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 II

Anna Pávlovna’s (the lady giving this evening's party) drawing room (the large room where guests are received) was gradually filling. The highest Petersburg (the capital of Russia then) society (the rich and important families who all know each other) was assembled (gathered) there: people differing (different) widely in age and character but alike in the social circle to which they belonged (all of the same social class). Prince Vasíli’s (a powerful nobleman close to the ruler of Russia) daughter, the beautiful Hélène (the French form of the name Helen), came to take her father to the ambassador’s entertainment (the party given by the man who speaks for England in Russia, spoken of in the last chapter); she wore a ball dress (a long dress for a dance) and her badge as maid of honor (the small jewelled picture of the ruler's wife, worn by the young unmarried women who serve her). The youthful (young) little Princess Bolkónskaya (a young woman of one of Russia's great families), known as la femme la plus séduisante de Pétersbourg (the most attractive woman in Petersburg, the Russian capital, said in French), * (this mark points to the line below, which gives the English of the French words) was also there. She had been married during the previous winter, and being pregnant (because she was going to have a baby) did not go to any large gatherings (parties with many people), but only to small receptions (small evening parties). Prince Vasíli’s son, Hippolyte (his first name; his family name is Kurágin), had come with Mortemart (a French nobleman who escaped from France when the common people fought against the nobles), whom he introduced. The Abbé Morio (a French priest and thinker) and many others had also come.

* The most (more than any other) fascinating woman in Petersburg.

To each new arrival Anna Pávlovna said, “You have not yet seen my aunt,” or “You do not know my aunt?” and very gravely (seriously) conducted (led) him or her to a little old lady, wearing large bows (tied loops) of ribbon (narrow band of cloth) in her cap (an old lady’s indoor head covering), who had come sailing in (come moving in slowly and smoothly, like a ship) from another room as soon as the guests began to arrive; and slowly turning her eyes from the visitor to her aunt, Anna Pávlovna mentioned each one’s name and then left them.

Each visitor performed the ceremony (the same fixed set of polite words and actions every time) of greeting (saying hello to) this old aunt whom not one of them knew, not one of them wanted to know, and not one of them cared about; Anna Pávlovna observed these greetings (words of welcome) with mournful and solemn interest and silent approval (with sad, serious attention, silently approving). The aunt spoke to each of them in the same words, about their health and her own, and the health of Her Majesty (the old Empress, the mother of the ruler of Russia), “who, thank God, was better today.” And each visitor, though politeness prevented his showing impatience (though good manners kept him from showing he was bored), left the old woman with a sense of relief (the good feeling when something hard is over) at having performed a vexatious (annoying) duty and did not return to her the whole evening.

The young Princess Bolkónskaya (a young woman of one of Russia's great families) had brought some work (some sewing) in a gold-embroidered (stitched with gold thread) velvet (soft thick cloth) bag. Her pretty little upper lip, on which a delicate dark down (fine soft hair) was just perceptible (just visible), was too short for her teeth (did not quite reach down over the front of her mouth), but it lifted all the more sweetly (and because of that it rose in a way that looked even prettier), and was especially charming (lovely, easy to like) when she occasionally drew it down (pulled it down) to meet the lower lip. As is always the case with a thoroughly (completely) attractive woman, her defect (fault)—the shortness (being too short) of her upper lip and her half-open mouth—seemed to be her own special and peculiar (her own) form of beauty. Everyone brightened (looked happier) at the sight of this pretty young woman, so soon to become a mother, so full of life and health, and carrying her burden so lightly (carrying the child so easily, without seeming tired or heavy). Old men and dull (boring) dispirited (tired and sad, with no energy left) young ones who looked at her, after being in her company (with her, near her) and talking to her a little while, felt as if they too were becoming, like her, full of life and health. All who talked to her, and at each word saw her bright smile and the constant (never stopping) gleam (flash of light) of her white teeth, thought that they were (each one thought that he himself was) in a specially amiable (friendly) mood that day.

The little princess went round the table with quick, short, swaying (moving from side to side) steps, her workbag (the bag for her sewing) on her arm, and gaily (in a happy, bright way) spreading out her dress (arranging her skirt around her as she sat) sat down on a sofa (long soft seat) near the silver samovar (the tall metal water heater Russians keep on the table for making tea), as if all she was doing was a pleasure to herself and to all around her. “I have brought my work (my sewing),” said she (she said) in French, displaying (showing) her bag and addressing all present (speaking to everyone in the room). “Mind (take note), Annette (the short, friendly name her friends use for Anna), I hope you have not played a wicked trick on me (tricked me in a mean way),” she added, turning to her hostess (the lady giving the party). “You wrote that it was to be quite a small reception (party), and just see how badly I am dressed (she means the opposite; she is pleased with her dress and wants them to look).” And she spread out her arms to show her short-waisted, lace-trimmed, dainty gray dress (a light gray dress in the style of that time, gathered high up under the chest instead of at the middle, with fine edging full of tiny holes), girdled with a broad ribbon just below the breast (tied round with a wide ribbon just under the chest, as the fashion then was).

“Soyez tranquille, Lise (Don’t worry, Lise, said in French; Lise is the little princess’s name), you will always be prettier (more beautiful) than anyone else,” replied Anna Pávlovna.

“You know,” said the princess in the same tone of voice and still in French, turning to a general, “my husband is deserting me? (said as a joke: he is leaving her for the war) He is going to get himself killed. Tell me what this wretched (horrible) war is for?” she added, addressing Prince Vasíli, and without waiting for an answer she turned to speak to his daughter, the beautiful Hélène.

“What a delightful (lovely) woman this little princess is!” said Prince Vasíli to Anna Pávlovna.

One of the next arrivals (people arriving) was a stout (fat), heavily built (with a big, solid body) young man with close-cropped (cut very short) hair, spectacles (glasses), the light-colored breeches (knee-length trousers) fashionable (popular) at that time, a very high ruffle (a collar of folded, wavy cloth standing up high), and a brown dress coat (a man’s formal jacket, short at the front, with two long tails hanging at the back). This stout young man was an illegitimate (born outside marriage) son of Count Bezúkhov (a very rich and important nobleman), a well-known grandee (one of the highest lords in Russia) of Catherine’s (a ruler of Russia long before this evening) time who now lay dying in Moscow (Russia’s old capital, far from Petersburg). The young man had not yet entered either the military or civil service (taken a post in the army or in a government office, as every young nobleman was expected to), as he had only just returned from abroad where he had been educated, and this was his first appearance in society (the rich and important families who all know each other). Anna Pávlovna greeted (said hello to) him with the nod she accorded to the lowest hierarchy in her drawing room (the small dip of the head she kept for the least important of her guests). But in spite of (even with) this lowest-grade greeting (the smallest welcome she gave anyone), a look of anxiety and fear, as at the sight of something too large and unsuited to the place (the way a person looks at something far too big for the room), came over her face (appeared on her face) when she saw Pierre (the big young man who came in) enter. Though he was certainly rather bigger than the other men in the room, her anxiety could only have reference to (could only be about) the clever though shy, but observant (noticing everything) and natural, expression which distinguished him from everyone else in that drawing room.

“It is very good of you (how kind of you), Monsieur Pierre (Monsieur is the French Mr; the whole room speaks French), to come and visit a poor invalid (a sick woman: her joking name for herself, from her invitation),” said Anna Pávlovna, exchanging (giving each other) an alarmed (worried) glance (quick look) with her aunt as she conducted (led) him to her.

Pierre (the big young man who came in) murmured (said very quietly) something unintelligible (impossible to understand), and continued to look round (keep looking at everything around him) as if in search of something. On his way to the aunt he bowed (made the polite forward bend of head and body) to the little princess with a pleased (glad) smile, as to an intimate acquaintance (a close friend).

Anna Pávlovna’s alarm was justified (right, and with good reason), for (because) Pierre (the big young man who came in) turned away from the aunt without waiting to hear her speech about Her Majesty’s (the Empress’s; Her Majesty is the polite way of naming her) health. Anna Pávlovna in dismay (worry and shock) detained (kept there) him with the words: “Do you know the Abbé Morio (a French priest, a guest at the party; abbé is the French word for priest)? He is a most (very) interesting man.”

“Yes, I have heard of his scheme for perpetual peace (a plan, much talked of then, for ending war in Europe for ever), and it is very interesting but hardly feasible (able to be done).”

“You think so?” rejoined (replied) Anna Pávlovna in order to say something and get away (leave the conversation) to attend to her duties (do the work the lady of the house must do) as hostess (the lady giving the party). But Pierre (the big young man who came in) now committed a reverse act of impoliteness (bad manners of the opposite kind this time). First he had left a lady before she had finished speaking to him, and now he continued to speak to another who wished to get away. With his head bent (held low), and his big feet spread apart, he began explaining his reasons for thinking the abbé’s (priest’s) plan chimerical (a fantasy that could never work).

“We will talk of it later,” said Anna Pávlovna with a smile.

And having got rid of this young man who did not know how to behave, she resumed (started again) her duties as hostess (the lady giving the party) and continued to listen and watch, ready to help at any point where the conversation might happen to flag (grow weak and stop). As the foreman of a spinning mill (the man in charge of a factory where thread is made), when he has set the hands to work (started the workers on their jobs), goes round (walks from one to another) and notices (sees) here a spindle (the turning rod that winds the thread) that has stopped or there one that creaks (makes a thin, high sound as it turns) or makes more noise than it should, and hastens (goes quickly) to check the machine or set it in proper motion (get it turning properly again), so Anna Pávlovna (in the same way Anna Pávlovna) moved about (walked here and there) her drawing room (the big front room where she meets her visitors), approaching now a silent, now a too-noisy group (going first to one group that had fallen quiet, then to another talking louder than it should), and by a word or slight rearrangement (change in who stands where) kept the conversational machine in steady, proper, and regular motion (kept the talk moving smoothly and evenly). But amid (in the middle of) these cares (these worries) her anxiety about Pierre (the big young man who came in) was evident (clear to see). She kept an anxious watch on him when he approached the group round Mortemart (a French guest at the party, being shown off by the hostess) to listen to what was being said there, and again when he passed to another group whose center was the abbé (the priest).

Pierre (the big young man who came in) had been educated abroad, and this reception (party) at Anna Pávlovna’s was the first he had attended in Russia (his own country). He knew that all the intellectual lights (the best minds) of Petersburg were gathered there and, like a child in a toyshop (shop full of toys), did not know which way to look, afraid of missing any clever conversation that was to be heard. Seeing the self-confident and refined (elegant, with fine manners) expression on the faces of those present he was always expecting to hear something very profound (deep). At last he came up to Morio. Here the conversation seemed interesting and he stood waiting for an opportunity to express his own views, as young people are fond of doing (love to do).