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 II

Anna Pávlovna (the Petersburg hostess)’s drawing room was gradually (little by little) filling. The highest Petersburg society was assembled (to gather together) there: people differing (to be unlike) widely in age and character but alike (the same) in the social circle to which they belonged (to be one's own; to be part of). Prince Vasíli (Prince Vasíli Kurágin, the smooth court intriguer)’s daughter, the beautiful Hélène (Prince Vasíli's beautiful daughter), came to take her father to the ambassador (a state's chief envoy)’s entertainment; she wore a ball dress and her badge (a worn mark of rank) as maid of honor (a court lady attending the Empress). The youthful (young and fresh) little Princess Bolkónskaya (a lady of the Bolkónski family), known as la femme la plus séduisante de Pétersbourg (Petersburg — French), * was also there. She had been married during the previous winter, and being pregnant did not go to any large gatherings (a coming together), but only to small receptions (a receiving; a formal welcome). Prince Vasíli’s son, Hippolyte (Prince Vasíli's dull elder son), had come with Mortemart (the French royalist émigré vicomte), whom he introduced. The Abbé (a French priest or tutor — French) Morio (the abbé with the plan for perpetual peace) and many others had also come.

* The most fascinating (holding one spellbound) woman in Petersburg.

To each new arrival (a coming) Anna Pávlovna said, “You have not yet seen my aunt (a parent's sister),” or “You do not know my aunt (a parent's sister)?” and very gravely (with deep seriousness) conducted him or her to a little old lady, wearing large bows (to bend in respect; a ribbon knot) of ribbon (a narrow band of silk) in her cap, who had come sailing (the wind-catching sheet; to travel by ship) in from another room as soon as the guests began to arrive (to come); and slowly turning her eyes from the visitor (one who visits) to her aunt (a parent's sister), Anna Pávlovna mentioned each one’s name and then left them.

Each visitor (one who visits) performed the ceremony (a formal rite) of greeting (to welcome) this old aunt (a parent's sister) whom not one of them knew, not one of them wanted to know, and not one of them cared about; Anna Pávlovna observed (to watch; to remark) these greetings (words of welcome) with mournful (full of mourning) and solemn (gravely serious) interest (interest: the spectacle that draws a crowd — the old sense here) and silent (making no sound) approval. The aunt (a parent's sister) spoke to each of them in the same words, about their health and her own, and the health of Her Majesty, “who, thank God, was better today.” And each visitor (one who visits), though politeness (good manners) prevented his showing impatience (restless eagerness), left the old woman with a sense of relief at having performed a vexatious (annoying) duty and did not return to her the whole evening.

The young Princess Bolkónskaya had brought some work in a gold-embroidered (embroidered with gold thread) velvet (soft rich pile cloth) bag. Her pretty little upper lip (the mouth's edge), on which a delicate (finely tender) dark down was just perceptible (just able to be seen), was too short for her teeth, but it lifted all the more sweetly (with sweetness), and was especially charming (delightfully attractive) when she occasionally (now and then) drew it down to meet the lower lip (the mouth's edge). As is always the case with a thoroughly (through and through) attractive woman, her defect (a flaw; to desert one's side)—the shortness (being short) of her upper lip (the mouth's edge) and her half-open (partly open) mouth—seemed to be her own special and peculiar (peculiar: its own; particular — the old sense here) form of beauty. Everyone brightened (to make brighter) at the sight of this pretty young woman, so soon to become a mother, so full of life and health, and carrying her burden (a load) so lightly (with light touch). Old men and dull (not sharp; not bright) dispirited (with spirits sunk; downhearted) young ones who looked at her, after being in her company and talking to her a little while, felt as if they too were becoming, like her, full of life and health. All who talked to her, and at each word saw her bright smile and the constant gleam (a soft flash of light) of her white teeth, thought that they were in a specially (for a special purpose) amiable (friendly and pleasant) mood (a state of feeling) that day.

The little princess went round the table with quick, short, swaying (to swing from side to side; to rule) steps, her workbag (a bag for sewing work) on her arm, and gaily (merrily) spreading out her dress sat down on a sofa (a long padded seat) near the silver samovar (the Russian tea urn), as if all she was doing was a pleasure to herself and to all around her. “I have brought my work,” said she in French, displaying her bag and addressing all present. “Mind, Annette (a pet form of Anna), I hope you have not played a wicked (evil) trick (a deceiving act) on me,” she added, turning to her hostess (the lady of the house receiving guests). “You wrote that it was to be quite a small reception (a receiving; a formal welcome), and just see how badly (in a bad way) I am dressed.” And she spread out her arms to show her short-waisted (cut high at the waist), lace-trimmed, dainty (small and prettily delicate) gray (the color between black and white) dress, girdled (bound around the waist) with a broad ribbon (a narrow band of silk) just below the breast (the chest).

“Soyez tranquille (don't worry — French), Lise (the little princess), you will always be prettier than anyone else,” replied Anna Pávlovna.

“You know,” said the princess in the same tone (a sound's quality; a manner) of voice and still in French, turning to a general, “my husband is deserting (to abandon; the barren waste) me? He is going to get himself killed. Tell me what this wretched (miserable) war is for?” she added, addressing Prince Vasíli, and without waiting for an answer she turned to speak to his daughter, the beautiful Hélène.

“What a delightful (giving delight) woman this little princess is!” said Prince Vasíli to Anna Pávlovna.

One of the next arrivals (a coming) was a stout (fat and solid; brave), heavily built young man with close-cropped (cut very short) hair, spectacles (a grand sight; glasses for the eyes), the light-colored breeches (knee-length trousers) fashionable (in the fashion) at that time, a very high ruffle (a gathered frill at the neck), and a brown dress coat (an outer garment). This stout (fat and solid; brave) young man was an illegitimate (born out of marriage; against law) son of Count Bezúkhov (the family name of the rich old count now dying in Moscow), a well-known grandee (a great and powerful noble) of Catherine (Catherine the Great, the famous Empress)’s time who now lay dying in Moscow. The young man had not yet entered either the military or civil service, as he had only just returned from abroad (in foreign lands) where he had been educated (to teach and train), and this was his first appearance in society. Anna Pávlovna greeted (to welcome) him with the nod (to bow the head slightly) she accorded (agreement; of one's own accord: freely) to the lowest hierarchy (ranks ordered one above another) in her drawing room. But in spite of (despite) this lowest-grade (of the lowest rank) greeting (to welcome), a look of anxiety (gnawing worry) and fear, as at the sight of something too large and unsuited (not fitted for) to the place, came over her face when she saw Pierre enter. Though he was certainly rather bigger than the other men in the room, her anxiety (gnawing worry) could only have reference to the clever (quick of mind) though shy (timid), but observant (quick to notice) and natural, expression which distinguished (to tell apart) him from everyone else in that drawing room.

“It is very good of you, Monsieur (sir; mister — French) Pierre, to come and visit a poor invalid (a sick person; without force),” said Anna Pávlovna, exchanging an alarmed (frightened) glance (a quick look) with her aunt (a parent's sister) as she conducted him to her.

Pierre murmured (to speak in a low soft flow) something unintelligible (impossible to make out), and continued to look round as if in search of something. On his way to the aunt (a parent's sister) he bowed (to bend in respect; a ribbon knot) to the little princess with a pleased (made glad) smile, as to an intimate (closely familiar) acquaintance (a person one knows slightly).

Anna Pávlovna’s alarm (sudden fear; a warning) was justified (to show to be right), for Pierre turned away from the aunt (a parent's sister) without waiting to hear her speech about Her Majesty’s health. Anna Pávlovna in dismay (shocked loss of heart) detained (to hold back) him with the words: “Do you know the Abbé (a French priest or tutor — French) Morio? He is a most interesting man.”

“Yes, I have heard of his scheme for perpetual (never ending) peace, and it is very interesting but hardly feasible (able to be done).”

“You think so?” rejoined (to join again; to answer) Anna Pávlovna in order to say something and get away to attend to her duties as hostess (the lady of the house receiving guests). But Pierre now committed a reverse (the opposite; a defeat) act of impoliteness (rudeness). First he had left a lady before she had finished speaking to him, and now he continued to speak to another who wished to get away. With his head bent (curved; determined on), and his big feet spread apart, he began explaining his reasons for thinking the abbé (a French priest or tutor — French)’s plan chimerical (fanciful; impossible dream-stuff).

“We will talk of it later,” said Anna Pávlovna with a smile.

And having got rid of this young man who did not know how to behave (to conduct oneself), she resumed (to take up again) her duties as hostess (the lady of the house receiving guests) and continued to listen and watch, ready to help at any point where the conversation might happen to flag. As the foreman (the head workman) of a spinning (to whirl; to twist thread) mill (the grinding works), when he has set the hands to work, goes round and notices here a spindle (the turning spike that twists thread) that has stopped or there one that creaks (a thin squeaking sound) or makes more noise than it should, and hastens (to hurry) to check the machine or set it in proper motion, so Anna Pávlovna moved about her drawing room, approaching now a silent (making no sound), now a too-noisy group, and by a word or slight (small; to treat as of no account) rearrangement (arranging anew) kept the conversational (of easy talk) machine in steady (firm and even), proper, and regular motion. But amid (in the middle of) these cares her anxiety (gnawing worry) about Pierre was evident (plain to see). She kept an anxious (full of worry) watch on him when he approached the group round Mortemart to listen to what was being said there, and again when he passed to another group whose center was the abbé (a French priest or tutor — French).

Pierre had been educated (to teach and train) abroad (in foreign lands), and this reception (a receiving; a formal welcome) at Anna Pávlovna’s was the first he had attended in Russia. He knew that all the intellectual (of the thinking mind) lights of Petersburg were gathered (to bring together) there and, like a child in a toyshop (a shop of toys), did not know which way to look, afraid of missing any clever (quick of mind) conversation that was to be heard. Seeing the self-confident (sure of oneself) and refined (made fine; polished) expression on the faces of those present he was always expecting to hear something very profound (deep). At last he came up to Morio. Here the conversation seemed interesting and he stood waiting for an opportunity to express his own views, as young people are fond (loving) of doing.