Chapter 11 Chapter Eleven

The countess was exhausted by receiving guests, and she ordered that no one should be entertained, and instructed the concierge to invite only those guests who had to come to dinner.The countess wanted to speak alone with her childhood friend, the princess named Anna Mikhailovna, whom the countess had not had a good look at since her return from Petersburg.Anna Mikhaylovna, with a tear-stained but pleasing face, moved towards the countess' easy-chair. "I am frank with you," said Anna Mikhaylovna, "there are very few of us old friends left! That is why I value your friendship very much."

Anna Mikhaylovna looked at Vera and stopped.The countess shook her friend's hand. "Vera," said the countess, turning her face to the eldest daughter, who was obviously not favored, "how can you be so ignorant? Don't you think that you are superfluous here? Go to the sisters." ,or……" The beautiful Vera smiled contemptuously, obviously she did not feel humiliated at all. "Mother, if you had said this to me long ago, I would have left you long ago," she said, and went to her room. However, when she passed the lounge filled with sofas, she noticed that there were two couples of lovers sitting symmetrically near the two windows.She stopped and smiled contemptuously.Sonia sat near Nikolai, who transcribed for her his first verses.Boris and Natasha were sitting by the other window, and when Vera came in they fell silent.Sonia and Natasha glanced at Vera with regretful but happy expressions.

It's so gratifying and touching to see these little girls in love.But their appearance apparently aroused no pleasant feelings in Vera. "How many times have I begged you," she said, "don't take my things, you all have your own rooms." She picked up the inkwell beside Nikolay. "I'll give it to you, right away," he said, dipping the nib of his pen in ink. "You've never been good at doing things at the right time," said Vera. "You came into the drawing room just now, and everyone was ashamed of you." Although what she said was completely reasonable, could it be because of this that no one answered, and the four people just exchanged glances.With the ink bottle in her hand, she has not started, and is stranded in the room.

"At your age, what secrets will there be, between Natasha and Boris, what secrets will there be between the two of you, it will be some stupid things." "Hey, Vera, it's none of your business." Natasha defended in a low voice. She was clearly more charitable and kinder to everyone this day than usual. "Stupid," said Vera, "I'm ashamed of you, what's the secret? ..." "Everybody has their secrets. We'll just leave you and Berg alone." Natasha said impatiently... "I don't think you'll offend anybody," said Vera, "because I've never done anything wrong. See what you've done to Boris, and I'll tell mother."

"Natalia Ilyinishna has treated me very well," said Boris. "I won't complain," he said. "Boris, please don't worry about it, you are such a diplomat (the word diplomat is widely circulated among children, they give this word a special meaning), it is really boring," Natasha said with a trembling of grievance. said her voice, "Why did she follow me so long? You'll never understand that," she said, turning her face to Vera, "because you never loved anyone; you have no heart, You are only a ma-damede Genlis (the insulting nickname Nikolai gave to Vera), and your main pleasure is to make things unpleasant for others. Go and flatter Berg as you like." She Said hastily.

① French: Mrs. Jean Li. "Yes, I probably wouldn't be chasing a young man in front of my guests..." "Well, you've achieved your goal," interrupted Nikolay, "you've spoiled everyone's fun by saying a lot of nasty things in front of them. Let's go to the nursery." These four people stood up like a flock of frightened birds, and walked out of the room. "People said a lot of nasty things to me, but I didn't say anything to anyone," Vera said. "Madame de Genlis! madame de Genlis!" Someone laughed from behind the door.

The beautiful Vera made an exciting and unpleasant impression on everyone, but she smiled; what was said obviously had no effect on her, and she walked towards the mirror.Flattening her scarf and hair, she gazed at her beautiful face, and she became visibly colder and more serene. The conversation in the living room continued. "Ah! my dear," said the countess, "toutnest pasrose in my life, don't I see, dutrain, quenous allons, our wealth cannot last long! This club and his benevolence are all in the way. We live in the country, don't we think of ourselves? Theatres, hunting, God knows what else. As for my case, what is there to talk about? Oh, how did you arrange all this? Annette, I am often amazed at your situation. At your age, you can travel alone in a carriage, go to Moscow, go to Petersburg, go to the ministers, go to the nobles, you are good at meeting all kinds of people, really. It astonishes me! Why, how is this sort of thing properly arranged? I'm not at all adept at it."

① French: According to our way of life, it is not that happiness is abundant and satisfactory. "Ah, my darling!" replied the Princess Anna Mikhailovna, "I hope you don't know that being a widow and having no one to depend on, with a son you dote on, is life How hard it is to learn everything," she went on, with a touch of pride, "and this lawsuit has taught me how to behave. If I want to see some dignitary, I write a note: 'Princesseunetelle wants to be honored. So-and-so, I went out for a walk. I took a carriage to visit myself, even if I went twice, three times, or four times, until I achieved my goal. No matter what others think of me, it is true for me. Say, straight and straight."

"Well, how did you intercede for Boris?" asked the countess, "you know, your son is already an officer in the Guards, and Nicholas is only a cadet. No one mediates for him.Who did you ask for mercy? " "I begged Prince Vasili. He was very kind. Now he has promised everything and told the king," said the princess Anna Mikhaylovna with great joy, completely forgetting about her. The humiliation suffered in order to achieve the goal. "How is Prince Vasily? Is he getting old?" asked the countess. "I haven't seen him since our farce at the Rumyantsevs. I think he has forgotten me. Ilmefaisaitlacour," the Countess remembered this with a smile.

"He's still the same," answered Anna Mikhaylovna, "he's very courteous and flattering. Les grandeursneluiontpastournelatetedutout." You do so little, he said to me, 'If there is anything, please order. But he is a man of honor, and a good relation, Natasha, but you always know that I love my son I don't know. Is there anything I can't do for his happiness. My situation is terrible," Anna Mikhaylovna went on in a low voice, sadly, "my situation is terrible. , puts me in the worst possible position now. My ill-fated case has swallowed up everything I have, and it has made no progress. You can imagine that I have no money, and the alalettre has no ten-copeck pieces. I don't know what to do. How can I get Boris an army uniform?" She took out a handkerchief and began to cry. "I need five hundred rubles now, and all I have with me is a twenty-five ruble note. I'm in this position... and now my only Count Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhov. If he is not willing to support his godson - you know he baptized Boris - he is not willing to pay him a salary , then, my mediation will be in vain; what will I use to buy him a military uniform."

①French: A Duchess. ② French: He pursued me frivolously. ③ French: The status of glory did not change his appearance. ④ French: Sometimes. The countess was silently thinking about something, with tears in her eyes. "I have often thought that perhaps this is a crime," said the princess, "and I have often thought that Count Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhov lives alone...he has so much property...his What is the purpose of life? Life is a heavy burden to him, but Boris is just beginning to live." "He must have left something to Boris," said the countess. "Chereamie, God knows! These rich men and dignitaries are egoists. But I will go to him at once, with Boris, and explain to him frankly what is the matter. Listen to what people think of me." Well, to be honest, as long as my son's fate depends on it, I don't care about anything," the Duchess stood up. "It's two o'clock, and you have lunch at four. I'll have time to go for a walk." ①French: Dear friend. Anna Mikhaylovna, like a shrewd and time-efficient Petersburg lady, sent for her son, and went with him to the anteroom. "Good-bye, my darling," she said to the countess who was escorting her to the door, "please wish me success," she added, whispering behind her son's back. "Machere, are you going to Count Kirill Vladimirovich?" said the count, coming out of the dining-room and going into the anteroom, "if Pierre is better, please come to my house for dinner." Lunch. You know, he often comes to me to dance with the children. Make sure to invite him, machere. Oh, let's see how Taras is doing today. He said, Count Orlov There's never been a luncheon like ours at home."