ON SATURDAY, the 31st of August, the whole household of the Rostovs seemed turned upside down. All the doors stood wide open, all the furniture had been moved about or carried out, looking-glasses and pictures had been taken down. The rooms were littered up with boxes, with hay and packing paper and cord. Peasants and house-serfs were tramping about the parquet¹ floors carrying out the baggage. The courtyard was crowded with peasants' carts, some piled high with goods and corded up, others still standing² empty.

The voices and steps of the immense multitude of servants and of peasants, who had come with the carts, resounded³ through the courtyard and the house. The count had been out since early morning. The countess had a headache from the noise and bustle⁴, and was lying down in the new divan-room with compresses steeped in vinegar on her head. Petya was not at home; he had gone off to see a comrade, with whom he was planning to get transferred from the militia⁵ to a regiment⁶ at the front. Sonya was in the great hall, superintending the packing of the china and glass. Natasha was sitting on the floor in her dismantled⁷ room among heaps of dresses, ribbons, and scarfs. She sat gazing immovably at the floor, holding in her hands an old ball-dress, the very dress, now out of fashion, in which she had been to her first Petersburg ball.

Natasha was ashamed of doing nothing when every one in the house was so busy, and several times that morning she had tried to set to work; but her soul was not in it; and she was utterly⁸ unable to do anything unless all her heart and soul were in it. She stood over Sonya while she packed the china, and tried to help; but soon threw it up, and went to her room to pack her own things. At first she had found it amusing to give away her dresses and ribbons to the maids, but afterwards when it came to packing what was left, it seemed a wearisome task.

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1 parquet
n.镶木地板
参考例句：
The parquet floors shone like mirrors.镶木地板亮得象镜子。 The snail left a trail of slime along the parquet floor.蜗牛在镶木地板上留下一道黏液。

2 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 resounded
v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音
参考例句：
Laughter resounded through the house. 笑声在屋里回荡。 The echo resounded back to us. 回声传回到我们的耳中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 bustle
v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹
参考例句：
The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂。 There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the railway station.火车站里非常拥挤。

5 militia
n.民兵，民兵组织
参考例句：
First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。 There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

6 regiment
n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制
参考例句：
As he hated army life,he decide to desert his regiment.因为他嫌恶军队生活，所以他决心背弃自己所在的那个团。 They reformed a division into a regiment.他们将一个师整编成为一个团。

7 dismantled
拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消
参考例句：
The plant was dismantled of all its equipment and furniture. 这家工厂的设备和家具全被拆除了。 The Japanese empire was quickly dismantled. 日本帝国很快被打垮了。

8 utterly
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。 I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

9 housekeeper
n.管理家务的主妇，女管家
参考例句：
A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。 She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。

10 grooms
n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗
参考例句：
Plender end Wilcox became joint grooms of the chambers. 普伦德和威尔科克斯成为共同的贴身侍从。 来自辞典例句 Egypt: Families, rather than grooms, propose to the bride. 埃及：在埃及，由新郎的家人，而不是新郎本人，向新娘求婚。 来自互联网

11 tilt
v.(使)倾侧；(使)倾斜；n.倾侧；倾斜
参考例句：
She wore her hat at a tilt over her left eye.她歪戴着帽子遮住左眼。 The table is at a slight tilt.这张桌子没放平，有点儿歪.

12 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

14 commiserating
v.怜悯，同情( commiserate的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Tigress, far from commiserating, offered her a loan (repayable later on) to make herself more presentable. 虎妞不但不安慰小福子，反倒愿意帮她的忙：虎妞愿意拿出点资本，教她打扮齐整，挣来钱再还给她。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子 Were they commiserating or comparing notes? 他们是在同病相怜还是在合对口供？ 来自电影对白

15 doze
v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐
参考例句：
He likes to have a doze after lunch.他喜欢午饭后打个盹。 While the adults doze,the young play.大人们在打瞌睡，而孩子们在玩耍。

16 lodge
v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆
参考例句：
Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？ I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。

17 dissuade
v.劝阻，阻止
参考例句：
You'd better dissuade him from doing that.你最好劝阻他别那样干。 I tried to dissuade her from investing her money in stocks and shares.我曾设法劝她不要投资于股票交易。

18 prospect
n.前景，前途；景色，视野
参考例句：
This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。 The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

19 irrational
adj.无理性的，失去理性的
参考例句：
After taking the drug she became completely irrational.她在吸毒后变得完全失去了理性。 There are also signs of irrational exuberance among some investors.在某些投资者中是存在非理性繁荣的征象的。

20 besought
v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词)
参考例句：
The prisoner besought the judge for mercy/to be merciful. 囚犯恳求法官宽恕[乞求宽大]。 来自辞典例句 They besought him to speak the truth. 他们恳求他说实话. 来自辞典例句

21 instinctive
adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的
参考例句：
He tried to conceal his instinctive revulsion at the idea.他试图饰盖自己对这一想法本能的厌恶。 Animals have an instinctive fear of fire.动物本能地怕火。

22 feigning
假装，伪装( feign的现在分词 )； 捏造（借口、理由等）
参考例句：
He survived the massacre by feigning death. 他装死才在大屠杀中死里逃生。 She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。