War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy

CHAPTER II

1018 words | Chapter 127

Prince Andrew had to see the Marshal of the Nobility for the district in connection with the affairs of the Ryazán estate of which he was trustee. This Marshal was Count Ilyá Rostóv, and in the middle of May Prince Andrew went to visit him. It was now hot spring weather. The whole forest was already clothed in green. It was dusty and so hot that on passing near water one longed to bathe. Prince Andrew, depressed and preoccupied with the business about which he had to speak to the Marshal, was driving up the avenue in the grounds of the Rostóvs’ house at Otrádnoe. He heard merry girlish cries behind some trees on the right and saw a group of girls running to cross the path of his calèche. Ahead of the rest and nearer to him ran a dark-haired, remarkably slim, pretty girl in a yellow chintz dress, with a white handkerchief on her head from under which loose locks of hair escaped. The girl was shouting something but, seeing that he was a stranger, ran back laughing without looking at him. Suddenly, he did not know why, he felt a pang. The day was so beautiful, the sun so bright, everything around so gay, but that slim pretty girl did not know, or wish to know, of his existence and was contented and cheerful in her own separate—probably foolish—but bright and happy life. “What is she so glad about? What is she thinking of? Not of the military regulations or of the arrangement of the Ryazán serfs’ quitrents. Of what is she thinking? Why is she so happy?” Prince Andrew asked himself with instinctive curiosity. In 1809 Count Ilyá Rostóv was living at Otrádnoe just as he had done in former years, that is, entertaining almost the whole province with hunts, theatricals, dinners, and music. He was glad to see Prince Andrew, as he was to see any new visitor, and insisted on his staying the night. During the dull day, in the course of which he was entertained by his elderly hosts and by the more important of the visitors (the old count’s house was crowded on account of an approaching name day), Prince Andrew repeatedly glanced at Natásha, gay and laughing among the younger members of the company, and asked himself each time, “What is she thinking about? Why is she so glad?” That night, alone in new surroundings, he was long unable to sleep. He read awhile and then put out his candle, but relit it. It was hot in the room, the inside shutters of which were closed. He was cross with the stupid old man (as he called Rostóv), who had made him stay by assuring him that some necessary documents had not yet arrived from town, and he was vexed with himself for having stayed. He got up and went to the window to open it. As soon as he opened the shutters the moonlight, as if it had long been watching for this, burst into the room. He opened the casement. The night was fresh, bright, and very still. Just before the window was a row of pollard trees, looking black on one side and with a silvery light on the other. Beneath the trees grew some kind of lush, wet, bushy vegetation with silver-lit leaves and stems here and there. Farther back beyond the dark trees a roof glittered with dew, to the right was a leafy tree with brilliantly white trunk and branches, and above it shone the moon, nearly at its full, in a pale, almost starless, spring sky. Prince Andrew leaned his elbows on the window ledge and his eyes rested on that sky. His room was on the first floor. Those in the rooms above were also awake. He heard female voices overhead. “Just once more,” said a girlish voice above him which Prince Andrew recognized at once. “But when are you coming to bed?” replied another voice. “I won’t, I can’t sleep, what’s the use? Come now for the last time.” Two girlish voices sang a musical passage—the end of some song. “Oh, how lovely! Now go to sleep, and there’s an end of it.” “You go to sleep, but I can’t,” said the first voice, coming nearer to the window. She was evidently leaning right out, for the rustle of her dress and even her breathing could be heard. Everything was stone-still, like the moon and its light and the shadows. Prince Andrew, too, dared not stir, for fear of betraying his unintentional presence. “Sónya! Sónya!” he again heard the first speaker. “Oh, how can you sleep? Only look how glorious it is! Ah, how glorious! Do wake up, Sónya!” she said almost with tears in her voice. “There never, never was such a lovely night before!” Sónya made some reluctant reply. “Do just come and see what a moon!... Oh, how lovely! Come here.... Darling, sweetheart, come here! There, you see? I feel like sitting down on my heels, putting my arms round my knees like this, straining tight, as tight as possible, and flying away! Like this....” “Take care, you’ll fall out.” He heard the sound of a scuffle and Sónya’s disapproving voice: “It’s past one o’clock.” “Oh, you only spoil things for me. All right, go, go!” Again all was silent, but Prince Andrew knew she was still sitting there. From time to time he heard a soft rustle and at times a sigh. “O God, O God! What does it mean?” she suddenly exclaimed. “To bed then, if it must be!” and she slammed the casement. “For her I might as well not exist!” thought Prince Andrew while he listened to her voice, for some reason expecting yet fearing that she might say something about him. “There she is again! As if it were on purpose,” thought he. In his soul there suddenly arose such an unexpected turmoil of youthful thoughts and hopes, contrary to the whole tenor of his life, that unable to explain his condition to himself he lay down and fell asleep at once.

Chapters

1. Chapter 1 2. CHAPTER XXVIII 3. CHAPTER XXI 4. CHAPTER XIX 5. CHAPTER XVI 6. CHAPTER XXII 7. CHAPTER XXVI 8. CHAPTER XIII 9. CHAPTER XXII 10. CHAPTER XXIII 11. CHAPTER XXXIX 12. CHAPTER XXXIV 13. CHAPTER XVI 14. CHAPTER XIX 15. CHAPTER XIX 16. CHAPTER XX 17. CHAPTER XVI 18. CHAPTER XII 19. CHAPTER I 20. CHAPTER II 21. CHAPTER III 22. CHAPTER IV 23. CHAPTER V 24. CHAPTER VI 25. CHAPTER VII 26. CHAPTER VIII 27. CHAPTER IX 28. CHAPTER X 29. CHAPTER XI 30. CHAPTER XII 31. CHAPTER XIII 32. CHAPTER XIV 33. CHAPTER XV 34. CHAPTER XVI 35. CHAPTER XVII 36. CHAPTER XVIII 37. CHAPTER XIX 38. CHAPTER XX 39. CHAPTER XXI 40. CHAPTER XXII 41. CHAPTER XXIII 42. CHAPTER XXIV 43. CHAPTER XXV 44. CHAPTER XXVI 45. CHAPTER XXVII 46. CHAPTER XXVIII 47. CHAPTER I 48. CHAPTER II 49. CHAPTER III 50. CHAPTER IV 51. CHAPTER V 52. CHAPTER VI 53. CHAPTER VII 54. CHAPTER VIII 55. CHAPTER IX 56. CHAPTER X 57. CHAPTER XI 58. CHAPTER XII 59. CHAPTER XIII 60. CHAPTER XIV 61. CHAPTER XV 62. CHAPTER XVI 63. CHAPTER XVII 64. CHAPTER XVIII 65. CHAPTER XIX 66. CHAPTER XX 67. CHAPTER XXI 68. CHAPTER I 69. CHAPTER II 70. CHAPTER III 71. CHAPTER IV 72. CHAPTER V 73. CHAPTER VI 74. CHAPTER VII 75. CHAPTER VIII 76. CHAPTER IX 77. CHAPTER X 78. CHAPTER XI 79. CHAPTER XII 80. CHAPTER XIII 81. CHAPTER XIV 82. CHAPTER XV 83. CHAPTER XVI 84. CHAPTER XVII 85. CHAPTER XVIII 86. CHAPTER XIX 87. CHAPTER I 88. CHAPTER II 89. CHAPTER III 90. CHAPTER IV 91. CHAPTER V 92. CHAPTER VI 93. CHAPTER VII 94. CHAPTER VIII 95. CHAPTER IX 96. CHAPTER X 97. CHAPTER XI 98. CHAPTER XII 99. CHAPTER XIII 100. CHAPTER XIV 101. CHAPTER XV 102. CHAPTER XVI 103. CHAPTER I 104. CHAPTER II 105. CHAPTER III 106. 1. Discretion, the keeping of the secrets of the Order. 2. Obedience to 107. CHAPTER IV 108. CHAPTER V 109. CHAPTER VI 110. CHAPTER VII 111. CHAPTER VIII 112. CHAPTER IX 113. CHAPTER X 114. CHAPTER XI 115. CHAPTER XII 116. CHAPTER XIII 117. CHAPTER XIV 118. CHAPTER XV 119. CHAPTER XVI 120. CHAPTER XVII 121. CHAPTER XVIII 122. CHAPTER XIX 123. CHAPTER XX 124. CHAPTER XXI 125. CHAPTER XXII 126. CHAPTER I 127. CHAPTER II 128. CHAPTER III 129. CHAPTER IV 130. CHAPTER V 131. CHAPTER VI 132. CHAPTER VII 133. CHAPTER VIII 134. CHAPTER IX 135. CHAPTER X 136. CHAPTER XI 137. CHAPTER XII 138. CHAPTER XIII 139. CHAPTER XIV 140. CHAPTER XV 141. CHAPTER XVI 142. CHAPTER XVII 143. CHAPTER XVIII 144. CHAPTER XIX 145. CHAPTER XX 146. CHAPTER XXI 147. CHAPTER XXII 148. CHAPTER XXIII 149. CHAPTER XXIV 150. CHAPTER XXV 151. CHAPTER XXVI 152. CHAPTER I 153. CHAPTER II 154. CHAPTER III 155. CHAPTER IV 156. CHAPTER V 157. CHAPTER VI 158. CHAPTER VII 159. CHAPTER VIII 160. CHAPTER IX 161. CHAPTER X 162. CHAPTER XI 163. CHAPTER XII 164. CHAPTER XIII 165. CHAPTER I 166. CHAPTER II 167. CHAPTER III 168. CHAPTER IV 169. CHAPTER V 170. CHAPTER VI 171. CHAPTER VII 172. CHAPTER VIII 173. CHAPTER IX 174. CHAPTER X 175. CHAPTER XI 176. CHAPTER XII 177. CHAPTER XIII 178. CHAPTER XIV 179. CHAPTER XV 180. CHAPTER XVI 181. CHAPTER XVII 182. CHAPTER XVIII 183. CHAPTER XIX 184. CHAPTER XX 185. CHAPTER XXI 186. CHAPTER XXII 187. CHAPTER I 188. CHAPTER II 189. CHAPTER III 190. CHAPTER IV 191. CHAPTER V 192. CHAPTER VI 193. CHAPTER VII 194. CHAPTER VIII 195. CHAPTER IX 196. CHAPTER X 197. CHAPTER XI 198. CHAPTER XII 199. CHAPTER XIII 200. CHAPTER XIV 201. CHAPTER XV 202. CHAPTER XVI 203. CHAPTER XVII 204. CHAPTER XVIII 205. CHAPTER XIX 206. CHAPTER XX 207. CHAPTER XXI 208. CHAPTER XXII 209. CHAPTER XXIII 210. CHAPTER I 211. CHAPTER II 212. CHAPTER III 213. CHAPTER IV 214. CHAPTER V 215. CHAPTER VI 216. CHAPTER VII 217. CHAPTER VIII 218. CHAPTER IX 219. CHAPTER X 220. CHAPTER XI 221. CHAPTER XII 222. CHAPTER XIII 223. CHAPTER XIV 224. CHAPTER XV 225. CHAPTER XVI 226. CHAPTER XVII 227. CHAPTER XVIII 228. CHAPTER XIX 229. CHAPTER XX 230. CHAPTER XXI 231. CHAPTER XXII 232. CHAPTER XXIII 233. CHAPTER XXIV 234. CHAPTER XXV 235. CHAPTER XXVI 236. CHAPTER XXVII 237. CHAPTER XXVIII 238. CHAPTER XXIX 239. CHAPTER XXX 240. CHAPTER XXXI 241. CHAPTER XXXII 242. CHAPTER XXXIII 243. CHAPTER XXXIV 244. CHAPTER XXXV 245. CHAPTER XXXVI 246. CHAPTER XXXVII 247. CHAPTER XXXVIII 248. CHAPTER XXXIX 249. CHAPTER I 250. CHAPTER II 251. CHAPTER III 252. CHAPTER IV 253. CHAPTER V 254. CHAPTER VI 255. CHAPTER VII 256. CHAPTER VIII 257. CHAPTER IX 258. CHAPTER X 259. CHAPTER XI 260. CHAPTER XII 261. CHAPTER XIII 262. CHAPTER XIV 263. CHAPTER XV 264. CHAPTER XVI 265. CHAPTER XVII 266. CHAPTER XVIII 267. CHAPTER XIX 268. CHAPTER XX 269. CHAPTER XXI 270. CHAPTER XXII 271. CHAPTER XXIII 272. CHAPTER XXIV 273. CHAPTER XXV 274. CHAPTER XXVI 275. CHAPTER XXVII 276. CHAPTER XXVIII 277. CHAPTER XXIX 278. CHAPTER XXX 279. CHAPTER XXXI 280. CHAPTER XXXII 281. CHAPTER XXXIII 282. CHAPTER XXXIV 283. CHAPTER I 284. CHAPTER II 285. CHAPTER III 286. CHAPTER IV 287. CHAPTER V 288. CHAPTER VI 289. CHAPTER VII 290. CHAPTER VIII 291. CHAPTER IX 292. CHAPTER X 293. CHAPTER XI 294. CHAPTER XII 295. CHAPTER XIII 296. CHAPTER XIV 297. CHAPTER XV 298. CHAPTER XVI 299. CHAPTER I 300. CHAPTER II 301. CHAPTER III 302. CHAPTER IV 303. CHAPTER V 304. CHAPTER VI 305. CHAPTER VII 306. CHAPTER VIII 307. CHAPTER IX 308. CHAPTER X 309. CHAPTER XI 310. CHAPTER XII 311. CHAPTER XIII 312. CHAPTER XIV 313. CHAPTER XV 314. CHAPTER XVI 315. CHAPTER XVII 316. CHAPTER XVIII 317. CHAPTER XIX 318. CHAPTER I 319. CHAPTER II 320. CHAPTER III 321. CHAPTER IV 322. CHAPTER V 323. CHAPTER VI 324. CHAPTER VII 325. CHAPTER VIII 326. CHAPTER IX 327. CHAPTER X 328. CHAPTER XI 329. CHAPTER XII 330. CHAPTER XIII 331. CHAPTER XIV 332. CHAPTER XV 333. CHAPTER XVI 334. CHAPTER XVII 335. CHAPTER XVIII 336. CHAPTER XIX 337. CHAPTER I 338. CHAPTER II 339. CHAPTER III 340. CHAPTER IV 341. CHAPTER V 342. CHAPTER VI 343. CHAPTER VII 344. CHAPTER VIII 345. CHAPTER IX 346. CHAPTER X 347. CHAPTER XI 348. CHAPTER XII 349. CHAPTER XIII 350. CHAPTER XIV 351. CHAPTER XV 352. CHAPTER XVI 353. CHAPTER XVII 354. CHAPTER XVIII 355. CHAPTER XIX 356. CHAPTER XX 357. CHAPTER I 358. CHAPTER II 359. CHAPTER III 360. CHAPTER IV 361. CHAPTER V 362. CHAPTER VI 363. CHAPTER VII 364. CHAPTER VIII 365. CHAPTER IX 366. CHAPTER X 367. CHAPTER XI 368. CHAPTER XII 369. CHAPTER XIII 370. CHAPTER XIV 371. CHAPTER XV 372. CHAPTER XVI 373. CHAPTER I 374. CHAPTER II 375. CHAPTER III 376. CHAPTER IV 377. CHAPTER V 378. CHAPTER VI 379. CHAPTER VII 380. CHAPTER VIII 381. CHAPTER IX 382. CHAPTER X 383. CHAPTER XI 384. CHAPTER XII

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