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, not counting the young lady visitor (one who visits) and the countess (a count's wife)’ eldest (the eldest) daughter (who was four years older than her sister and behaved (to conduct oneself) already like a grown-up (a grown person) person), were Nicholas (Nicholas Rostóv, the eldest Rostóv son) and Sónya (Sónya, the Rostóvs' gentle, devoted cousin), the niece (a brother's or sister's daughter). Sónya was a slender (gracefully thin) little brunette (a dark-haired woman) with a tender (soft with love) look in her eyes which were veiled (a thin covering cloth) by long lashes (a whip stroke; an eyelash), thick (of great depth through; dense) black plaits (a braid of hair) coiling (to wind in circles) twice round her head, and a tawny (warm golden brown) tint (a light shade of color) in her complexion (the color of the face) and especially in the color of her slender (gracefully thin) but graceful (full of easy grace) and muscular (strong-muscled) arms and neck. By the grace of her movements, by the softness (soft gentleness) and flexibility (bending ease) of her small limbs (an arm or leg; a branch), and by a certain coyness (shy reserve) and reserve of manner, she reminded (to bring back to mind) one of a pretty, half-grown (partly grown) kitten (a young cat) which promises to become a beautiful little cat. She evidently (as plainly appears) considered it proper to show an interest (interest: the spectacle that draws a crowd — the old sense here) in the general conversation by smiling, but in spite of (despite) herself her eyes under their thick (of great depth through; dense) long lashes (a whip stroke; an eyelash) watched her cousin (an uncle's or aunt's child) who was going to join the army, with such passionate (full of burning feeling) girlish (like a young girl) adoration (love that worships) that her smile could not for a single instant (a moment; immediate) impose (to lay upon) upon anyone, and it was clear that the kitten (a young cat) had settled (to fix in place; to bring to rest) down only to spring up with more energy and again play with her cousin (an uncle's or aunt's child) as soon as they too could, like Natásha (Natásha Rostóva, the novel's radiant heroine) and Borís (Borís Drubetskóy, the ambitious young officer), escape from the drawing room.
“Ah yes, my dear,” said the count, addressing the visitor (one who visits) and pointing to Nicholas, “his friend Borís has become an officer, and so for friendship (the bond of friends)’s sake (for the good of) he is leaving the university and me, his old father, and entering the military service, my dear. And there was a place and everything waiting for him in the Archives Department! Isn’t that friendship (the bond of friends)?” remarked (to say; to notice) the count in an inquiring (to ask) tone (a sound's quality; a manner).
“But they say that war has been declared,” replied the visitor (one who visits).
“They’ve been saying so a long while,” said the count, “and they’ll say so again and again, and that will be the end of it. My dear, there’s friendship (the bond of friends) for you,” he repeated (to say or do again). “He’s joining the hussars (a light-cavalry soldier).”
The visitor (one who visits), not knowing what to say, shook (to move quickly to and fro) her head.
“It’s not at all from friendship (the bond of friends),” declared Nicholas, flaring (to blaze up) up and turning away as if from a shameful (bringing shame) aspersion (a damaging remark; a slur). “It is not from friendship (the bond of friends) at all; I simply feel that the army is my vocation (one's calling).”
He glanced (a quick look) at his cousin (an uncle's or aunt's child) and the young lady visitor (one who visits); and they were both regarding him with a smile of approbation (approval).
“Schubert, the colonel (the commander of a regiment) of the Pávlograd (Rostóv's hussar regiment) Hussars (a light-cavalry soldier), is dining (a loud continued noise) with us today. He has been here on leave and is taking Nicholas back with him. It can’t be helped!” said the count, shrugging (to lift the shoulders) his shoulders and speaking playfully (in play) of a matter that evidently (as plainly appears) distressed (suffering trouble) him.
“I have already told you, Papa,” said his son, “that if you don’t wish to let me go, I’ll stay. But I know I am no use (use: habit; custom — the old sense here) anywhere except in the army; I am not a diplomat (an agent between states) or a government clerk (a writing officer).—I don’t know how to hide what I feel.” As he spoke he kept glancing (a quick look) with the flirtatiousness (flirting manner) of a handsome (fine-looking) youth at Sónya and the young lady visitor (one who visits).
The little kitten (a young cat), feasting (a rich festive meal) her eyes on him, seemed ready at any moment to start her gambols (playful leaping about) again and display her kittenish (playful as a kitten) nature.
“All right, all right!” said the old count. “He always flares (to blaze up) up! This Buonaparte (Bonaparte — the scornful Italian spelling) has turned all their heads; they all think of how he rose from an ensign (the lowest infantry officer; a flag) and became Emperor. Well, well, God grant it,” he added, not noticing his visitor (one who visits)’s sarcastic (cuttingly mocking) smile.
The elders (the chosen head of a village; an older person) began talking about Bonaparte (Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French). Julie (Julie Karágina, the wealthy heiress Borís marries) Karágina (Julie Karágina's family name) turned to young Rostóv (the family name of Nicholas, Natásha, and Pétya).
“What a pity (sorrow for another's pain) you weren (were — weren't: were not)’t at the Arkhárovs (a Moscow family)’ on Thursday. It was so dull (not sharp; not bright) without you,” said she, giving him a tender (soft with love) smile.
The young man, flattered (pleased by praise), sat down nearer to her with a coquettish (flirting; playfully teasing) smile, and engaged the smiling Julie in a confidential (told in trust) conversation without at all noticing that his involuntary (not willed) smile had stabbed (to pierce with a point) the heart of Sónya, who blushed (to redden with shame) and smiled unnaturally (against nature). In the midst (the middle) of his talk he glanced (a quick look) round at her. She gave him a passionately (with burning passion) angry glance (a quick look), and hardly able to restrain (to hold back) her tears (a drop of weeping; to rip) and maintain the artificial (made by man; not natural) smile on her lips (the mouth's edge), she got up and left the room. All Nicholas’ animation (lively spirit) vanished (to disappear). He waited for the first pause (a brief stop) in the conversation, and then with a distressed (suffering trouble) face left the room to find Sónya.
“How plainly (clearly; simply) all these young people wear their hearts on their sleeves (the arm of a garment)!” said Anna (a woman's name — Anna Pávlovna Schérer and others) Mikháylovna (a patronymic — daughter of Michael), pointing to Nicholas as he went out. “Cousinage—dangereux voisinage,” * she added.
* Cousinhood is a dangerous neighborhood.
“Yes,” said the countess (a count's wife) when the brightness (shining light) these young people had brought into the room had vanished (to disappear); and as if answering a question no one had put but which was always in her mind, “and how much suffering, how much anxiety (gnawing worry) one has had to go through that we might rejoice (to be glad) in them now! And yet really the anxiety (gnawing worry) is greater now than the joy. One is always, always anxious (full of worry)! Especially just at this age, so dangerous both for girls and boys.”
“It all depends on the bringing up,” remarked (to say; to notice) the visitor (one who visits).
“Yes, you’re quite right,” continued the countess (a count's wife). “Till now I have always, thank God, been my children’s friend and had their full confidence,” said she, repeating (to say or do again) the mistake of so many parents who imagine that their children have no secrets from them. “I know I shall always be my daughters’ first confidante (a woman trusted with secrets), and that if Nicholas, with his impulsive (acting on sudden pushes of feeling) nature, does get into mischief (playful trouble; harm) (a boy can’t help it), he will all the same never be like those Petersburg young men.”
“Yes, they are splendid (grand and shining), splendid (grand and shining) youngsters (a young person),” chimed (fanciful; dream-built) in the count, who always solved (to find the answer) questions that seemed to him perplexing (puzzling; hard to make out) by deciding that everything was splendid (grand and shining). “Just fancy (the imagination; a liking): wants to be an hussar (a light-cavalry soldier). What’s one to do, my dear?”
“What a charming (delightfully attractive) creature (a living being) your younger girl is,” said the visitor (one who visits); “a little volcano (the fire-breathing mountain)!”
“Yes, a regular volcano (the fire-breathing mountain),” said the count. “Takes after 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 (an Italian singer)! We have engaged an Italian to give her lessons (a taught portion).”
“Isn’t she too young? I have heard that it harms (hurt; damage) the voice to train it at that age.”
“Oh no, not at all too young!” replied the count. “Why, our mothers used (use: habit; custom — the old sense here) to be married at twelve (twelve) or thirteen (thirteen).”
“And she’s in love with Borís already. Just fancy (the imagination; a liking)!” said the countess (a count's wife) with a gentle (mild and kind) smile, looking at Borís and went on, evidently (as plainly appears) concerned with a thought that always occupied (to hold; to fill) her: “Now you see if I were to be severe with her and to forbid (to order not to) it ... goodness (being good) knows what they might be up to on the sly (secretly cunning)” (she meant that they would be kissing), “but as it is, I know every word she utters (complete; to speak). She will come running to me of her own accord (agreement; of one's own accord: freely) in the evening and tell me everything. Perhaps I spoil (to ruin; plundered goods) her, but really that seems the best plan. With her elder (the eldest) sister I was stricter (exactly severe).”
“Yes, I was brought up quite differently (in another way),” remarked (to say; to notice) the handsome (fine-looking) elder (the eldest) daughter, Countess (a count's wife) Véra (the eldest, coldly correct Rostóv daughter), with a smile.
But the smile did not enhance (to increase; make greater) Véra’s beauty as smiles generally do; on the contrary (opposite) it gave her an unnatural (against nature), and therefore unpleasant (not pleasing), expression. Véra was good-looking (handsome), not at all stupid, quick at learning, was well brought up, and had a pleasant (pleasing) voice; what she said was true and appropriate, yet, strange to say, everyone—the visitors (one who visits) and countess (a count's wife) alike (the same)—turned to look at her as if wondering why she had said it, and they all felt awkward (clumsy; uneasy).
“People are always too clever (quick of mind) with their eldest (the eldest) children and try to make something exceptional (out of the common) of them,” said the visitor (one who visits).
“What’s the good of denying (to say no; refuse) it, my dear? Our dear countess (a count's wife) was too clever (quick of mind) with Véra,” said the count. “Well, what of that? She’s turned out splendidly (grandly) all the same,” he added, winking (to close one eye quickly) at Véra.
The guests got up and took their leave, promising to return to dinner.
“What manners! I thought they would never go,” said the countess (a count's wife), when she had seen her guests out.