按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
broken ring。
After that； when in discussions with his village elders or
stewards the blood rushed to his face and his fists began to clench；
Nicholas would turn the broken ring on his finger and would drop his
eyes before the man who was making him angry。 But he did forget
himself once or twice within a twelvemonth； and then he would go and
confess to his wife； and would again promise that this should really
be the very last time。
〃Mary； you must despise me！〃 he would say。 〃I deserve it。〃
〃You should go； go away at once； if you don't feel strong enough
to control yourself；〃 she would reply sadly； trying to comfort her
husband。
Among the gentry of the province Nicholas was respected but not
liked。 He did not concern himself with the interests of his own class；
and consequently some thought him proud and others thought him stupid。
The whole summer； from spring sowing to harvest； he was busy with
the work on his farm。 In autumn he gave himself up to hunting with the
same business like seriousness… leaving home for a month； or even two；
with his hunt。 In winter he visited his other villages or spent his
time reading。 The books he read were chiefly historical； and on
these he spent a certain sum every year。 He was collecting； as he
said； a serious library； and he made it a rule to read through all the
books he bought。 He would sit in his study with a grave air；
reading… a task he first imposed upon himself as a duty； but which
afterwards became a habit affording him a special kind of pleasure and
a consciousness of being occupied with serious matters。 In winter；
except for business excursions； he spent most of his time at home
making himself one with his family and entering into all the details
of his children's relations with their mother。 The harmony between him
and his wife grew closer and closer and he daily discovered fresh
spiritual treasures in her。
From the time of his marriage Sonya had lived in his house。 Before
that； Nicholas had told his wife all that had passed between himself
and Sonya； blaming himself and commending her。 He had asked Princess
Mary to be gentle and kind to his cousin。 She thoroughly realized
the wrong he had done Sonya； felt herself to blame toward her； and
imagined that her wealth had influenced Nicholas' choice。 She could
not find fault with Sonya in any way and tried to be fond of her；
but often felt ill…will toward her which she could not overcome。
Once she had a talk with her friend Natasha about Sonya and about
her own injustice toward her。
〃You know；〃 said Natasha； 〃you have read the Gospels a great deal…
there is a passage in them that just fits Sonya。〃
〃What？〃 asked Countess Mary； surprised。
〃'To him that hath shall be given； and from him that hath not
shall be taken away。' You remember？ She is one that hath not； why； I
don't know。 Perhaps she lacks egotism； I don't know； but from her is
taken away； and everything has been taken away。 Sometimes I am
dreadfully sorry for her。 Formerly I very much wanted Nicholas to
marry her； but I always had a sort of presentiment that it would not
come off。 She is a sterile flower； you know… like some strawberry
blossoms。 Sometimes I am sorry for her； and sometimes I think she
doesn't feel it as you or I would。〃
Though Countess Mary told Natasha that those words in the Gospel
must be understood differently； yet looking at Sonya she agreed with
Natasha's explanation。 It really seemed that Sonya did not feel her
position trying； and had grown quite reconciled to her lot as a
sterile flower。 She seemed to be fond not so much of individuals as of
the family as a whole。 Like a cat； she had attached herself not to the
people but to the home。 She waited on the old countess； petted and
spoiled the children； was always ready to render the small services
for which she had a gift； and all this was unconsciously accepted from
her with insufficient gratitude。
The country seat at Bald Hills had been rebuilt； though not on the
same scale as under the old prince。
The buildings； begun under straitened circumstances； were more
than simple。 The immense house on the old stone foundations was of
wood； plastered only inside。 It had bare deal floors and was furnished
with very simple hard sofas； armchairs； tables； and chairs made by
their own serf carpenters out of their own birchwood。 The house was
spacious and had rooms for the house serfs and apartments for
visitors。 Whole families of the Rostovs' and Bolkonskis' relations
sometimes came to Bald Hills with sixteen horses and dozens of
servants and stayed for months。 Besides that； four times a year； on
the name days and birthdays of the hosts； as many as a hundred
visitors would gather there for a day or two。 The rest of the year
life pursued its unbroken routine with its ordinary occupations； and
its breakfasts； lunches； dinners； and suppers； provided out of the
produce of the estate。
EP1｜CH9
CHAPTER IX
It was the eve of St。 Nicholas； the fifth of December； 1820。 Natasha
had been staying at her brother's with her husband and children
since early autumn。 Pierre had gone to Petersburg on business of his
own for three weeks as he said； but had remained there nearly seven
weeks and was expected back every minute。
Besides the Bezukhov family； Nicholas' old friend the retired
General Vasili Dmitrich Denisov was staying with the Rostovs this
fifth of December。
On the sixth； which was his name day when the house would be full of
visitors； Nicholas knew he would have to exchange his Tartar tunic for
a tail coat； and put on narrow boots with pointed toes； and drive to
the new church he had built； and then receive visitors who would
come to congratulate him； offer them refreshments； and talk about
the elections of the nobility； but he considered himself entitled to
spend the eve of that day in his usual way。 He examined the
bailiff's accounts of the village in Ryazan which belonged to his
wife's nephew； wrote two business letters； and walked over to the
granaries； cattle yards and stables before dinner。 Having taken
precautions against the general drunkenness to be expected on the
morrow because it was a great saint's day； he returned to dinner；
and without having time for a private talk with his wife sat down at
the long table laid for twenty persons； at which the whole household
had assembled。 At that table were his mother； his mother's old lady
companion Belova； his wife； their three children with their
governess and tutor； his wife's nephew with his tutor； Sonya； Denisov；
Natasha； her three children； their governess； and old Michael
Ivanovich； the late prince's architect； who was living on in
retirement at Bald Hills。
Countess Mary sat at the other end of the table。 When her husband
took his place she concluded； from the rapid manner in which after
taking up his table napkin he pushed back the tumbler and wineglass
standing before him； that he was out of humor； as was sometimes the
case when he came in to dinner straight from the farm… especially
before the soup。 Countess Mary well knew that mood of his； and when
she herself was in a good frame of mind quietly waited till he had had
his soup and then began to talk to him and make him admit that there
was no cause for his ill…humor。 But today she quite forgot that and
was hurt that he should be angry with her without any reason； and
she felt unhappy。 She asked him where he had been。 He replied。 She
again inquired whether everything was going well on the farm。 Her
unnatural tone made him wince unpleasantly and he replied hastily。
〃Then I'm not mistaken；〃 thought Countess Mary。 〃Why is he cross
with me？〃 She concluded from his tone that he was vexed with her and
wished to end the conversation。 She knew her remarks sounded
unnatural； but could not refrain from asking some more questions。
Thanks to Denisov the conversation at table soon became general
and lively； and she did not talk to her husband。 When they left the
table and went as usual to thank the old countess； Countess Mary
held out her hand and kissed her husband； and asked him why he was
angry with her。
〃You always have such strange fancies！ I didn't even think of
being angry；〃 he replied。
But the word always seemed to her to imply： 〃Yes； I am angry but I
won't tell you why。〃
Nicholas and his wife lived together so happily that even Sonya
and the old countess； who felt jealous and would have liked them to
disagree； could find nothing to reproach them with； but even they
had their moments of antagonism。 Occasionally； and it was always
just after they had been happiest together； they suddenly had a
feeling of estrangement and hostility； which occurred most
frequently during Countess Mary's pregnancies； and this was such a
time。
〃Well； messieurs et mesdames；〃 said Nicholas loudly and with
apparent cheerfulness （it seemed to Countess Mary that he did it on
purpose to