Chapter 7 Chapter VII

The next day Count Ilya Andreitch, following Marya Dmitrievna's advice, drove with Natasha to Prince Nikolai Andreitch.The count was sullenly about to go out for a visit, he was afraid.His last meeting with the old prince, at the time of the conscription, when he had not been able to supply the militia in full, so that the old prince had snapped at him in reply to his meal, was still fresh in his memory.Natasha was in a gorgeous dress, and she was, on the contrary, in a good mood. "They can't dislike me," she thought, "everybody loves me. I'll do for them all they want me to do, because he's a father, and I'll love him because she It's my younger sister, and I love her willingly, how can they not love me for no reason!"

They approached an old, gloomy house on Vozdvirenka Street, and went into an outbuilding. "Ah, pray to God," said the count, somewhat jokingly and somewhat seriously, but Natasha had already noticed that her father was flustered when he entered the anteroom, and he looked shy and asked in a low voice if the prince and princess were right. at home.After the servants announced their arrival, there was a panic among the Duke's servants.A servant who ran to report was stopped in the hall by another servant, who were whispering something.A girl ran into the hall and said something anxiously, mentioning the princess.Then an old servant with an angry face came up and told the Rostovs that the prince could not receive them, and the princess asked them to come to her.Mademoiselle Bourienne was the first to go out to meet her guests.She received the father and daughter with the utmost respect and led them to the princess.The princess, blushing and frightened, ran out with heavy steps to meet the visitor, but in vain she assumed an air of unrestrained and attentive hospitality.Princess Maria did not like Natasha at first glance.It seemed to her that she was overdressed, gay, frivolous, and vain.Princess Marya did not know that, before she saw her future sister-in-law, she already had ill will against her, because she could not help being jealous of her beauty, youth, and happiness, and because she was jealous of her brother's love for her.Despite this insurmountable dislike, Princess Marya was still agitated at this moment, and at the moment when the servants announced the Rostovs' visit, the prince cried out that he did not need to see them if Princess Marya wanted to. Just ask her to meet him, he doesn't allow them to meet him.Princess Marya decided to receive the Rostovs, but she was constantly apprehensive of the prince's behavior, which seemed to be very agitated by the Rostovs' visit.

"Look, my dear princess! I have brought you my singer," said the count, saluting with both feet, and looking over his shoulder anxiously, as if he feared that the old prince would come over to Marxism against genius, But it does not deny genius, it admits that human talent is poor, "I am so glad you know each other, the Duke is always sick, sorry, sorry." He also said a few general words, then stood up, "If If you will, I will leave Natasha in your care for a quarter of an hour, and I will go to Anna Semyonovna's kennel, which is very near here, only a few steps away, and then I will fetch her." Ilya Andreitch had devised this diplomatic device, with no other purpose than to allow the future sister-in-law and sister-in-law a room for conversation (he later told her daughter about it), and to avoid encountering what he dreaded. the duke.He did not tell his daughter about it, but Natasha understood her father's fear and impatience, and she felt insulted.She blushed for her father, and was all the more annoyed by the blushing, and cast her boldly defiant glance at the princess, which seemed to say that she was not afraid of anyone.The princess told the count that she was very pleased, and asked him to stay longer with Anna Semyonovna, and Ilya Andreitch went away.

Although Princess Marya wished to speak to Natasha alone, and she cast her anxious eyes on Mademoiselle Bourienne, Mademoiselle Bourienne did not come out of the room, did not change the subject, and kept going. Talk about entertainment and theater in Moscow.Natasha's father was disturbed and embarrassed in the anteroom, and Natasha was insulted by the unnatural tone of the princess's tone, and she felt that the princess received her as if she were doing her favor.Therefore, nothing can please her.She doesn't like Princess Maria.It seemed to her that she was ugly, hypocritical and cold.Natasha's sudden lethargy of spirits and her unceremonious tone of voice further alienated her from Princess Marya.After five minutes of sombre, false talk, the sound of swift footsteps could be heard.A frightened look appeared on Princess Marya's face, the door opened, and the prince entered in a white nightcap and smock.

"Ah, madam," he began, "madam, countess, ... Countess Rostova, if I am not mistaken ... please forgive me, please excuse me ... I do not know, countess. God knows, I didn't know you came to the humble house, I came to see my daughter in this dress, please forgive me... God knows, I don't know." He repeated it unnaturally, emphasizing the word "God", which is unpleasant so that Princess Marya stood there with her eyes downcast, not daring to look at either her father or Natasha.Natasha stood up and curtseyed, not knowing what to do.Mademoiselle Bourienne alone smiled cheerfully.

"Forgive me, forgive me! God knows, I don't know," muttered the old man, and he looked Natasha from head to toe in a saintly way, and in a royal way.During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, Guo Xiang used to be the "inner sage" and then went out.After this happened, Mademoiselle Bourienne was the first to think of a way to deal with it, and she began to talk about the Duke's poor health.Natasha and Princess Marya looked at each other in silence, and the longer they looked at each other in silence, without saying what they had to say, the more maliciously they guessed at each other.

When the count came back, Natasha cheered impolitely in his presence, and hurried away; at that moment she almost hated the old, dry princess, who would make her miserable, about Prince Andrew, who had been with her for half an hour without saying a word, "you know, I will not speak of him first in front of this Frenchwoman," thought Natasha.At the same time, Princess Maria also felt uncomfortable about this incident.She knew what she had to say to Natasha, but she could not do so because Mademoiselle Bourienne was in her way, and because she did not know why she felt so distressed when talking about the marriage.When the count walked out of the room, Princess Mary walked quickly up to Natasha, took her hands, and said with a heavy sigh: "Wait a minute, I want to..." Natasha, not knowing what she was laughing at, looked at Princess Marya mockingly.

"My dear Nathalie," said Princess Marya, "you know I am delighted that my brother has found happiness..." She stopped, feeling that she was lying.Natasha noticed her pause and guessed the reason for her pause. "I think, princess, it is very inconvenient to talk about it now," said Natasha, who looked dignified and cold, but felt tears welling in her throat. "What did I say, what did I do!" she thought as soon as she walked out the door. They waited a long time for Natasha to come out to lunch that day.She sat in her room, howling like a child, blowing her nose and whimpering.Sonia stood beside her, kissing her hair.

"Natasha, why are you crying?" she said. "What have you to do with them? Natasha, everything will pass. . . . " "No, if you knew, how irritating it is... as I do..." "Natasha, don't tell me, you have nothing to do with it. Kiss me." Sonia said. Natasha raised her head, kissed her friend on the lips, and pressed her tear-stained face to her. "I can't say, I don't know. No one is guilty," said Natasha, "I am, but it's all very terrible. Oh, why didn't he come! ..." She came out for lunch with red eyes.Marya Dmitrievna, who knew how the prince received the Rostovs, pretended not to notice Natasha's disappointed face, and laughed loudly and nonstop with the count and the other guests at lunch. .