaytowardsthebedroomandnotlettingtheprincesspass.“wouldthatnotbetoogreatataxonpooruncleatsuchamoment,whenheneedsrepose？atsuchmomentstotalkofworldlymatterswhenhissoulisalreadyprepared…”

princevassilywassittinginalowchairinhishabitualattitude,withonelegcrossedhighabovetheother.hischeeksweretwitchingviolently,andwhentheyrelaxed,theylookedheavierbelow;butheworetheairofamanlittleinterestedinthetwoladies’discussion.

“no,mydearannamihalovna,letkatishactonherowndiscretion.youknowhowthecountlovesher.”

“idon’tevenknowwhatisinthisdocument,”saidtheprincess,addressingprincevassily,andpointingtotheinlaidportfoliowhichsheheldinherhand.“alliknowisthattherealwillisinthebureau,andthisisapaperthathasbeenforgotten.…”

shetriedtogetroundannamihalovna,butthelatter,withanotherlittleskip,barredherwayagain.

“iknow,dear,sweetprincess,”saidannamihalovna,takingholdoftheportfolio,andsofirmlythatitwasclearshewouldnotreadilyletgoofitagain.“dearprincess,ibegyou,ibeseechyou,sparehim.ientreatyou.”

theprincessdidnotspeak.allthatwasheardwasthesoundofascuffleovertheportfolio.therecouldbenodoubtthatifsheweretospeak,shewouldsaynothingcomplimentarytoannamihalovna.thelatterkeptatightgrip,butinspiteofthathervoiceretainedallitssweetgravityandsoftness.

pierre,comehere,mydearboy.hewillnotbeonetoomany,ishouldimagine,inafamilycouncil;eh,prince？”