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 IV

Just then another visitor entered (Still the same evening at Anna Pávlovna’s party; the story now follows a new arrival) the drawing room (the big room where guests are received): Prince Andrew Bolkónski (the young prince who has just come in), the little princess (the small young woman already at the party; the new guest is her husband)’ husband. He was a very handsome (good-looking) young man, of medium height (neither tall nor short), with firm, clearcut features (a strong, sharply drawn face). Everything about him, from his weary (tired), bored expression (look on his face) to his quiet, measured step (slow, even walk), offered a most striking contrast to (was completely different from) his quiet, little wife. It was evident (clear) that he not only knew everyone in the drawing room, but had found them to be so tiresome (boring and annoying) that it wearied (tired) him to look at or listen to them. And among all these faces that he found so tedious (dull and boring), none seemed to bore him so much as (no one seemed to bore him as much as) that of his pretty wife (his pretty wife’s face). He turned away from her with a grimace (twisted, ugly look) that distorted (twisted out of shape) his handsome face, kissed Anna Pávlovna’s hand (kissed the hand of Anna Pávlovna, the lady giving the party: the polite greeting of the time), and screwing up his eyes (narrowing his eyes) scanned (looked quickly across) the whole company (the people in the room).

“You are off to (leaving for) the war, Prince (the title of a Russian nobleman of the highest rank)?” said Anna Pávlovna (the lady giving the party).

“General Kutúzov (General Kutúzov, a famous Russian general),” said Bolkónski (the new arrival), speaking French and stressing the last syllable (putting the force of his voice on the last part) of the general’s name like a Frenchman (a man from France), “has been pleased to take me (has kindly agreed to take me) as an aide-de-camp (an officer who works as a general’s personal assistant)....”

“And Lise (the small young woman already at the party; the new guest is her husband), your wife?”

“She will go to the country (the countryside, away from the city).”

“Are you not ashamed to deprive us of (take away from us) your charming (delightful) wife?”

“André (the French form of Andrew),” said his wife, addressing (speaking to) her husband in the same coquettish (flirting like a young girl) manner in which she spoke to other men, “the vicomte (the French nobleman; a vicomte is a lord of middle rank) has been telling us such a tale (a story) about Mademoiselle George (a famous French actress; Mademoiselle is French for Miss) and Buonaparte (Napoleon, called by the Italian form of his name to make him seem small)!”

Prince Andrew (Prince Andrew Bolkónski, a young nobleman, the new arrival) screwed up his eyes (narrowed his eyes) and turned away. Pierre (the big young man back from abroad), who from the moment Prince Andrew entered the room had watched him with glad, affectionate (loving) eyes, now came up (came close to him) and took his arm (took hold of his arm). Before he looked round (turned to look) Prince Andrew frowned (made an angry face) again, expressing his annoyance (showing he was annoyed) with whoever was touching his arm, but when he saw Pierre’s beaming (shining with a wide smile) face he gave him an unexpectedly kind and pleasant smile.

“There now! (a cry of friendly surprise)... So you, too, are in the great world (among the rich and fashionable people)?” said he to Pierre.

“I knew you would be here,” replied Pierre. “I will come to supper (the evening meal) with you. May I?” he added in a low voice (quietly) so as not to disturb (interrupt) the vicomte (the French nobleman; a vicomte is a lord of middle rank) who was continuing his story.

“No, impossible! (A joke, said laughing: of course you may)” said Prince Andrew (Prince Andrew Bolkónski, a young nobleman, the new arrival), laughing and pressing (squeezing) Pierre’s hand to show that there was no need to ask the question. He wished to say something more, but at that moment Prince Vasíli (a powerful nobleman close to the ruler of Russia) and his daughter got up to go and the two young men rose (stood up) to let them pass.

“You must excuse me (forgive me for leaving), dear Vicomte (the French nobleman; a vicomte is a lord of middle rank),” said Prince Vasíli (a powerful nobleman close to the ruler of Russia) to the Frenchman (a man from France), holding him down by the sleeve (holding his sleeve to keep him seated) in a friendly (warm and kind) way to prevent his rising (to stop him standing up). “This unfortunate fete (a party) at the ambassador’s (the house of a foreign country’s chief representative) deprives me of a pleasure (takes a pleasure from me), and obliges me to (forces me to) interrupt you. I am very sorry to leave your enchanting (delightful) party,” said he, turning to Anna Pávlovna.

His daughter, Princess Hélène (Prince Vasíli’s daughter, the famous beauty), passed between the chairs, lightly holding up the folds of her dress (the loose hanging cloth of her dress), and the smile shone (was shining) still more (even more) radiantly (brightly, with joy) on her beautiful face. Pierre gazed (looked long and steadily) at her with rapturous (full of delight), almost frightened, eyes as she passed him.

“Very lovely,” said Prince Andrew (Prince Andrew Bolkónski, a young nobleman, the new arrival).

“Very (yes, very much),” said Pierre.

In passing (as he walked past) Prince Vasíli (a powerful nobleman close to the ruler of Russia) seized (grabbed) Pierre’s hand and said to Anna Pávlovna: “Educate this bear for me! (Teach this big clumsy young man some manners for me!) He has been staying with me a whole month and this is the first time I have seen him in society (among the fashionable upper class). Nothing is so necessary for a young man as the society of (spending time with) clever women.”

Anna Pávlovna smiled and promised to take Pierre in hand (take charge of Pierre and teach him how to behave). She knew his father to be (knew that his father was) a connection of (a relative of) Prince Vasíli’s (a powerful nobleman close to the ruler of Russia). The elderly lady who had been sitting with the old aunt (the hostess’s very old aunt) rose hurriedly (stood up in a hurry) and overtook (caught up with) Prince Vasíli (a powerful nobleman close to the ruler of Russia) in the anteroom (the small outer room before the main room). All the affectation of interest (pretended interest) she had assumed (pretended) had left her kindly (kind) and tear-worn (marked by much crying) face and it now expressed only anxiety (worry) and fear.

“How about (what news is there about) my son Borís (a young man), Prince? (said straight to him, the way you would say sir)” said she (she said), hurrying after him into the anteroom (the small outer room before the main room). “I can’t remain (stay) any longer in Petersburg (St Petersburg, then the capital of Russia). Tell me what news I may take back (carry home) to my poor boy (my son, whom I am so sorry for).”

Although Prince Vasíli (a powerful nobleman close to the ruler of Russia) listened reluctantly (without wanting to) and not very politely to the elderly lady (the woman who has just asked him about her son), even betraying some impatience (showing he was impatient), she gave him an ingratiating (meant to make him like her) and appealing (asking for pity) smile, and took his hand that he might not go away (so that he could not leave).

“What would it cost you to (How hard would it be for you to) say a word (ask the Emperor to help him) to the Emperor (the Tsar, the ruler of Russia), and then he would be transferred (moved) to the Guards (the best army units, the ones closest to the Emperor: a safer and higher place to serve) at once (immediately)?” said she (she said).

“Believe me, Princess (her title: a Russian princess is a lady of a noble family, not a king’s daughter), I am ready to do all I can,” answered Prince Vasíli (a powerful nobleman close to the ruler of Russia), “but it is difficult for me to ask the Emperor. I should advise you (I would tell you) to appeal to (ask for help from) Rumyántsev (a powerful man in the government) through Prince Golítsyn (a great nobleman with influence close to the ruler of Russia). That would be the best way.”

The elderly lady was a Princess Drubetskáya (a member of the Drubetskóy family, a family of princes), belonging to one of the best families in Russia (one of the highest-ranking noble families in the country), but she was poor, and having long been out of society (been away for years from the world of rich upper-class people and their parties) had lost her former influential connections (friends with power). She had now come to Petersburg to procure an appointment in the Guards (get her son made an officer among the Emperor's own soldiers) for her only son. It was, in fact, solely (only) to meet Prince Vasíli (a powerful nobleman close to the ruler of Russia) that she had obtained (got) an invitation to Anna Pávlovna’s reception (evening party) and had sat listening to the vicomte’s (the French nobleman; a vicomte is a lord of middle rank) story. Prince Vasíli’s words frightened her, an embittered (bitter, full of old anger) look clouded (spread across) her once handsome (good-looking when she was young) face, but only for a moment; then she smiled again and clutched (held tightly) Prince Vasíli’s arm more tightly.

“Listen to me, Prince,” said she (she said). “I have never yet asked you for anything and I never will again, nor have I ever reminded you (and I have never reminded you) of my father’s friendship for you; but now I entreat (beg) you for God’s sake (words used to beg as hard as one can) to do this for my son—and I shall always regard you as (think of you as) a benefactor (a person who has done me a great kindness),” she added hurriedly. “No, don’t be angry, but promise! I have asked Golítsyn (Prince Golítsyn, a great nobleman with influence close to the ruler of Russia) and he has refused. Be the kindhearted (kind and warm) man you always were,” she said, trying to smile though tears were in her eyes.

“Papa (Father), we shall be late,” said Princess Hélène (Prince Vasíli's daughter, who came in earlier), turning her beautiful head and looking over her classically molded (shaped like a Greek statue) shoulder as she stood waiting by the door.

Influence in society, however, is a capital (money you have saved up, which is used up as you spend it) which has to be economized (spent carefully) if it is to last. Prince Vasíli (a powerful nobleman close to the ruler of Russia) knew this, and having once realized that if he asked on behalf of all who begged of him (for everyone who asked him), he would soon be unable to ask for himself, he became chary of (careful and unwilling about) using his influence. But in Princess Drubetskáya’s (the elderly lady who had been sitting with the old aunt) case he felt, after her second appeal, something like qualms of conscience (uneasy feelings of guilt). She had reminded him of what was quite true; he had been indebted to (owing something to) her father for the first steps in his career (his start in his career). Moreover, he could see by her manners that she was one of those women—mostly mothers—who, having once made up their minds (decided), will not rest (will not stop) until they have gained their end (got what they wanted), and are prepared if necessary to go on insisting day after day and hour after hour, and even to make scenes (cause loud, embarrassing arguments in public). This last consideration moved him (This last thought persuaded him).

“My dear (a warm, polite way of speaking to someone) Anna Mikháylovna (the elderly lady who had been sitting with the old aunt),” said he with his usual familiarity (easy, friendly manner) and weariness (being tired) of tone, “it is almost impossible for me to do what you ask; but to prove my devotion (being ready to do anything for you) to you and how I respect your father’s memory, I will do the impossible—your son shall be transferred (moved) to the Guards. Here is my hand on it (I give you my hand as a promise). Are you satisfied?”

“My dear benefactor (my dear helper, the man who has done me a great kindness)! This is what I expected from you—I knew your kindness!” He turned to go.

“Wait—just a word (let me say one more thing)! When he has been transferred (moved) to the Guards (the best army units, the ones closest to the Emperor)...” she faltered (spoke with a shaky pause). “You are on good terms with (friendly with) Michael Ilariónovich Kutúzov (a famous Russian general; Russians put a middle name made from the father's name between the first name and the family name) ... recommend Borís to him as adjutant (an officer who assists a commander)! Then I shall be at rest (able to stop worrying), and then...”

Prince Vasíli (a powerful nobleman close to the ruler of Russia) smiled.

“No, I won’t promise that. You don’t know how Kutúzov (General Kutúzov, a famous Russian general) is pestered (bothered constantly) since his appointment as (since he was made) Commander in Chief (the head of the whole army). He told me himself that all the Moscow (Russia’s old capital city) ladies have conspired (secretly agreed together) to give him all their sons as adjutants (officers who assist a commander).”

“No, but do promise (please, promise)! I won’t let you go! My dear benefactor (you who have done me such a great kindness)...”

“Papa (Father),” said his beautiful daughter in the same tone as before, “we shall be late.”

“Well, (All right then,) au revoir (goodbye, in French)! Good-by! You hear her?”

“Then tomorrow you will speak to the Emperor?”

“Certainly; but about Kutúzov (General Kutúzov, a famous Russian general), I don’t promise.”

“Do promise (Please promise), do promise, Vasíli (a powerful nobleman close to the ruler of Russia)!” cried (said loudly) Anna Mikháylovna (the elderly lady who had been sitting with the old aunt) as he went (as he walked away from her), with the smile of a coquettish (flirting like a young girl) girl, which at one time (long ago) probably came naturally to her (was easy and real for her), but was now very ill-suited to (did not match) her careworn (worn out by worry) face.

Apparently she had forgotten her age and by force of habit (because it was her old habit, without thinking) employed all the old feminine arts (used all the old tricks women use to charm men). But as soon as the prince (Prince Vasíli) had gone her face resumed its former cold, artificial expression (went back to its earlier cold, false look). She returned to the group where the vicomte (the French nobleman; a vicomte is a lord of middle rank) was still talking, and again pretended to listen (acted as if she was listening), while waiting till it would be time to leave. Her task was accomplished (done).