第35章

第35章thecard-tableswereopened,partiesweremadeupforboston,andthecount’sguestssettledthemselvesinthetwodrawing-rooms,thedivan-room,andthelibrary.

thecount,holdinghiscardsinafan,withsomedifficultykepthimselffromdroppingintohiscustomaryafter-dinnernap,andlaughedateverything.theyoungpeople,atthecountess’sestion,gatheredabouttheclavichordandtheharp.juliewasfirstpressedbyeveryonetoperform,andplayedapiecewithvariationsontheharp.thenshejoinedtheotheryoungladiesiningnatashaandnikolay,whowerenotedfortheirmusicaltalents,tosingsomething.natasha,whowastreatedbyeveryoneasthoughsheweregrown-up,wasvisiblyveryproudofit,andatthesametimemadeshybyit.

“whatarewetosing？”sheasked.

“the‘spring,’”answerednikolay.

“well,then,let’smakehaste.boris,comehere,”saidnatasha.“butwhere’ssonya？”shelookedround,andseeingthatherfriendwasnotintheroom,sheranofftofindher.

afterrunningtosonya’sroom,andnotfindingherthere,natasharantothenursery：sonyawasnotthereeither.natashaknewthatshemustbeonthechestinthecorridor.thechestinthecorridorwasthesceneofthewoesoftheyoungerfemininegenerationofthehouseofrostov.yes,sonyawasonthechest,lyingfacedownwards,crushinghergossamerpinkfrockontheiroldnurse’sdirtystripedfeather-bed.herfacehiddeninherfingers,shewassobbing,andherlittlebareshoulderswereheaving.natasha’sbirthdayfacethathadbeenfestiveandexcitedallday,changedatonce;hereyesworeafixedlook,thenherbroadneckquivered,andthecornersofherlipsdrooped.

“sonya！whatisit？…what’sthematterwithyou？oo-oo-oo！…”andnatasha,lettingherbigmouthdropopenandbecomingquiteugly,wailedlikeababy,notknowingwhy,simplybecausesonyawascrying.sonyatriedtoliftupherhead,triedtoanswer,butcouldnot,andburiedherfacemorethanever.natashacried,sittingontheedgeofthebluefeather-bedandingherfriend.makinganeffort,sonyagotup,begantodryhertearsandtotalk.

“nikolinka’sgoingawayinaweek,his…paper…hascome…hetoldmehimself.…butstillishouldn’tcry…”（sheshowedasheetofpapershewasholdinginherhand;onitwereverseswrittenbynikolay）.“ishouldn’thavecried;butyoucan’t…noonecanunderstand…whatasoulhehas.”

andagainshefelltoweepingatthethoughtofhownoblehissoulwas.

“it’sallrightforyou…i’mnotenvious…iloveyouandboristoo,”shesaid,controllingherselfalittle;“he’ssonice…therearenodifficultiesinyourway.butnikolay’smycousin…themetropolitanchiefpriesthimself…hasto…orelseit’simpossible.andso,ifmamma’stold”（sonyalookedonthecountessandaddressedherasamother）,“she’llsaythati’mspoilingnikolay’scareer,thatihavenoheart,thati’mungrateful,thoughreally…ingod’sname”（shemadethesignofthecross）“iloveherso,andallofyou,onlyvera…whyisit？whathaveidonetoher？iamsogratefultoyouthatiwouldbegladtosacrificeeverythingforyou,butihavenothing.…”

sonyacouldsaynomore,andagainsheburiedherheadinherhandsandthefeather-bed.natashatriedtocomforther,butherfaceshowedthatshegraspedallthegravityofherfriend’strouble.

“sonya！”shesaidallatonce,asthoughshehadguessedtherealcauseofhercousin’smisery,“ofcoursevera’sbeentalkingtoyousincedinner？yes？”

“yes,theseversesnikolaywrotehimself,andicopiedsomeothers;andshefoundthemonmytable,andsaidsheshouldshowthemtomamma,andshesaidtoothatiwasungrateful,andthatmammawouldneverallowhimtomarryme,butthathewouldmarryjulie.youseehowhehasbeenwithherallday…natasha！whyisit？”

andagainshesobbedmorebitterlythanever.natashaliftedherup,edher,and,smilingthroughhertears,begancomfortingher.

“sonya,don’tyoubelieveher,darling;don’tbelieveher.doyourememberhowwetalkedwithnikolay,allthreeofustogether,inthedivan-room,doyouremember,aftersupper？why,wesettledhowitshouldallbe.idon’tquiteremembernow,butdoyouremember,itwasallrightandallpossible.why,uncleshinshin’sbrotherismarriedtohisfirstcousin,andwe’reonlysecondcousins,youknow.andborissaidthatit’squiteeasilyarranged.youknowitoldhimallaboutit.he’ssocleverandsogood,”saidnatasha.…“don’tcry,sonya,darling,sweetone,precious,sonya,”andshekissedher,laughing.“veraisspiteful;nevermindher！anditwillallcomerightandshewon’ttellmamma.nikolinkawilltellherhimself,andhe’sneverthoughtofjulie.”

andshekissedheronthehead.sonyagotup,andthekittenrevived;itseyessparkled,anditwasready,itseemed,towagitstail,springonitssoftpawsandbegintoplaywithaball,initsownnatural,kittenishway.

“doyouthinkso？really？truly？”shesaidrapidly,smoothingherfrockandherhair.

“really,truly,”answerednatasha,puttingbackastraycoilofroughhaironherfriend’shead;andtheybothlaughed.“well,comealongandsingthe‘spring.’”

“let’sgo,then.”

“anddoyouknowthatfatpierre,whowassittingoppositeme,he’ssofunny！”natashasaidsuddenly,stopping.“iamenjoyingmyselfso,”andnatasharanalongthecorridor.

brushingoffthefeatherflufffromherfrock,andthrustingtheversesintoherbodicenextherlittlethroatandprominentbreast-bones,sonyaranwithflushedfaceandlight,happysteps,followingnatashaalongthecorridortothedivan-room.attherequestoftheirgueststheyoungpeoplesangthequartettethe“spring,”withwhicheveryonewasdelighted;thennikolaysangasonghehadlatelylearnt.

“howsweetinthemoon’skindlyray,