Chapter 12 Chapter Twelve

"Moncher Boris,"1 as they drove through the straw-paved street in the carriage of Countess Rostova into the large courtyard of the house of Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhov At that time, Princess Anna Mikhailovna said to her son, "moncher Boris," said the mother, reaching out from under the old-fashioned cloak, and laying her hand on his son's timidly and tenderly, "Be courteous. , considerate. After all, Kirill Vladimirovich is your godfather, and your future destiny depends on him. Moncher, you have to remember, be kind and lovely, you will do this..." ① French: My dear Boris.

"If I'd known what this would lead to, except humiliation...," replied the son indifferently, "but I've made a promise to you, and I'll be at your service." Although someone's carriage was parked in front of the steps, the porter took a good look at the mother and her son (they did not announce their surnames and went straight into the glass hallway between the rows of statues in the alcoves. ), looked meaningfully at her old-fashioned cloak, and asked who they were visiting, whether they were visiting the princess or the count, and when they learned that they were visiting the count, they said that your excellency was in a serious condition today and would not see anyone.

"We can go now," said the son in French. "monami!" said the mother in a pleading voice, and touched her son's arm again, as if the touch would calm him or excite him. Boris remained silent, did not take off his overcoat, and looked at his mother questioningly. ①French: my friend. "My dear fellow," said Anna Mikhailovna in a soft voice, turning her face to the porter, "I know that Count Kirill Vladimirovich is seriously ill, . I'm a relation of his... I won't disturb him, brother... But I must see Prince Vasily Sergeyevich, he's staying here. Let me know."

The porter gave a melancholy tug at the fuse leading to the upstairs bell, and looked away. "Princess Drubetskaya asks to see Prince Vasily Sergeyevich," he said, addressing the woman in stockings and low leather boots who was coming downstairs and looking out from under the ledge of the stairs. and the waiter in the tuxedo shouted. Mother straightened the folds of the dyed silk dress and looked at the authentic Venetian mirror mounted on the wall.She wore a pair of low tattered leather boots and walked upstairs along the carpeted stairs. "moncher, vousmavezpromis," she said, turning again to her son, who touched him with her hand to cheer him up.

The son lowered his eyes and followed her calmly. They entered the hall, where a door led to Prince Vasili's inner chamber. When the mother walked into the middle of the room with her son, and was about to ask the way to the old waiter who got up quickly when he saw them coming in, the bronze handle of a door turned, and Prince Vasili came out, dressed in the usual way. , put on a velvet leather jacket, and only wore a gold star medal, and was seeing off a handsome man with dark hair.This handsome man is the famous Dr. Roland of Petersburg. "Cest don cpositif?" said the duke.

"Monprince, 'Errare hummanumest, mais... ③ replied the doctor, flicking his uvula gutturally, and uttering a few Latin words with a French accent. "Cestbien, cestbien..."④ ①French: My friend, you made a wish to me. ②French: Is this true? ③French; my duke, "It is inevitable that people make mistakes," but... ④French: Okay, okay... Seeing Anna Mikhaylovna and her son with her, Prince Vasily dismissed the doctor with a bow, and went up to them silently but with a questioning air.Her son noticed the sudden expression of extreme sadness in his mother's eyes, and he smiled away.

"Yes, Prince, in what sorrowful circumstances we meet! . . . Oh, how is our dear patient now?" . Prince Vasily looked at her, and then at Boris, with a suspicious, perplexed air.Boris bowed politely.Prince Vasily did not bow in reply, but turned to Anna Mikhaylovna, shook his head, and pursed his lips in answer to her question, which meant that the patient was hopeless. "Isn't it?" exclaimed Anna Mikhaylovna, "ah! how dreadful it is! It's a frightful thought... This is my son." She added, pointing to Boris, "he Wanted to thank you personally."

Boris bowed politely again. "Duke, please believe me, mother will never forget the good deeds you have done for us." "My dear Anna Mikhaylovna, I am very glad that I can do something to please you," said Prince Vasili, smoothing the ruffles on his bosom again.Here in Moscow, in the presence of the sheltered Anna Mikhailovna, compared with the evenings given by Annette Scherer in Petersburg, his posture and tone show that he is much more arrogant . "Do your job well, do your best, and be a well-deserved subject," he added, addressing Boris gravely. "I'm very glad. . . Are you here on vacation?" he said in a tone that forced him follow suit.

"My lord, I am at orders, and I will leave as soon as I receive a new commission," replied Boris, not offended by the duke's blunt tone, nor did he show that he was in the mood for conversation, but he was calm and respectful, the duke Can't help but glance at him with that concentrated gaze. "Do you live with your mother?" "I live with the countess Rostova," said Boris, adding: "My lord." "This is Ilya Rostov who married Natalya Shenshina," said Anna Mikhaylovna. "I know, I know," said Prince Vasili in a monotonous voice, "Jenaijamaispuconcevoir, commentNathaliesestdecideeaepousercetoursmal-leche! Unpersonnagecompletementstupideetridicule. Etjoueuracequondit."①.

"maistres brave homme, monprince," said Anna Mikhailovna, with a touching smile, as if she knew that Count Rostov deserved such an evaluation, but she begged for mercy on the poor old man. "What did the doctors say?" asked the Duchess, after a moment's silence, and her tear-stained face was again filled with extreme sorrow. "There is little hope," said the Duke. "But I would like to thank my uncle once more for his kindness to me and Boris. Cestsonfilleul," she added, in a tone that sounded as if the news would certainly please Prince Vasily.

①French: I never understood that Natasha had made up her mind to marry this scruffy bear.Very stupid and absurd.It is said that he is still a gambler. ②Duke, but he is kind. ③ French: This is his godson. Prince Vasili was lost in thought and frowned.Anna Mikhaylovna understood that, according to Bezukhov's will, he feared that she would become a rival for property, and she hastened to reassure him. "If it weren't for my sincere love and loyalty to my uncle," she said, uttering the word "uncle" with a particularly confident and casual look: "I know his character, noble and frank, but you must know that around him They are all princesses... they are all young..." She bowed her head and added softly: "Duke, has he fulfilled his last duty and sent his death? How precious are these last moments Ah! You know, there is nothing worse than this dying, and since he is so ill, it is necessary to prepare for his death. Prince, we women," she smiled very softly, "have always I know what to say. I must go and see him. No matter how hard it hurts me, I'm in the habit of suffering." The prince evidently understood, even at Annette Scherer's evening party, that it was difficult to get rid of the lady Anna Mikhaylovna. "My dear Anna Mikhaylovna, this meeting will not hurt him," he said. "We shall wait until evening. The doctors are warning of a crisis." "Duke, but at a time like this one cannot wait. Pensez, ilyvadusalutdesoname...Ah! cestterrible, lesdevoirsdunchretien..."① ① French: Let me think about it, this matter involves the salvation of his soul... Ah!How dreadful it is, the duty of a Christian... A door in an inner room opened, and a princess, niece of the count, came out with a melancholy indifference, her waist too long for her legs. Prince Vasili turned to her. "Oh, how is he?" "It's still the same. Whatever you think, this uproar..." said the princess, looking back at Anna Mikhaylovna as if she were looking at a stranger. "Ah, chere, jenevousreconnaissaispas," said Anna Mikhailovna, with a happy smile, as she walked up to the count's niece with light and quick steps, "JeviensdamivenetjesnisanauspounvousaidenasoignenmononcleJimagine, comlienvousanegsouggent." Rolling his eyes, he added. The princess went out without a word, or even a smile.Anna Mikhaylovna took off her gloves, sat down in the easy chair with a gesture of self-satisfaction, and asked Prince Vasily to sit near her. "Boris!" she said to her son, smiling, "I'm going to the count's uncle, my friend, and you go to Pierre's first, and don't forget to tell him that the Rostovs have invited him. Lunch. I don't think he can make it, can I?" She turned her face to the Duke and said. "On the contrary," said the duke, who seemed to be in a bad mood, "Jeseraistrescontentsivousmedebarrassezdecejeunehomme ... ③ Here he is, and the count has not once asked him how he is doing. " He shrugged.The waiter led the young man downstairs and up another staircase to Peter Kirillovich. ①French: Ah, dear, I didn't recognize you. ②French: I am here to help you take care of your uncle.I can imagine that you have worked hard enough. ③French: I would be very happy if you could get me out of this young man...