WHEN PIERRE AND HIS WIFE came into the drawing-room, the countess happened to be in her customary condition of needing the mental exercise of a game of patience, and therefore, although from habit she uttered the words, she always repeated on the return of Pierre or her son after absence: “It was high time, high time, my dear boy; we have been expecting you a long while. Well, thank God, you are here.” And on the presents being given her, pronounced another stock phrase: “It's not the gift that is precious, my dear.… Thank you for thinking of an old woman like me. …” It was evident that Pierre's entrance at that moment was unwelcome, because it interrupted her in dealing1 her cards. She finished her game of patience, and only then gave her attention to the presents. The presents for her consisted of a card-case of fine workmanship, a bright blue Sèvres cup with a lid and a picture of shepherdesses on it, and a gold snuff-box with the count's portrait on it, which Pierre had had executed by a miniature-painter in Petersburg. The countess had long wished to have this; but just now she had no inclination2 to weep, and so she looked unconcernedly at the portrait, and took more notice of the card-case.
“Thank you, my dear, you are a comfort to me,” she said, as she always did. “But best of all, you have brought yourself back. It has been beyond everything; you must really scold your wife. She is like one possessed3 without you. She sees nothing, thinks of nothing,” she said as usual. “Look, Anna Timofyevna,” she added, “what a card-case my son has brought us.”
Madame Byelov admired the present, and was enchanted4 with the dress material.
Pierre, Natasha, Nikolay, Countess Marya, and Denisov had a great deal they wanted to talk about, which was not talked of before the old countess; not because anything was concealed5 from her, but simply because she had dropped so out of things, that if they had begun to talk freely before her they would have had to answer so many questions put by her at random6, and to repeat so many things that had been repeated to her so many times already; to tell her that this person was dead and that person was married, which she could never remember. Yet they sat as usual at tea in the drawing-room, and Pierre answered the countess's quite superfluous7 questions, which were of no interest even to her, and told her that Prince Vassily was looking older, and that Countess Marya Alexeyevna sent her kind regards and remembrances, etc.
Such conversation, of no interest to any one, but inevitable8, was kept up all tea-time. All the grown-up members of the family were gathered about the round tea-table with the samovar, at which Sonya presided. The children with their tutors and governesses had already had tea, and their voices could be heard in the next room. At tea every one sat in his own habitual9 place. Nikolay sat by the stove at a little table apart, where his tea was handed him. An old terrier bitch, with a perfectly10 grey face, Milka, the daughter of the first Milka, lay on a chair beside him. Denisov, with streaks11 of grey in his curly hair, moustaches, and whiskers, wearing his general's coat unbuttoned, sat beside Countess Marya. Pierre was sitting between his wife and the old countess. He was telling what he knew might interest the old lady and be intelligible12 to her. He talked of external social events and of the persons who had once made up the circle of the old countess's contemporaries, and had once been a real living circle of people, but were now for the most part scattered13 about the world, and, like her, living out their remnant of life, gleaning14 up the stray ears of what they had sown in life. But they, these contemporaries, seemed to the old countess to make up the only real world that was worth considering. By Pierre's eagerness, Natasha saw that his visit had been an interesting one, that he was longing15 to tell them about it, but dared not speak freely before the countess. Denisov, not being a member of the family, did not understand Pierre's circumspectness, and, moreover, being dissatisfied with the course of events, took a very great interest in all that was going forward at Petersburg. He was continually trying to get Pierre to tell him about the recent scandal about the Semyonovsky regiment16, or about Araktcheev, or about the Bible Society. Pierre was sometimes led on into beginning to talk about those subjects, but Nikolay and Natasha always brought him back to the health of Prince Ivan and Countess Marya Antonovna.
“Well, what is all this idiocy17, Gossner and Madame Tatarinov,” Denisov asked, “is that still going on?”
“Going on?” said Pierre. “Worse than ever. The Bible Society is now the whole government.”
“What is that, mon cher ami?” asked the old countess, who, having drunk her tea, was obviously seeking a pretext18 for ill-humour after taking food. “What are you saying about the government? I don't understand that.”
“Why, you know, maman,” put in Nikolay, who knew how to translate things into his mother's language. “Prince Alexander Nikolaevitch Golitsin had founded a society, so he has great influence they say.”
“Araktcheev and Golitsin,” said Pierre incautiously, “are practically the government now. And what a government! They see conspiracy19 in everything, they are afraid of everything.”
“What, Prince Alexander Nikolaevitch found fault with! He is a most estimable man. I used to meet him in old days at Marya Antonovna's,” said the countess in an aggrieved20 tone. And still more aggrieved by the general silence, she went on, “Nowadays people find fault with every one. A Gospel Society, what harm is there in that?” and she got up (every one rose too), and with a severe face sailed out to her table in the adjoining divan-room.
In the midst of the mournful silence that followed, they heard the sound of children's voices and laughter from the next room. There was evidently some joyful21 excitement afoot among the children.
“Finished, finished!” the gleeful shriek22 of little Natasha was heard above all the rest. Pierre exchanged glances with Countess Marya and Nikolay (Natasha he was looking at all the time), and he smiled happily.
“Delightful music!” he said.
“Anna Makarovna has finished her stocking,” said Countess Marya.
“Oh, I'm going to have a look at them,” said Pierre, jumping up. “You know,” he said, stopping at the door, “why it is I so particularly love that music—it is what first lets me know that all's well. As I came today, the nearer I got to home, the greater my panic. As I came into the vestibule, I heard Andryusha in peals23 of laughter, and then I knew all was well …”
“I know, I know that feeling,” Nikolay chimed in. “I mustn't come— the stockings are a surprise in store for me.”
Pierre went into the children, and the shrieks24 and laughter were louder than ever. “Now, Anna Makarovna,” cried Pierre's voice, “here in the middle of the room and at the word of my command—one, two, and when I say three, you stand here. You in my arms. Now, one, two …” there was complete silence. “Three!” and an enthusiastic roar of children's voices rose in the room. “Two, two!” cried the children.
They meant the two stockings, which, by a secret only known to her, Anna Makarovna used to knit on her needles at once. She always made a solemn ceremony of pulling one stocking out of the other in the presence of the children when the pair was finished.
皮埃尔夫妇来到客厅，恰好碰上老伯爵夫人正在玩牌，以便动一动脑筋，她虽然也像皮埃尔或儿子每次出门回来时那样说：“是该回来了，该回来了，我亲爱的，大家都等急了。回来就好了，谢天谢地。”在把礼物递交给她时，她也是那几句老话：“可贵的不是礼物，亲爱的，谢谢你心里还惦记着我这个老太婆……”但这一次皮埃尔来的不是时候，她的牌刚打了一半，分散了她的注意力，使她很不高兴。她打完了牌，才去看礼物。给她的礼物是一只做工考究的牌匣，一只浅蓝色的塞佛尔①盖杯，杯上绘有几个牧羊女。还有一只绘有老伯爵遗像的金鼻烟壶，遗像是皮埃尔约请彼得堡一位微型画画家特意绘制的（伯爵夫人早就想要一只这样的鼻烟壶了）。她此刻不想哭，因此只是冷冷地看了一眼遗像，然后就摆弄起那个精巧的牌匣来了。
①塞佛尔是法国巴黎西南的一座卫星城，以产瓷器著名。
“谢谢你，亲爱的，你可使我高兴了，”她像往常一样说。
“不过，你总算回来了。这太好了。你媳妇也闹得太不像话了，你真该管教一下你的媳妇，成什么体统。你不在家，她简直要发疯了，什么也看不到，什么也记不住。”她又重复她那一套话，“你看看，别洛娃，（安娜·拿莫菲耶夫娜）他给我们带来了一个多好的盒子。”
别洛娃也把礼物夸奖了一番，也称赞了送给她的衣料。
虽然皮埃尔、娜塔莎、尼古拉、玛丽亚伯爵夫人和杰尼索夫有许多话要说，但是他们不愿在老伯爵夫人面前说，倒不是有什么事要瞒着她，而是因为老伯爵夫人在许多方面落后了。如果当着她的面谈话，就得回答她提出的一些早已过时的问题，有些话还得反复地说，如告诉她某人去世了，某人结婚了。就这样，她可能还记不住。按照惯例，他们在客厅里围着茶炊喝茶，皮埃尔则回答伯爵夫人提出的问题，例如瓦西里公爵是否见老，玛丽亚·阿列克谢耶夫娜是否来信问候，是否惦念她等等。这些问题她自己并不关心，别人也不感兴趣……
喝茶的时候这种谁也不感兴趣而又无法避免的问题始终谈个不停，家里的成年人都围着茶炊旁的圆桌喝茶，索尼娅就坐在靠近茶炊的地方。孩子们和男女家庭教师已用过茶了，他们在隔壁起居室里谈笑风生。这边喝茶时大家都坐在固定的老地方，尼古拉坐在炉边的小桌旁，茶已给他端在桌子上了。老米尔卡是一代名犬米尔卡生的母狗，这只狗的脸上长满白毛，乌黑的两只大眼睛比平时瞪得更大，它这时躺在尼古拉身旁的安乐椅上。杰尼索夫鬈曲的头发和络腮胡子都已花白，他敞开将军服，坐在玛丽亚伯爵夫人身旁。皮埃尔坐在妻子和老伯爵夫人中间。他谈到许多他认为老太太会感兴趣并且听得明白的事。
他谈到外部社会上的事，他也谈到老太太的同辈人，他们当年也确实活跃过一阵子，而现在天各一方，像她一样安度晚年，似乎正在收获着早年种下庄稼的最后一批谷穗。老伯爵夫人认为她那一代才真正是正统的一代。娜塔莎从皮埃尔兴致勃勃的样子看出来，他这一次旅行一定很有趣，才有说不完的话，但是当着老伯爵夫人的面，又不好把一切都说出来。杰尼索夫不是这个家的成员，他不明白皮埃尔为什么说起话来如此拘谨，同时，由于他对现状不满，因此很想了解一下目前彼得堡的情况。于是，他就不断怂恿皮埃尔讲讲谢苗诺夫团刚刚发生的事情，谈谈阿拉克切耶夫的情况，讲讲圣经会①的建立。皮埃尔讲得起劲时，就有点忘乎所以，这时尼古拉和娜塔莎就赶忙把话题转到伊万公爵和玛丽亚·安东诺夫娜伯爵夫人的健康上来。
“那么，戈斯涅尔，塔塔利诺娃，还在那么疯疯癫癫地继续干吗？”杰尼索夫问道。
“继续干？”皮埃尔几乎是喊起来了。“他们现在干得比任何时候都卖劲了。圣经会现在已相当于政府了。”
“这究竟是怎么一回事，我亲爱的朋友②？”她已喝完茶，看来想在饭后找一个借口发脾气。“你说的政府是什么意思，我不明白。”
①圣经会于一八一二年由戈利津建立，具有一定的政治势力，后因戈利津失势，于一八二六年被尼古拉一世封闭。
②后一分句，原文用的是法语，意为我亲爱的朋友。
“哦，妈妈您知道是这么一回事”尼古拉插话说，他知道该如何翻译成母亲能听懂的话，“亚历山大·尼古拉耶维奇·戈里津公爵创办了一个团体，据说他现在很有权势。”
“阿拉克切耶夫和戈里津，”皮埃尔脱口而出，“如今大权在手，可他们，看到到处是阴谋诡计，弄得草木皆兵。”
“咳，戈里津公爵有什么错？他德高望重。我以前常在玛丽亚·安东诺夫娜家见到他，”老伯爵夫人生气地说。她看到大家都默不作声，心中的气更大，就接着说：“现在大家都学会了说长道短，妄加评论。圣经会有什么不好？”她站起身来（大家也都跟着站起来），板着脸，朝起居室她的桌旁走去。
在一阵难堪的沉默中，传来了隔壁屋里孩子的笑语声。显然，那边一定有什么令人开心的事情。
“好了，好了！”在一片欢乐声中，小娜塔莎的喊声盖过了所有的人。皮埃尔和玛丽亚伯爵夫人，和尼古拉交换了眼色，会心地笑了。（皮埃尔一直看着娜塔莎。）
“多么美妙的音乐啊！”他说。
“准是安娜·玛卡罗夫娜的袜子织好了。”玛丽亚伯爵夫人说。
“哦，我去看看，”皮埃尔一跃而起，说，“你知道，”他在门口放慢脚步说，“我为什么特别喜欢这种音乐？因为它让我知道一切平安。我今天回家，离家越近，就越是耽心。我一走进前厅，听见安德留沙朗朗的笑声，我就知道，孩子们都好……”
“我懂，我懂得这种感情，”尼古拉附和说，“不过，我不用过去了。我知道，她织的袜子太神奇了。”
皮埃尔到孩子们房里去了，那边喊声更高，笑声也更欢了。“安娜·玛卡罗夫娜，”皮埃尔说。“你到这里中间来，听口令，现在我要数一、二、三，数到三的时候，你就站到这里来，我来抱你。好，一，二，……”传来皮埃尔的声音，接着是一片沉默。“三！”屋里传来孩子们的欢叫声。
“两只，两只！”孩子们叫喊道。
他们说的是两只袜子，安娜·玛卡罗夫娜有一个绝招，能用一副针同时织出两只袜子。每次织好以后，她总是得意洋洋地当着孩子们的面，从一只袜子里抽出另一只袜子来。
收听单词发音 |
1
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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superfluous
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| adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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intelligible
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| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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gleaning
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| n.拾落穗，拾遗，落穗v.一点点地收集（资料、事实）( glean的现在分词 )；（收割后）拾穗 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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idiocy
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| n.愚蠢 | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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aggrieved
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| adj.愤愤不平的，受委屈的；悲痛的；（在合法权利方面）受侵害的v.令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式)；令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式和过去分词) | |
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joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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peals
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| n.（声音大而持续或重复的）洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 )；隆隆声；洪亮的钟声；钟乐v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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