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Chapter 16 - Nikolai confesses to his father. Natasha confides1 in her mother
It was long since Rostov had felt such enjoyment2 from music as he did that day. But no sooner had Natasha finished her barcarolle than reality again presented itself. He got up without saying a word and went downstairs to his own room. A quarter of an hour later the old count came in from his Club, cheerful and contented3. Nikolai, hearing him drive up, went to meet him.
Nikolai tried to say “Yes,” but could not: and he nearly burst into sobs6. The count was lighting7 his pipe and did not notice his son’s condition.
“Ah, it can’t be avoided!” thought Nikolai, for the first and last time. And suddenly, in the most casual tone, which made him feel ashamed feel of himself, he said, as if merely asking his father to let him have the carriage to drive to town:
“Papa, I have come on a matter of business. I was nearly forgetting. I need some money.”
“Dear me!” said his father, who was in a specially8 good humor. “I told you it would not be enough. How much?”
“Very much,” said Nikolai flushing, and with a stupid careless smile, for which he was long unable to forgive himself, “I have lost a little, I mean a good deal, a great deal — forty three thousand.”
“What! To whom? . . . Nonsense!” cried the count, suddenly reddening with an apoplectic9 flush over neck and nape as old people do.
“I promised to pay tomorrow,” said Nikolai.
“Well! . . . ” said the old count, spreading out his arms and sinking helplessly on the sofa.
“It can’t be helped It happens to everyone!” said the son, with a bold, free, and easy tone, while in his soul he regarded himself as a worthless scoundrel whose whole life could not atone10 for his crime. He longed to kiss his father’s hands and kneel to beg his forgiveness, but said, in a careless and even rude voice, that it happens to everyone!
The old count cast down his eyes on hearing his son’s words and began bustlingly searching for something.
“Yes, yes,” he muttered, “it will be difficult, I fear, difficult to raise . . . happens to everybody! Yes, who has not done it?”
And with a furtive11 glance at his son’s face, the count went out of the room. . . . Nikolai had been prepared for resistance, but had not at all expected this.
“Papa! Pa-pa!” he called after him, sobbing12, “forgive me!” And seizing his father’s hand, he pressed it to his lips and burst into tears.
While father and son were having their explanation, the mother and daughter were having one not less important. Natasha came running to her mother, quite excited.
“Mamma! . . . Mamma! . . . He has made me . . . ”
“Made what?”
“Made, made me an offer, Mamma! Mamma!” she exclaimed.
The countess did not believe her ears. Denisov had proposed. To whom? To this chit of a girl, Natasha, who not so long ago was playing with dolls and who was still having lessons.
“Don’t, Natasha! What nonsense!” she said, hoping it was a joke.
“Nonsense, indeed! I am telling you the fact,” said Natasha indignantly. “I come to ask you what to do, and you call it ‘nonsense!’”
“If it true that Monsieur Denisov has made you a proposal, tell him he is a fool, that’s all!”
“No, he’s not a fool!” replied Natasha indignantly and seriously.
“Well then, what do you want? You’re all in love nowadays. Well, if you are in love, marry him!” said the countess, with a laugh of annoyance14. “Good luck to you!”
“No, Mamma, I’m not in love with him, I suppose I’m not in love with him.”
“Well then, tell him so.”
“Mamma, are you cross? Don’t be cross, dear! Is it my fault?”
“No, but what is it, my dear? Do you want me to go and tell him?” said the countess smiling.
“No, I will do it myself, only tell me what to say. It’s all very well for you,” said Natasha, with a responsive smile. “You should have seen how he said it! I know he did not mean to say it, but it came out accidently.”
“Well, all the same, you must refuse him.”
“No, I mustn’t. I am so sorry for him! He’s so nice.”
“Well then, accept his offer. It’s high time for you to be married,” answered the countess sharply and sarcastically15.
“No, Mamma, but I’m so sorry for him. I don’t know how I’m to say it.”
“And there’s nothing for you to say. I shall speak to him myself,” said the countess, indignant that they should have dared to treat this little Natasha as grown up.
“No, not on any account! I will tell him myself, and you’ll listen at the door,” and Natasha ran across the drawing room to the dancing hall, where Denisov was sitting on the same chair by the clavichord16 with his face in his hands.
He jumped up at the sound of her light step.
“Nataly,” he said, moving with rapid steps toward her, “decide my fate. It is in your hands.”
“Vasili Dmitrich, I’m so sorry for you! . . . No, but you are so nice . . . but it won’t do . . . not that . . . but as a friend, I shall always love you.”
Denisov bent17 over her hand and she heard strange sounds she did not understand. She kissed his rough curly black head. At this instant, they heard the quick rustle18 of the countess’ dress. She came up to them.
“Vasili Dmitrich, I thank you for the honor,” she said, with an embarrassed voice, though it sounded severe to Denisov — “but my daughter is so young, and I thought that, as my son’s friend, you would have addressed yourself first to me. In that case you would not have obliged me to give this refusal.”
“Countess . . . ” said Denisov, with downcast eyes and a guilty face. He tried to say more, but faltered19.
“Countess, I have done w’ong,” Denisov went on in an unsteady voice, “but believe me, I so adore your daughter and all your family that I would give my life twice over . . . ” He looked at the countess, and seeing her severe face said: “Well, good-by, Countess,” and kissing her hand, he left the room with quick resolute21 strides, without looking at Natasha.
Next day Rostov saw Denisov off. He not wish to stay another day in Moscow. All Denisov’s Moscow friends gave him a farewell entertainment at the gypsies’, with the result that he had no recollection of how he was put in the sleigh or of the first three stages of his journey.
After Denisov’s departure, Rostov spent another fortnight in Moscow, without going out of the house, waiting for the money his father could not at once raise, and he spent most of his time in the girls’ room.
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1
confides
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的第三人称单数 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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2
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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3
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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4
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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5
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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6
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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7
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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8
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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9
apoplectic
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| adj.中风的；愤怒的；n.中风患者 | |
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atone
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| v.赎罪，补偿 | |
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furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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12
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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13
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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14
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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15
sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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16
clavichord
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| n.（敲弦）古钢琴 | |
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17
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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18
rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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19
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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20
plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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21
resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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22
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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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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