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 IX

It was past one o’clock (the time-keeping machine) when Pierre left his friend. It was a cloudless (without a cloud), northern, summer night. Pierre took an open cab (a carriage for hire) intending (to have in mind) to drive straight home. But the nearer (closer) he drew to the house the more he felt the impossibility (a thing that cannot be) of going to sleep on such a night. It was light enough to see a long way in the deserted (abandoned; empty) street and it seemed more like morning or evening than night. On the way Pierre remembered that Anatole (Anatole Kurágin, Prince Vasíli's handsome, dissolute son) Kurágin (the family name of Prince Vasíli and his children) was expecting the usual set for cards that evening, after which there was generally a drinking bout (a spell; a match), finishing with visits of a kind Pierre was very fond (loving) of.

“I should like to go to Kurágin’s,” thought he.

But he immediately recalled (to call back to mind) his promise to Prince Andrew not to go there. Then, as happens to people of weak character, he desired so passionately (with burning passion) once more to enjoy that dissipation (idle, wasteful pleasure) he was so accustomed (used to) to that he decided to go. The thought immediately occurred to him that his promise to Prince Andrew was of no account, because before he gave it he had already promised Prince Anatole to come to his gathering (a coming together); “besides,” thought he, “all such ‘words of honor’ are conventional (according to custom) things with no definite (clear and fixed) meaning, especially if one considers that by tomorrow one may be dead, or something so extraordinary (beyond the ordinary) may happen to one that honor and dishonor (shame; loss of honor) will be all the same!” Pierre often indulged (to give way to a pleasure) in reflections (a thrown-back image; thought) of this sort, nullifying (undoing; canceling) all his decisions and intentions (what one means to do). He went to Kurágin’s.

Reaching the large house near the Horse Guards’ barracks (soldiers' lodging houses), in which Anatole lived, Pierre entered the lighted (lit) porch (a covered entrance), ascended (to climb up) the stairs (a step of a flight), and went in at the open door. There was no one in the anteroom (a waiting room); empty bottles, cloaks (a loose outer wrap), and overshoes (a shoe worn over another) were lying about; there was a smell (to sense through the nose) of alcohol, and sounds of voices and shouting (a loud cry) in the distance.

Cards and supper (the evening meal) were over, but the visitors (one who visits) had not yet dispersed (to scatter). Pierre threw off his cloak (a loose outer wrap) and entered the first room, in which were the remains of supper (the evening meal). A footman (a liveried man servant), thinking no one saw him, was drinking on the sly (secretly cunning) what was left in the glasses. From the third room came sounds of laughter (laughing), the shouting (a loud cry) of familiar voices, the growling (rumbling angrily) of a bear, and general commotion (noisy disturbance). Some eight or nine young men were crowding anxiously (with anxious worry) round an open window. Three others were romping (to play noisily) with a young bear, one pulling him by the chain and trying to set him at the others.

“I bet a hundred on Stevens (an English naval officer)!” shouted (a loud cry) one.

“Mind, no holding on!” cried another.

“I bet on Dólokhov (the cold-eyed duelist, gambler, and partisan)!” cried a third. “Kurágin, you part our hands.”

“There, leave Bruin (the bear's nickname) alone; here’s a bet on.”

“At one draught (at one draught: in one swallow), or he loses!” shouted (a loud cry) a fourth.

“Jacob (a man's name), bring a bottle!” shouted (a loud cry) the host, a tall, handsome (fine-looking) fellow who stood in the midst (the middle) of the group, without a coat (an outer garment), and with his fine linen (cloth of flax; underclothing) shirt unfastened (to undo; open) in front. “Wait a bit, you fellows.... Here is Pétya (Pétya Rostóv, the eager youngest son)! Good man!” cried he, addressing Pierre.

Another voice, from a man of medium height with clear blue eyes, particularly striking among all these drunken (given to drink) voices by its sober (not drunk; grave) ring, cried from the window: “Come here; part the bets!” This was Dólokhov, an officer of the Semënov (of the Semënov Guards) regiment (a body of soldiers under a colonel), a notorious (famous for ill) gambler (one who plays for money) and duelist (a fighter of duels), who was living with Anatole. Pierre smiled, looking about him merrily (with merry cheer).

“I don’t understand. What’s it all about?”

“Wait a bit, he is not drunk yet! A bottle here,” said Anatole, and taking a glass from the table he went up to Pierre.

“First of all you must drink!”

Pierre drank one glass after another, looking from under his brows (the forehead) at the tipsy (slightly drunk) guests who were again crowding round the window, and listening to their chatter (quick idle talk). Anatole kept on refilling (to fill again) Pierre’s glass while explaining that Dólokhov was betting with Stevens, an English naval (of the fleet) officer, that he would drink a bottle of rum (the strong sugar spirit) sitting on the outer (on the outside) ledge (a narrow shelf) of the third floor window with his legs hanging out.

“Go on, you must drink it all,” said Anatole, giving Pierre the last glass, “or I won’t let you go!”

“No, I won’t,” said Pierre, pushing Anatole aside, and he went up to the window.

Dólokhov was holding the Englishman’s hand and clearly and distinctly (clearly) repeating (to say or do again) the terms of the bet, addressing himself particularly to Anatole and Pierre.

Dólokhov was of medium height, with curly (full of curls) hair and light-blue (light blue) eyes. He was about twenty-five (twenty-five). Like all infantry (foot soldiers) officers he wore no mustache (hair on the upper lip), so that his mouth, the most striking feature of his face, was clearly seen. The lines of that mouth were remarkably (notably) finely (with fine delicacy) curved (a bending line). The middle of the upper lip (the mouth's edge) formed a sharp (keen-edged) wedge (a driving triangular block) and closed firmly (with a firm, steady hold) on the firm lower one, and something like two distinct (clearly separate) smiles played continually (over and over without stop) round the two corners of the mouth; this, together with the resolute (firmly determined), insolent (rudely bold) intelligence of his eyes, produced an effect which made it impossible not to notice his face. Dólokhov was a man of small means and no connections. Yet, though Anatole spent tens of thousands of rubles (the Russian unit of money), Dólokhov lived with him and had placed himself on such a footing (a firm place for the feet) that all who knew them, including Anatole himself, respected him more than they did Anatole. Dólokhov could play all games and nearly always won. However much he drank, he never lost his clearheadedness (a clear, sober mind). Both Kurágin and Dólokhov were at that time notorious (famous for ill) among the rakes (the toothed garden tool; a loose-living man) and scapegraces (a good-for-nothing rascal) of Petersburg.

The bottle of rum (the strong sugar spirit) was brought. The window frame which prevented anyone from sitting on the outer (on the outside) sill (silly; foolish) was being forced out by two footmen (a liveried man servant), who were evidently (as plainly appears) flurried (rushed confusion) and intimidated (to frighten into submission) by the directions and shouts (a loud cry) of the gentlemen (a man of good birth and manners) around.

Anatole with his swaggering (a proud, boastful air) air strode (a long step) up to the window. He wanted to smash (to break to pieces) something. Pushing away the footmen (a liveried man servant) he tugged (to pull hard) at the frame, but could not move it. He smashed (to break to pieces) a pane (a sheet of window glass).

“You have a try, Hercules,” said he, turning to Pierre.

Pierre seized (to grab; take hold) the crossbeam (a beam set across), tugged (to pull hard), and wrenched (to twist violently) the oak (the great hardwood tree) frame out with a crash.

“Take it right out, or they’ll think I’m holding on,” said Dólokhov.

“Is the Englishman bragging (to boast)?... Eh? Is it all right?” said Anatole.

“First-rate (of the best kind),” said Pierre, looking at Dólokhov, who with a bottle of rum (the strong sugar spirit) in his hand was approaching the window, from which the light of the sky, the dawn (the day's first light) merging (to blend into one) with the afterglow (the light left after sunset) of sunset (the sun's going down), was visible (able to be seen).

Dólokhov, the bottle of rum (the strong sugar spirit) still in his hand, jumped onto the window sill (silly; foolish). “Listen!” cried he, standing there and addressing those in the room. All were silent (making no sound).

“I bet fifty (fifty) imperials (of an empire)”—he spoke French that the Englishman might understand him, but he did not speak it very well—“I bet fifty (fifty) imperials (of an empire) ... or do you wish to make it a hundred?” added he, addressing the Englishman.

“No, fifty (fifty),” replied the latter.

“All right. Fifty (fifty) imperials (of an empire) ... that I will drink a whole bottle of rum (the strong sugar spirit) without taking it from my mouth, sitting outside the window on this spot” (he stooped (to bend down) and pointed to the sloping (spilled wet mess) ledge (a narrow shelf) outside the window) “and without holding on to anything. Is that right?”

“Quite right,” said the Englishman.

Anatole turned to the Englishman and taking him by one of the buttons of his coat (an outer garment) and looking down at him—the Englishman was short—began repeating (to say or do again) the terms of the wager (a bet) to him in English.

“Wait!” cried Dólokhov, hammering (the driving tool) with the bottle on the window sill (silly; foolish) to attract (to draw toward) attention. “Wait a bit, Kurágin. Listen! If anyone else does the same, I will pay him a hundred imperials (of an empire). Do you understand?”

The Englishman nodded (to bow the head slightly), but gave no indication (a pointing sign) whether he intended (to have in mind) to accept this challenge or not. Anatole did not release him, and though he kept nodding (to bow the head slightly) to show that he understood, Anatole went on translating (to turn into another language) Dólokhov’s words into English. A thin (of little thickness) young lad (a boy), an hussar (a light-cavalry soldier) of the Life Guards, who had been losing that evening, climbed (to go up) on the window sill (silly; foolish), leaned (to tilt against; thin) over, and looked down.

“Oh! Oh! Oh!” he muttered (to speak low in the throat), looking down from the window at the stones of the pavement (a paved walk).

“Shut up!” cried Dólokhov, pushing him away from the window. The lad (a boy) jumped awkwardly (clumsily) back into the room, tripping over his spurs (the rider's heel spike; to urge on).

Placing the bottle on the window sill (silly; foolish) where he could reach it easily, Dólokhov climbed (to go up) carefully (with care) and slowly through the window and lowered his legs. Pressing against both sides of the window, he adjusted (to set right) himself on his seat, lowered his hands, moved a little to the right and then to the left, and took up the bottle. Anatole brought two candles (a wax light) and placed them on the window sill (silly; foolish), though it was already quite light. Dólokhov’s back in his white shirt, and his curly (full of curls) head, were lit up from both sides. Everyone crowded to the window, the Englishman in front. Pierre stood smiling but silent (making no sound). One man, older than the others present, suddenly pushed forward with a scared and angry look and wanted to seize (to grab; take hold) hold of Dólokhov’s shirt.

“I say, this is folly (foolishness)! He’ll be killed,” said this more sensible (sensible: aware — the old sense here) man.

Anatole stopped him.

“Don’t touch him! You’ll startle (jolted with surprise) him and then he’ll be killed. Eh?... What then?... Eh?”

Dólokhov turned round and, again holding on with both hands, arranged (to set in order) himself on his seat.

“If anyone comes meddling (to interfere) again,” said he, emitting (to give out) the words separately (apart) through his thin (of little thickness) compressed (to press tight) lips (the mouth's edge), “I will throw him down there. Now then!”

Saying this he again turned round, dropped his hands, took the bottle and lifted it to his lips (the mouth's edge), threw back his head, and raised his free hand to balance himself. One of the footmen (a liveried man servant) who had stooped (to bend down) to pick up some broken glass remained in that position without taking his eyes from the window and from Dólokhov’s back. Anatole stood erect (to raise up; upright) with staring eyes. The Englishman looked on sideways (to the side), pursing (a money bag) up his lips (the mouth's edge). The man who had wished to stop the affair (a matter of business; a love matter) ran to a corner of the room and threw himself on a sofa (a long padded seat) with his face to the wall. Pierre hid his face, from which a faint (weak and dim; to fall senseless) smile forgot to fade (to lose color and strength) though his features now expressed horror (shaking fear and disgust) and fear. All were still. Pierre took his hands from his eyes. Dólokhov still sat in the same position, only his head was thrown further back till his curly (full of curls) hair touched his shirt collar (the neck band), and the hand holding the bottle was lifted higher and higher and trembled (to shake finely) with the effort. The bottle was emptying perceptibly (enough to be noticed) and rising still higher and his head tilting (to lean at an angle) yet further back. “Why is it so long?” thought Pierre. It seemed to him that more than half an hour had elapsed (passed by — of time). Suddenly Dólokhov made a backward (toward the back) movement with his spine (the backbone), and his arm trembled (to shake finely) nervously (with jumpy unease); this was sufficient (enough) to cause his whole body to slip (to slide by accident; a small error) as he sat on the sloping (spilled wet mess) ledge (a narrow shelf). As he began slipping (to slide by accident; a small error) down, his head and arm wavered (to sway in doubt) still more with the strain (to stretch hard; a family stock). One hand moved as if to clutch (to grip hard) the window sill (silly; foolish), but refrained (to hold back from) from touching (touching: concerning — the old sense here) it. Pierre again covered his eyes and thought he would never open them again. Suddenly he was aware of a stir (to move; to rouse) all around. He looked up: Dólokhov was standing on the window sill (silly; foolish), with a pale (light in color; whitish) but radiant (shining with light) face.

“It’s empty.”

He threw the bottle to the Englishman, who caught it neatly (with neat order). Dólokhov jumped down. He smelt (to sense through the nose) strongly (with strength) of rum (the strong sugar spirit).

“Well done!... Fine fellow!... There’s a bet for you!... Devil (the evil one) take you!” came from different sides.

The Englishman took out his purse (a money bag) and began counting out the money. Dólokhov stood frowning (to draw the brows in displeasure) and did not speak. Pierre jumped upon the window sill (silly; foolish).

“Gentlemen (a man of good birth and manners), who wishes to bet with me? I’ll do the same thing!” he suddenly cried. “Even without a bet, there! Tell them to bring me a bottle. I’ll do it.... Bring a bottle!”

“Let him do it, let him do it,” said Dólokhov, smiling.

“What next? Have you gone mad?... No one would let you!... Why, you go giddy (dizzy; light-headed) even on a staircase (a flight of stairs),” exclaimed (to cry out) several voices.

“I’ll drink it! Let’s have a bottle of rum (the strong sugar spirit)!” shouted (a loud cry) Pierre, banging (a sudden loud noise) the table with a determined and drunken (given to drink) gesture (a meaning movement) and preparing to climb (to go up) out of the window.

They seized (to grab; take hold) him by his arms; but he was so strong that everyone who touched him was sent flying.

“No, you’ll never manage him that way,” said Anatole. “Wait a bit and I’ll get round him.... Listen! I’ll take your bet tomorrow, but now we are all going to ——’s.”

“Come on then,” cried Pierre. “Come on!... And we’ll take Bruin with us.”

And he caught the bear, took it in his arms, lifted it from the ground, and began dancing round the room with it.