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 XIII

When Natásha (Natásha Rostóva, the novel's radiant heroine) ran out of the drawing room she only went as far as the conservatory (a glass room for plants). There she paused (a brief stop) and stood listening to the conversation in the drawing room, waiting for Borís (Borís Drubetskóy, the ambitious young officer) to come out. She was already growing impatient (restlessly eager), and stamped (to strike the foot down; a mark) her foot, ready to cry at his not coming at once, when she heard the young man’s discreet (careful in speech) steps approaching neither quickly nor slowly. At this Natásha dashed (a swift rush) swiftly (fast) among the flower (a plant's bloom) tubs (a wide open vessel) and hid there.

Borís paused (a brief stop) in the middle of the room, looked round, brushed (a bristled tool; to sweep lightly) a little dust (fine dry earth) from the sleeve (the arm of a garment) of his uniform (a soldier's set dress; all alike), and going up to a mirror (the reflecting glass) examined (to inspect closely) his handsome (fine-looking) face. Natásha, very still, peered (to look closely; an equal) out from her ambush (a hidden surprise attack), waiting to see what he would do. He stood a little while before the glass, smiled, and walked toward the other door. Natásha was about to call him but changed her mind. “Let him look for me,” thought she. Hardly had Borís gone than Sónya (Sónya, the Rostóvs' gentle, devoted cousin), flushed (reddened), in tears (a drop of weeping; to rip), and muttering (to speak low in the throat) angrily (with anger), came in at the other door. Natásha checked her first impulse (a sudden inner push) to run out to her, and remained in her hiding (keeping out of sight) place, watching—as under an invisible (unable to be seen) cap—to see what went on in the world. She was experiencing a new and peculiar (peculiar: its own; particular — the old sense here) pleasure. Sónya, muttering (to speak low in the throat) to herself, kept looking round toward the drawing room door. It opened and Nicholas (Nicholas Rostóv, the eldest Rostóv son) came in.

“Sónya, what is the matter with you? How can you?” said he, running up to her.

“It’s nothing, nothing; leave me alone!” sobbed (to weep in catching breaths) Sónya.

“Ah, I know what it is.”

“Well, if you do, so much the better, and you can go back to her!”

“Só-o-onya (Sónya — called out long)! Look here! How can you torture (torment inflicted) me and yourself like that, for a mere (nothing more than) fancy (the imagination; a liking)?” said Nicholas taking her hand.

Sónya did not pull it away, and left off crying. Natásha, not stirring (to move; to rouse) and scarcely (hardly) breathing (drawing air), watched from her ambush (a hidden surprise attack) with sparkling (to flash with small lights) eyes. “What will happen now?” thought she.

“Sónya! What is anyone in the world to me? You alone are everything!” said Nicholas. “And I will prove it to you.”

“I don’t like you to talk like that.”

“Well, then, I won’t; only forgive (to pardon) me, Sónya!” He drew her to him and kissed her.

“Oh, how nice,” thought Natásha; and when Sónya and Nicholas had gone out of the conservatory (a glass room for plants) she followed and called Borís to her.

“Borís, come here,” said she with a sly (secretly cunning) and significant look. “I have something to tell you. Here, here!” and she led him into the conservatory (a glass room for plants) to the place among the tubs (a wide open vessel) where she had been hiding (keeping out of sight).

Borís followed her, smiling.

“What is the something?” asked he.

She grew confused (mixed up), glanced (gave a quick look) round, and, seeing the doll (a child's figure toy) she had thrown down on one of the tubs (a wide open vessel), picked it up.

“Kiss the doll (a child's figure toy),” said she.

Borís looked attentively (with close attention) and kindly (kind; gently) at her eager (keenly desiring) face, but did not reply.

“Don’t you want to? Well, then, come here,” said she, and went further in among the plants and threw down the doll (a child's figure toy). “Closer, closer!” she whispered (a soft hushed voice).

She caught the young officer by his cuffs (the wrist end of a sleeve), and a look of solemnity (grave seriousness) and fear appeared on her flushed (reddened) face.

“And me? Would you like to kiss me?” she whispered (a soft hushed voice) almost inaudibly (too quietly to hear), glancing (a quick look) up at him from under her brows (the forehead), smiling, and almost crying from excitement (stirred-up feeling).

Borís blushed (to redden with shame).

“How funny you are!” he said, bending (to curve; to bow) down to her and blushing (to redden with shame) still more, but he waited and did nothing.

Suddenly she jumped up onto a tub (a wide open vessel) to be higher than he, embraced (to hold in the arms) him so that both her slender (gracefully thin) bare (uncovered) arms clasped (to hold tight in the arms) him above his neck, and, tossing (to throw lightly) back her hair, kissed him full on the lips (the mouth's edge).

Then she slipped (to slide by accident; a small error) down among the flowerpots (a pot for plants) on the other side of the tubs (a wide open vessel) and stood, hanging her head.

“Natásha,” he said, “you know that I love you, but....”

“You are in love with me?” Natásha broke in.

“Yes, I am, but please don’t let us do like that.... In another four years ... then I will ask for your hand.”

Natásha considered.

“Thirteen (thirteen), fourteen (fourteen), fifteen (fifteen), sixteen (sixteen),” she counted on her slender (gracefully thin) little fingers. “All right! Then it’s settled (to fix in place; to bring to rest)?”

A smile of joy and satisfaction (content; amends given) lit up her eager (keenly desiring) face.

“Settled (to fix in place; to bring to rest)!” replied Borís.

“Forever?” said the little girl. “Till death itself?”

She took his arm and with a happy face went with him into the adjoining (lying next to) sitting room.