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 VII

The rustle (the soft brushing sound) of a woman’s dress was heard in the next room. Prince Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband) shook himself as if waking up (moved suddenly, like a man coming out of sleep), and his face assumed (changed to) the look it had had in Anna Pávlovna’s (the lady who gave the evening party) drawing room (big front room where guests were met). Pierre (the big young man, Prince Andrew's friend) removed his feet from the sofa. The princess (Prince Andrew's young wife) came in. She had changed her gown (her long formal dress) for a house dress (a simpler dress for wearing at home) as fresh and elegant (clean-looking and beautiful) as the other. Prince Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband) rose (stood up) and politely placed a chair for her.

“How is it (why is it),” she began, as usual in French, settling down (sitting down comfortably) briskly and fussily (quickly, and with a lot of small movements) in the easy chair (the soft comfortable armchair), “how is it Annette (Anna Pávlovna, the lady who gave the party; Annette is a friendly short name) never got married? How stupid you men all are not to have married her! Excuse me for saying so, but you have no sense about women (you do not understand women at all). What an argumentative (always ready to argue) fellow (man) you are, Monsieur Pierre (French: Mister Pierre, a polite way to name him)!”

“And I am still arguing with your husband. I can’t understand why he wants to go to the war,” replied Pierre, addressing the princess (Prince Andrew's young wife) with none of the embarrassment (shy awkward feeling) so commonly shown by young men in their intercourse with (in their talk and dealings with) young women.

The princess (Prince Andrew's young wife) started (jumped a little in surprise). Evidently (Clearly) Pierre’s words touched her to the quick (hurt her in her most tender feelings).

“Ah, that is just what I tell him!” said she. “I don’t understand it; I don’t in the least (do not at all) understand why men can’t live without wars. How is it that we women don’t want anything of the kind, don’t need it? Now you shall judge between us (you must decide which of us is right). I always tell him: Here he is (look, he is already) Uncle’s aide-de-camp (the officer who carries messages and orders for her uncle, a general), a most brilliant position (a very fine and important job). He is so well known, so much appreciated (valued) by everyone. The other day at the Apráksins’ (the house of the Apráksin family, where there was a party) I heard a lady asking, ‘Is that the famous Prince Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband)?’ I did indeed.” She laughed. “He is so well received (welcomed warmly) everywhere. He might easily become aide-de-camp to the Emperor (one of the officers who carry the Emperor's own messages and orders). You know the Emperor (the ruler of Russia) spoke to him most graciously (very kindly, as a great man speaks to a lesser one). Annette (the lady who gave the evening party) and I were speaking of how to arrange it. What do you think?”

Pierre looked at his friend and, noticing that he did not like the conversation, gave no reply (said nothing).

“When are you starting (leaving for the war)?” he asked.

“Oh, don’t speak of his going (do not talk about him leaving), don’t! I won’t hear it spoken of (I will not let anyone talk about it),” said the princess (Prince Andrew's young wife) in the same petulantly playful (playful, but with the moods of a spoiled child) tone in which she had spoken to Hippolyte (a young nobleman from the party) in the drawing room (the big front room where guests were met) and which was so plainly ill-suited to (clearly wrong for) the family circle (the close family at home) of which Pierre was almost a member. “Today when I remembered that all these delightful associations (lovely friendships and parties) must be broken off (ended suddenly) ... and then you know, André (the French form of Andrew, her husband's name)...” (she looked significantly (in a way that meant something) at her husband) “I’m afraid, I’m afraid!” she whispered, and a shudder ran down her back (she shook with fear).

Her husband looked at her as if surprised to notice that someone besides Pierre and himself was in the room, and addressed her in a tone of frigid politeness (good manners with no warmth at all).

“What is it you are afraid of, Lise (Prince Andrew's young wife)? I don’t understand,” said he.

“There (a cry meaning: you see, I was right), what egotists (people who think only of themselves) men all are: all, all egotists! Just for a whim of his own (only because of a sudden wish of his), goodness only knows why (nobody can tell why), he leaves me and locks me up (sends me away to live alone) alone in the country (the countryside, far from the city).”

“With my father and sister, remember,” said Prince Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband) gently (softly and kindly).

“Alone all the same (even so), without my friends.... And he expects me not to be afraid.”

Her tone was now querulous (complaining, with a whining sound) and her lip drawn up (her upper lip lifted), giving her not a joyful (happy), but an animal, squirrel-like (like a small wild animal that lives in trees) expression. She paused as if she felt it indecorous (not proper or polite) to speak of her pregnancy (the baby she is expecting) before Pierre (in front of Pierre), though the gist of the matter lay in that (the baby was the real reason for all of it).

“I still can’t understand what you are afraid of,” said Prince Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband) slowly, not taking his eyes off (looking all the time at) his wife.

The princess (Prince Andrew's young wife) blushed, and raised her arms with a gesture of despair (a movement showing she had lost all hope).

“No, Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband), I must say you have changed. Oh, how you have....”

“Your doctor tells you to go to bed earlier,” said Prince Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband). “You had better go (you should go now).”

The princess (Prince Andrew's young wife) said nothing, but suddenly her short downy (covered in very soft fine hair) lip quivered (shook a little). Prince Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband) rose (stood up), shrugged (lifted and dropped his shoulders) his shoulders, and walked about the room.

Pierre looked over (looked above the top of) his spectacles (glasses worn on the nose) with naïve (simple, like someone who knows little of the world) surprise, now at him and now at her (first at him, then at her, again and again), moved as if about to rise (about to stand up) too, but changed his mind.

“Why should I mind Monsieur Pierre (French: Mister Pierre, the polite form used for him) being here?” exclaimed (said suddenly and loudly) the little princess suddenly, her pretty face all at once (suddenly) distorted by a tearful grimace (twisted as she began to cry). “I have long wanted (for a long time I have wanted) to ask you, Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband), why you have changed so to me (become so different towards me)? What have I done to you? You are going to the war and have no pity for me (do not feel sorry for me at all). Why is it?”

“Lise (Prince Andrew's young wife)!” was all Prince Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband) said. But that one word expressed an entreaty, a threat (that single word begged her to stop, and warned her too), and above all (most of all) conviction (firm belief) that she would herself regret her words. But she went on (kept talking) hurriedly:

“You treat me like an invalid (a sick person) or a child. I see it all! Did you behave like that six months ago?”

“Lise (Prince Andrew's young wife), I beg you to desist (stop),” said Prince Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband) still more (even more) emphatically (strongly and firmly).

Pierre, who had been growing more and more agitated (upset and nervous) as he listened to all this, rose (stood up) and approached the princess (Prince Andrew's young wife). He seemed unable to bear the sight of tears (finding it too painful to see someone cry) and was ready to cry himself.

“Calm yourself (please be calm), Princess (a polite way of speaking to her)! It seems so to you because.... I assure you (believe me) I myself have experienced (felt this myself) ... and so ... because ... No, excuse me! An outsider is out of place here (someone not in the family should not be here).... No, don’t distress yourself (make yourself unhappy).... Good-by!”

Prince Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband) caught him by the hand (took hold of his hand to stop him).

“No, wait, Pierre! The princess is too kind to wish to deprive me of the pleasure (he says she is too kind to want to take from him the pleasure of Pierre's company; said coldly, it tells her to let Pierre stay) of spending the evening with you.”

“No, he thinks only of himself,” muttered (said quietly and unclearly) the princess (Prince Andrew's young wife) without restraining (without trying to stop) her angry tears.

“Lise (Prince Andrew's young wife)!” said Prince Andrew (a young nobleman, the little princess's husband) dryly (coldly, with no feeling), raising his voice to the pitch which indicates that patience is exhausted (the sound a voice makes when someone has no patience left).

Suddenly the angry, squirrel-like (sharp and cross, like the face of a small wild animal) expression of the princess’ (Prince Andrew's young wife) pretty face changed into a winning and piteous look (a sweet look that begged for pity) of fear. Her beautiful eyes glanced askance (sideways, with fear or doubt) at her husband’s face, and her own (her own face) assumed (changed to) the timid (shy and afraid), deprecating (begging not to be blamed) expression of a dog when it rapidly but feebly wags its drooping tail (a frightened dog begging not to be punished).

“Mon Dieu, mon Dieu!” (French: My God, my God!) she muttered (said quietly and unclearly), and lifting her dress with one hand she went up to her husband and kissed him on the forehead.

“Good night, Lise (Prince Andrew's young wife),” said he, rising and courteously (very politely) kissing her hand as he would have done to a stranger (politely, but coldly, as if she were not his wife).