Maximum-assistance view: every word above everyday vocabulary is explained at every appearance; each name is introduced at its first appearance in the chapter.

CHAPTER XII

The only young people remaining in the drawing room (the best sitting room, where guests are welcomed), not counting (apart from) the young lady visitor and the countess (the lady of the house, a noble lady)’ eldest (oldest) daughter (who was four years older than her sister and behaved already like a grown-up person), were Nicholas (the family's older son, a student) and Sónya (a poor relative who lives with the family), the niece (the daughter of a brother or sister of the count or countess). Sónya was a slender little brunette (thin, graceful girl with dark hair) with a tender look in her eyes (a soft, loving look) which were veiled by long lashes (half hidden by long eyelashes), thick black plaits coiling twice round her head (thick black hair, woven into ropes and wound twice around her head), and a tawny tint in her complexion (a warm golden-brown colour in her skin) and especially in the color of her slender but graceful and muscular (smooth-moving and strong) arms and neck. By the grace of her movements (by the smooth, lovely way she moved), by the softness (how gentle) and flexibility of her small limbs (how easily her small arms and legs bent), and by a certain coyness and reserve of manner (a shy, quiet way of behaving), she reminded one of a pretty, half-grown kitten (anyone who saw her would think of a young cat) which promises to become (which looks as if it will become) a beautiful little cat. She evidently considered it proper (clearly thought it right) to show an interest in the general conversation (the talk everyone was having) by smiling, but in spite of herself (without meaning to) her eyes under their thick long lashes watched her cousin who was going to join the army, with such passionate girlish adoration (with such strong, young love) that her smile could not for a single instant impose upon anyone (fool anyone), and it was clear that the kitten had settled down only to spring up (was sitting still only so she could jump up again) with more energy (more strength and life) and again play with her cousin as soon as they too could, like Natásha (the youngest daughter of this family) and Borís (Nicholas's friend since they were small), escape from the drawing room (get away from the best sitting room).

“Ah yes, my dear (a friendly way to speak to the lady visitor),” said the count (a nobleman, the master of the house), addressing the visitor (speaking to the visitor) and pointing to Nicholas (the family's older son, a student), “his friend Borís (Nicholas's friend since they were small) has become an officer, and so for friendship’s sake (because of their friendship) he is leaving the university and me, his old father, and entering the military service (joining the army), my dear. And there was a place and everything waiting for him (a job all ready for him) in the Archives Department (a government office that keeps old papers)! Isn’t that friendship?” remarked the count in an inquiring tone (as if asking a question).

“But they say that war has been declared (the war has officially begun),” replied the visitor.

“They’ve been saying so a long while,” said the count (master of the house), “and they’ll say so again and again, and that will be the end of it (nothing more will happen). My dear, there’s friendship for you (that is real friendship),” he repeated. “He’s joining the hussars (soldiers who fight on horseback).”

The visitor, not knowing what to say, shook her head.

“It’s not at all from friendship (it is not at all because of friendship),” declared (said firmly) Nicholas (the family's older son, a student), flaring up (suddenly getting angry) and turning away as if from a shameful aspersion (an insult that would shame him). “It is not from friendship at all; I simply feel that the army is my vocation (the work I am meant to do).”

He glanced at his cousin and the young lady visitor; and they were both regarding him (looking at him) with a smile of approbation (a smile that showed they liked what he said).

“Schubert (an army officer), the colonel (the commander) of the Pávlograd Hussars (a group of soldiers who fight on horseback), is dining with us today. He has been here on leave (on holiday from the army) and is taking Nicholas (the family's older son, a student) back with him. It can’t be helped! (nothing can be done about it)” said the count (master of the house), shrugging (lifting and dropping) his shoulders and speaking playfully (lightly, as a joke) of a matter that evidently distressed him (clearly upset him).

“I have already told you, Papa (Father),” said his son, “that if you don’t wish to let me go, I’ll stay. But I know I am no use anywhere except in the army; I am not a diplomat (a man who speaks for his country with other countries) or a government clerk (office worker in the government).—I don’t know how to hide what I feel.” As he spoke he kept glancing with the flirtatiousness of a handsome youth (the playful way a good-looking young man tries to charm girls) at Sónya and the young lady visitor.

The little kitten (Sónya, whom the writer compares to a playful young cat), feasting her eyes on him (looking at him with great pleasure), seemed ready at any moment to start her gambols (playful jumping) again and display her kittenish (playful) nature.

“All right, all right!” said the old count (master of the house). “He always flares up! (he always gets angry so fast) This Buonaparte (Napoleon, the French ruler) has turned all their heads (has filled all the young men with foolish dreams); they all think of how he rose from an ensign (went up from the lowest officer rank) and became Emperor. Well, well (a word to calm things), God grant it (may God let it happen),” he added, not noticing his visitor’s sarcastic (mocking) smile.

The elders (the older people) began talking about Bonaparte (Napoleon). Julie Karágina (the visitor's daughter) turned to young Rostóv (Nicholas).

“What a pity (how sad) you weren’t at the Arkhárovs’ (a Moscow family's party) on Thursday. It was so dull (boring) without you,” said she, giving him a tender (soft, loving) smile.

The young man, flattered (pleased by her praise), sat down nearer to her with a coquettish (flirting) smile, and engaged the smiling Julie in a confidential conversation (began a quiet, private talk with smiling Julie) without at all noticing that his involuntary smile (the smile he did not mean to give) had stabbed the heart of Sónya (had hurt Sónya deeply), who blushed (went red) and smiled unnaturally (in a forced way). In the midst of (in the middle of) his talk he glanced round at her (looked quickly back at her). She gave him a passionately angry glance (a look full of hurt anger), and hardly able to restrain her tears (stop her tears) and maintain the artificial smile (keep the false smile) on her lips, she got up and left the room. All Nicholas (the family's older son, a student)’ animation (bright, happy energy) vanished (disappeared). He waited for the first pause in the conversation, and then with a distressed (worried) face left the room to find Sónya.

“How plainly (how openly) all these young people wear their hearts on their sleeves (show their feelings openly)!” said Anna Mikháylovna (Borís's mother, who lives with the Rostóvs), pointing to Nicholas (the family's older son, a student) as he went out. “Cousinage—dangereux voisinage (French: cousins living close together is dangerous, since they may fall in love),” * she added.

* Cousinhood (being cousins; this line is the writer's note giving the French in English) is a dangerous neighborhood (a danger, because cousins living close may fall in love).

“Yes,” said the countess (the lady of the house, a noble lady) when the brightness (the happy, lively feeling) these young people had brought into the room had vanished (disappeared); and as if answering a question no one had put (a question nobody had asked) but which was always in her mind, “and how much suffering (pain), how much anxiety (worry) one has (a mother like me has) had to go through (had to suffer) that we might rejoice in them now (so that we can be happy about them now)! And yet really the anxiety is greater now than the joy. One is always, always anxious! (a mother is always, always worried!) Especially just at this age, so dangerous both for girls and boys.”

“It all depends on the bringing up (how children are raised),” remarked the visitor.

“Yes, you’re quite right,” continued the countess (the lady of the house, a noble lady). “Till now I have always, thank God, been my children’s friend and had their full confidence (had them trust me completely),” said she, repeating the mistake of so many parents (the writer says she is wrong: her children do keep secrets) who imagine that their children have no secrets from them. “I know I shall always be my daughters’ first confidante (the first person my daughters tell their secrets to), and that if Nicholas (the family's older son, a student), with his impulsive nature (habit of acting without thinking), does get into mischief (do something naughty) (a boy can’t help it (a boy cannot stop himself)), he will all the same (still) never be like those Petersburg (the capital city, where some rich young men had just behaved very badly) young men.”

“Yes, they are splendid, splendid youngsters (wonderful, wonderful young people),” chimed in (added) the count (master of the house), who always solved questions that seemed to him perplexing (found an answer to problems that puzzled him) by deciding that everything was splendid. “Just fancy (imagine): wants to be an hussar (Nicholas wants to be a soldier on horseback). What’s one to do (what can anyone do), my dear (a friendly way to speak to the lady visitor)?”

“What a charming creature (sweet girl) your younger girl is,” said the visitor; “a little volcano (full of fire and energy)!”

“Yes, a regular volcano (a real volcano, full of fire),” said the count (master of the house). “Takes after me! (she is like me) And what a voice she has; though she’s my daughter, I tell the truth when I say she’ll be a singer, a second Salomoni (as good as Salomoni, a famous singer)! We have engaged an Italian (we have hired an Italian teacher) to give her lessons.”

“Isn’t she too young? I have heard that it harms the voice to train it at that age.”

“Oh no, not at all too young!” replied the count (master of the house). “Why, our mothers (you see, even our mothers) used to be married at twelve or thirteen.”

“And she’s in love with Borís (Nicholas's friend since they were small) already. Just fancy! (Just imagine!)” said the countess (the lady of the house, a noble lady) with a gentle smile, looking at Borís (Nicholas's friend since they were small) and went on (kept talking), evidently (clearly) concerned with a thought that always occupied her (thinking of something always on her mind): “Now you see if I were to be severe (strict) with her and to forbid it (tell her it is not allowed) ... goodness knows (who knows) what they might be up to (do) on the sly (in secret)” (she meant that they would be kissing (the writer explains her polite hint plainly)), “but as it is (but the way things are now), I know every word she utters (says). She will come running to me of her own accord (because she wants to) in the evening and tell me everything. Perhaps I spoil her (perhaps I let her do as she likes too much), but really that seems the best plan. With her elder sister I was stricter (more severe).”

“Yes, I was brought up (raised) quite differently,” remarked the handsome (good-looking) elder daughter, Countess (Title of a noble lady) Véra (the Rostóvs' oldest girl), with a smile.

But the smile did not enhance Véra’s beauty (did not make Véra prettier) as smiles generally do; on the contrary (instead) it gave her an unnatural, and therefore unpleasant, expression (false-looking, and so unpleasant, face). Véra was good-looking, not at all stupid, quick at learning, was well brought up (had been raised well), and had a pleasant voice; what she said was true and appropriate (right for the moment), yet, strange to say, everyone (no one could say why, but everyone)—the visitors and countess alike (both the visitors and the countess)—turned to look at her as if wondering why she had said it, and they all felt awkward (uncomfortable).

“People are always too clever with their eldest children (try too hard with their first children) and try to make something exceptional (very special) of them,” said the visitor.

“What’s the good of denying it (why pretend it is not true), my dear (a friendly way to speak to the lady visitor)? Our dear countess (the lady of the house, a noble lady) was too clever with Véra (tried too hard with Véra),” said the count (master of the house). “Well, what of that? (but does it matter?) She’s turned out splendidly (grown up very well) all the same (anyway),” he added, winking (quickly closing one eye as a friendly sign) at Véra.

The guests got up and took their leave (said goodbye), promising to return to dinner (saying they would come back later to eat dinner).

“What manners! (such bad manners, staying so long!) I thought they would never go (she means she was tired of them and glad they left),” said the countess (the lady of the house, a noble lady), when she had seen her guests out (walked her guests to the door).