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 XI

Silence ensued (to follow after). The countess (a count's wife) looked at her callers (a visitor), smiling affably (in a friendly way), but not concealing (to hide) the fact that she would not be distressed (in trouble and pain) if they now rose and took their leave. The visitor (one who visits)’s daughter was already smoothing (even; without roughness) down her dress with an inquiring (to ask) look at her mother, when suddenly from the next room were heard the footsteps (the sound of a step) of boys and girls running to the door and the noise of a chair falling over, and a girl of thirteen (thirteen), hiding something in the folds (to bend over on itself) of her short muslin (fine thin cotton cloth) frock (a girl's or woman's dress), darted (to shoot swiftly) in and stopped short in the middle of the room. It was evident (plain to see) that she had not intended her flight to bring her so far. Behind her in the doorway (the opening of a door) appeared a student with a crimson (deep red) coat (an outer garment) collar (the neck band), an officer of the Guards, a girl of fifteen (fifteen), and a plump (round and full-fleshed) rosy-faced (with rosy cheeks) boy in a short jacket (a short coat).

The count jumped up and, swaying (to swing from side to side; to rule) from side to side, spread his arms wide and threw them round the little girl who had run in.

“Ah, here she is!” he exclaimed (to cry out) laughing. “My pet (a favorite kept animal; to stroke fondly), whose name day it is. My dear pet (a favorite kept animal; to stroke fondly)!”

“Ma chère (dear — French, as in ma chère, my dear), there is a time for everything,” said the countess (a count's wife) with feigned (pretended) severity (hard strictness). “You spoil (to ruin; plundered goods) her, Ilyá (Count Ilyá Rostóv, the open-handed old count),” she added, turning to her husband.

“How do you do, my dear? I wish you many happy returns of your name day,” said the visitor (one who visits). “What a charming (delightfully attractive) child,” she added, addressing the mother.

This black-eyed (with black eyes), wide-mouthed (with a wide mouth) girl, not pretty but full of life—with childish (like a child) bare (uncovered) shoulders which after her run heaved (heavens! — a cry of surprise) and shook (to move quickly to and fro) her bodice (the fitted upper part of a dress), with black curls (a coiled lock of hair) tossed (to throw lightly) backward (toward the back), thin (of little thickness) bare (uncovered) arms, little legs in lace-frilled (edged with lace) drawers (a sliding box in a table), and feet in low slippers (a light indoor shoe)—was just at that charming (delightfully attractive) age when a girl is no longer a child, though the child is not yet a young woman. Escaping from her father she ran to hide her flushed (reddened) face in the lace (fine open threadwork) of her mother’s mantilla (a lace shawl for the head and shoulders)—not paying the least attention to her severe remark (to say; to notice)—and began to laugh. She laughed, and in fragmentary (in broken pieces) sentences tried to explain about a doll (a child's figure toy) which she produced from the folds (to bend over on itself) of her frock (a girl's or woman's dress).

“Do you see?... My doll (a child's figure toy)... Mimi (a doll's name)... You see...” was all Natásha (Natásha Rostóva, the novel's radiant heroine) managed to utter (complete; to speak) (to her everything seemed funny). She leaned (to tilt against; thin) against her mother and burst (to break open suddenly) into such a loud, ringing fit of laughter (laughing) that even the prim (stiffly proper) visitor (one who visits) could not help joining in.

“Now then, go away and take your monstrosity (a monstrous thing) with you,” said the mother, pushing away her daughter with pretended (false; put on) sternness (strict severity), and turning to the visitor (one who visits) she added: “She is my youngest girl.”

Natásha, raising her face for a moment from her mother’s mantilla (a lace shawl for the head and shoulders), glanced (a quick look) up at her through tears (a drop of weeping; to rip) of laughter (laughing), and again hid her face.

The visitor (one who visits), compelled (to force) to look on at this family scene, thought it necessary to take some part in it.

“Tell me, my dear,” said she to Natásha, “is Mimi a relation (a connection; a relative) of yours? A daughter, I suppose?”

Natásha did not like the visitor (one who visits)’s tone (a sound's quality; a manner) of condescension (gracious stooping to lesser people) to childish (like a child) things. She did not reply, but looked at her seriously.

Meanwhile (in the time between) the younger generation: Borís (Borís Drubetskóy, the ambitious young officer), the officer, Anna (a woman's name — Anna Pávlovna Schérer and others) Mikháylovna (a patronymic — daughter of Michael)’s son; Nicholas (Nicholas Rostóv, the eldest Rostóv son), the undergraduate (a university student), the count’s eldest (the eldest) son; Sónya (Sónya, the Rostóvs' gentle, devoted cousin), the count’s fifteen-year-old (fifteen years old) niece (a brother's or sister's daughter), and little Pétya (Pétya Rostóv, the eager youngest son), his youngest boy, had all settled (to fix in place; to bring to rest) down in the drawing room and were obviously trying to restrain (to hold back) within the bounds (tied; leaping; a limit) of decorum (proper dignified behavior) the excitement (stirred-up feeling) and mirth (laughing merriment) that shone (to give light) in all their faces. Evidently (as plainly appears) in the back rooms, from which they had dashed (a swift rush) out so impetuously (with rushing eagerness), the conversation had been more amusing (entertaining) than the drawing room talk of society scandals (shameful public talk), the weather, and Countess (a count's wife) Apráksina (a lady of the Apráksin family). Now and then they glanced (a quick look) at one another, hardly able to suppress (to put down; hold in) their laughter (laughing).

The two young men, the student and the officer, friends from childhood, were of the same age and both handsome (fine-looking) fellows, though not alike (the same). Borís was tall and fair, and his calm and handsome (fine-looking) face had regular, delicate (finely tender) features. Nicholas was short with curly (full of curls) hair and an open expression. Dark hairs were already showing on his upper lip (the mouth's edge), and his whole face expressed impetuosity (rushing eagerness) and enthusiasm (burning eagerness). Nicholas blushed (to redden with shame) when he entered the drawing room. He evidently (as plainly appears) tried to find something to say, but failed. Borís on the contrary (opposite) at once found his footing (a firm place for the feet), and related quietly (without noise) and humorously (with humor) how he had known that doll (a child's figure toy) Mimi when she was still quite a young lady, before her nose was broken; how she had aged during the five years he had known her, and how her head had cracked (a sharp break or noise) right across the skull (the head's bone). Having said this he glanced (a quick look) at Natásha. She turned away from him and glanced (a quick look) at her younger brother, who was screwing (the twisted fastening pin) up his eyes and shaking (to move quickly to and fro) with suppressed (put down; held in) laughter (laughing), and unable to control herself any longer, she jumped up and rushed (to move with violent haste) from the room as fast as her nimble (quick and light) little feet would carry her. Borís did not laugh.

“You were meaning to go out, weren (were — weren't: were not)’t you, Mamma? Do you want the carriage (a wheeled passenger vehicle; bearing)?” he asked his mother with a smile.

“Yes, yes, go and tell them to get it ready,” she answered, returning his smile.

Borís quietly (without noise) left the room and went in search of Natásha. The plump (round and full-fleshed) boy ran after them angrily (with anger), as if vexed (to annoy; trouble) that their program had been disturbed (to break the quiet of).