战争与和平(上)-第98节

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is　in　that　Dolohov；　one　must　see　him　with　his　mother；　such　a　noble　heart！”
“I　know　nothing　about　that；　but　I　don’t　feel　at　home　with　him。　And　do　you　know　he’s　falling　in　love　with　Sonya？”
“What　nonsense！”
“I　am　sure；　you　will　see　he　is。”
Natasha’s　prediction　was　fulfilled。　Dolohov；　who　did　not　as　a　rule　care　for　ladies；　began　to　come　often　to　the　house；　and　the　question；　for　whose　sake　he　came；　was　soon　（though　no　one　spoke　of　it）　decided—it　was　on　Sonya’s　account。　And　though　Sonya　would　never　have　ventured　to　say　so；　she　knew　it；　and　blushed　scarlet　every　time　Dolohov　made　his　appearance。
Dolohov　often　dined　at　the　Rostovs’；　never　missed　a　performance　at　which　they　were　to　be　present；　and　attended　Iogel’s　balls　“for　the　boys　and　girls；”　at　which　the　Rostovs　were　always　to　be　found。　He　showed　marked　attention　to　Sonya；　and　looked　at　her　with　such　an　expression　in　his　eyes　that　Sonya　could　not　bear　his　eyes　on　her　without　turning　crimson；　and　even　the　old　countess　and　Natasha　blushed　when　they　saw　that　look。
It　was　evident　that　this　strong；　strange　man　could　not　shake　off　the　impression　made　on　him　by　the　dark；　graceful　young　girl；　who　was　in　love　with　another　man。
Rostov　noticed　something　new　between　Dolohov　and　Sonya；　but　he　did　not　define　to　himself　precisely　what　that　new　attitude　was。　“They　are　all　in　love　with　some　one；”　he　thought　of　Sonya　and　Natasha。　But　he　did　not　feel　quite　at　his　ease　as　before　with　Sonya　and　Dolohov；　and　he　began　to　be　less　often　at　home。
In　the　autumn　of　1806　every　one　was　beginning　to　talk　again　of　war　with　Napoleon；　and　with　even　greater　fervour　than　in　the　previous　year。　A　levy　was　decreed；　not　only　of　ten　recruits　for　active　service；　but　of　nine　militiamen　for　the　reserve　as　well；　from　every　thousand　of　the　population。　Everywhere　Bonaparte　was　anathematised；　and　the　only　thing　talked　of　in　Moscow　was　the　impending　war。　To　the　Rostov　family　the　interest　of　these　preparations　for　war　was　entirely　centered　in　the　fact　that　Nikolushka　refused　to　remain　longer　in　Moscow；　and　was　only　waiting　for　the　end　of　Denisov’s　leave　to　rejoin　his　regiment　with　him　after　the　holidays。　His　approaching　departure；　far　from　hindering　him　from　enjoying　himself；　gave　an　added　zest　to　his　pleasures。　The　greater　part　of　his　time　he　spent　away　from　home；　at　dinners；　parties；　and　balls。


Chapter　11
ON　THE　THIRD　DAY　after　Christmas　Nikolay　dined　at　home；　which　he　had　rarely　done　of　late。　This　was　a　farewell　dinner　in　Nikolay’s　honour；　as　he　was　to　set　off　with　Denisov　after　the　baptism　festival　to　rejoin　his　regiment。　Twenty　persons　were　dining；　among　them　Dolohov　and　Denisov。
Never　had　the　love　in　the　air　of　the　Rostovs’　house；　never　had　the　atmosphere　of　being　in　love；　made　itself　so　strongly　felt　as　during　those　Christmas　holidays。　“Seize　the　moment　of　happiness；　love　and　be　loved！　That　is　the　only　thing　real　in　the　world；　the　rest　is　all　nonsense。　And　that　is　the　one　thing　we　are　interested　in　here；”　was　the　sentiment　that　atmosphere　was　eloquent　of。
After　exhausting　two　pairs　of　horses；　as　he　did　every　day　without　having　been　everywhere　he　ought　to　have　been；　and　everywhere　he　had　been　invited；　Nikolay　reached　home　just　at　dinner…time。　As　soon　as　he　went　in　he　felt　that　intense　atmosphere　of　love　in　the　house；　but　in　addition　to　that　he　became　conscious　of　a　strange　embarrassment　that　seemed　to　prevail　between　certain　persons　in　the　company。　Sonya　seemed　particularly　disturbed；　so　did　Dolohov　and　the　old　countess；　and　in　a　lesser　degree　Natasha。　Nikolay　saw　that　something　must　have　passed　before　dinner　between　Sonya　and　Dolohov；　and　with　the　delicate　instinct　characteristic　of　him；　he　was　very　sympathetic　and　wary　with　both　of　them　during　dinner。　On　that　evening　there　was　to　be　one　of　the　dances　given　by　Iogel；　the　dancing…master；　during　the　holidays　to　his　pupils。
“Nikolenka；　are　you　going　to　Iogel’s？　Please；　do　go；”　said　Natasha；　“he　particularly　begged　you　to；　and　Vassily　Dmitritch”　（this　was　Denisov）　“is　going。”
“Where　would　I　not　go　at　the　countess’s　commands！”　said　Denisov；　who　had　jestingly　taken　up　the　role　of　Natasha’s　knight　in　the　Rostov　household。　“I　am　ready　to　dance　the　pas　de　chale。”
“If　I　have　time！　I　promised　the　Arharovs；　they　have　a　party；”　said　Nikolay。
“And　you？　…”　he　turned　to　Dolohov。　And　as　soon　as　he　had　asked　the　question；　he　saw　that　he　should　not　have　asked　it。
“Yes；　possibly　…”　Dolohov　answered　coldly　and　angrily；　glancing　at　Sonya；　and　he　glanced　again；　scowling　at　Nikolay　with　exactly　the　same　look　with　which　he　had　looked　at　Pierre　at　the　club　dinner。
“There’s　something　wrong；”　thought　Nikolay；　and　he　was　still　more　confirmed　in　that　surmise；　when　immediately　after　dinner　Dolohov　went　away。　He　beckoned　Natasha；　and　asked　her　what　had　happened。
“I　was　looking　for　you；”　said　Natasha；　running　out　to　him。　“I　told　you　so；　and　still　you　wouldn’t　believe　me；”　she　said　triumphantly；　“he　has　made　Sonya　an　offer。”
Little　as　Nikolay　had　been　thinking　of　Sonya　of　late；　he　felt　as　if　something　were　being　torn　from　him　when　he　heard　this。　Dolohov　was　a　good；　and　in　some　respects　a　brilliant；　match　for　the　portionless　orphan　Sonya。　From　the　point　of　view　of　the　countess　and　of　society　it　was　out　of　the　question　for　her　to　refuse　him。　And　so　Nikolay’s　first　feeling　when　he　heard　of　it　was　one　of　exasperation　against　Sonya。　He　braced　himself　up　to　say；　“And　a　capital　thing；　too；　of　course　she　must　forget　her　childish　promises　and　accept　the　offer”；　but　he　had　not　succeeded　in　saying　this　when　Natasha　said：
“Only　fancy！　she　has　refused　him；　absolutely　refused　him！　She　says　she　loves　some　one　else；”　she　added　after　a　brief　pause。
“Yes；　my　Sonya　could　not　do　otherwise！”　thought　Nikolay。
“Mamma　begged　her　ever　so　many　times　not　to；　but　she　refused；　and　I　know　she　won’t　change；　if　she　has　said　a　thing。…”
“And　mamma　begged　her　not　to！”　Nikolay　said　reproachfully。
“Yes；”　said　Natasha。　“Do　you　know；　Nikolenka—don’t　be　angry—　but　I　know　you　won’t　marry　her。　I　know—I　don’t　know　why—but　I　know　for　certain　that　you　won’t　marry　her。”
“Well；　you　can’t　know　that；”　said　Nikolay；　“but　I　want　to　talk　to　her。　How　charming　Sonya　is！”　he　added；　smiling。
“Yes；　she　is　so　charming！　I’ll　send　her　in　to　you。”　And　Natasha　kissed　her　brother　and　ran　away。
A　minute　later　Sonya　came　in；　looking　frightened；　distraught；　and　guilty。　Nikolay　went　up　to　her　and　kissed　her　hand。　It　was　the　first　time　since　his　return　that　they　had　talked　alone　and　of　their　love。
“Sophie；”　he　said　to　her；　at　first　timidly；　but　more　and　more　boldly　as　he　went　on；　“if　you　were　simply　refusing　a　brilliant；　an　advantageous　match—but　he’s　a　splendid；　noble　fellow　…　he’s　my　friend…”
Sonya　interrupted　him。
“I　have　refused　him；”　she　said　hastily。
“If　you　are　refusing　him　for　my　sake；　I　am　afraid　that　I…”
Sonya　again　cut　him　short。　With　frightened；　imploring　eyes　she　looked　at　him。
“Nikolenka；　don’t　say　that　to　me；”　she　said。
“No；　I　must。　Perhaps　it’s　suffisance　on　my　part；　but　still　it’s　better　to　say　it。　If　you　are　refusing　him　on　my　account；　I　ought　to　tell　you　the　whole　truth。　I　love　you；　I　believe；　more　than　any　one　…”
“That’s　enough　for　me；”　said　Sonya；　flushing　crimson。
“No；　but　I　have　been　in　love　a　thousand　times；　and　I　shall　fall　in　love　again；　though　such　a　feeling　of　affection；　confidence　and　love　I　have　for　no　one　as　for　you。　Then　I　am　young。　Mamma　does　not　wish　it。　Well—in　fact—I　can　make　no　promise。　And　I　beg　you　to　consider　the　offer　of　Dolohov；”　he　said；　with　an　effort　articulating　the　name　of　his　friend。
“Don’t　speak　to　me　of　it。　I　want　nothing。　I　love　you　as　a　brother；　and　shall　always　love　you；　and　I　want　nothing　more。”
“You　are　an　angel；　I’m　not　worthy　of　you；　but　I　am　only　afraid　of　deceiving　you。”
Nikolay　kissed　her　hand　once　more。


Chapter　12
IOGEL’S　were　the　most　enjoyable　balls　in　Moscow。　So　the　mammas　said　as　they　looked　at　their　boys　and　girls　executing　the　steps　they　had　only　lately　learnt。　So　too　said　the　boys　and　girls　themselves；　who　danced　till　they　were　ready　to　drop；　so　too　said　the　grown…up　girls　and　young　men；　who　came　to　those　dances　in　a　spirit　of　condescension；　and　found　in　them　the　greatest　enjoyment。　That　year　two　matches　had　been　made　at　those　dances。　The　two　pretty　young　princesses　Gortchakov　had　found　suitors　there；　and　had　been　married；　and　this　had　given　the　dances　even　greater　vogue　than　before。　What　distinguished　these　dances　from　others　was　the　absence　of　host　and　hostess；　and　the　presence　of　the　good…humoured　Iogel；　who　had　sold　tickets　for　lessons　to　all　his　guests；　and　fluttered　about　like　a　feather；　bowing　and　scraping　in　accordance　with　the　rules　of　his　art。　Another　point　of　difference；　too；　was　that　none　came　to　these　dances　but　those　who　really　wanted　to　dance　and　enjoy　themselves；　in　the　way　that　girls　of　thirteen　and　fourteen　do；　putting　on　long　dresses　for　the　first　time。　All　with　rare　exceptions　were　or　looked　pretty；　so　ecstatically　they　smiled　and　so　rapturously　their　eyes　sparkled。　The　pas　de　chale　even　was　sometimes　danced　by　the　best　pupils；　among　whom　Natasha　was　the　best　of　all；　and　conspicuous　for　her　gracefulness。　But　at　this　last　ball　th