第32章

第32章“well，isupposedinner’sready，eh？”saidmaryadmitrvevna.thecountledthewaywithmaryadmitryevna，thenfollowedthecountess，takeninbyacolonelofhussars，apersonofimportance，asnikolaywastotravelinhiscompanytojointheregiment；thenannamihalovnawithshinshin.berggavehisarmtovera，juliekaraginwalkedinsmilingwithnikolay.theywerefollowedbyastringofothercouples，stretchingrightacrossthehall，andbehindall，thechildrenwiththeirtutorsandgovernessestroopedin，walkedsingly.therewasabustleamongthewaitersandacreakingofchairs；theorchestrabeganplaying，asthegueststooktheirplaces.thenthestrainsofthecount’shouseholdbandwereeededbytheclatterofknivesandforks，theconversationoftheguests，andthesubduedtreadofthewaiters.thecountesspresidedatoneendofthetable.onherrightwasmaryadmitryevna；onherleftannamihalovnaandtheotherladiesoftheparty.attheotherendsatthecount，withthecolonelofhussarsonhisleft，andonhisrightshinshinandtheotherguestsofthemalesex.ononesideofthelargetablesatthemoregrown-upoftheyoungpeople：verabesideberg，pierrebesideboris.ontheothersidewerethechildrenwiththeirtutorsandgovernesses.thecountpeepedfrombehindthecrystalofthedecantersandfruit-dishesathiswifeandherhighcapwithblueribbons，andzealouslypouredoutwineforhisneighbours，notoverlookinghimself.thecountess，too，whilemindfulofherdutiesashostess，castsignificantglancesfrombehindthepineapplesatherhusband，whosefaceandbaldheadstruckheraslookingparticularlyredagainsthisgreyhair.attheladies’endtherewasarhythmicmurmuroftalk，butattheotherendofthetablethemen’svoicesgrewlouderandlouder，especiallythevoiceofthecolonelofhussars，who，gettingmoreandmoreflushed，ateanddranksomuchthatthecountheldhimupasapatterntotherest.bergwithatendersmilewastellingverathatlovewasanemotionnotofearthbutofheaven.boriswastellinghisnewfriendpierrethenamesoftheguests，whileheexchangedglanceswithnatashasittingoppositehim.pierresaidlittle，lookedaboutatthenewfaces，andateagreatdeal.ofthetwosoupshechoseàlatortue，andfromthatcoursetothefish-pastiesandthegrouse，hedidnotletasingledishpass，andtookeverysortofwinethatthebutlerofferedhim，ashemysteriouslypokedabottlewrappedinanapkinoverhisneighbour’sshoulder，murmuring，“drymadeira，”or“hungarian，”or“rhinewine.”pierretookawine-glassatrandomoutofthefourcrystalglassesengravedwiththecount’screstthatweresetateachplace，anddrankwithrelish，staringattheguestswithacountenancethatbecamemoreandmoreamiableasthedinnerwenton.natasha，whosatoppositehim，gazedatborisasgirlsofthirteengazeattheboywhomtheyhavejustkissedforthefirsttime，andwithwhomtheyareinlove.thisgazesometimesstrayedtopierre，andatthelookonthefunny，excitedlittlegirl’sface，hefeltanimpulsetolaughhimselfwithoutknowingwhy.

nikolaywassittingalongwayfromsonya，besidejuliekaragin，andagainsmilingthesameunconscioussmile，hewastalkingtoher.sonyaworeacompanysmile，butshewasvisiblyinagoniesofjealousy；atonemomentsheturnedpale，thenshecrimsoned，andallherenergieswereconcentratedonlisteningtowhatnikolayandjulieweresaying.thegovernesslookednervouslyabouther，asthoughpreparingtoresentanyslightthatmightbeofferedtothechildren.thegermantutorwastryingtolearnbyheartalistofallthekindsofdishes，desserts，andwines，inordertowriteadetaileddescriptionofthemtothefolksathomeingermany，andwasgreatlymortifiedthatthebutlerwiththebottleinthenapkinhadpassedhimover.thegermanknittedhisbrows，andtriedtolookasthoughhewouldnothavecaredtotakethatwine，buthewasmortifiedbecausenoonewouldunderstandthathehadnotwantedthewinetoquenchhisthirst，orthroughgreed，butfromaconscientiousdesireforknowledge.