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g： he alone is dearer to me now than everything in the world。” Prince Andrey approached her with downcast eyes。
“I have loved you from the first minute I saw you。 Can I hope？”
He glanced at her and was struck by the serious； impassioned look in her face。 Her face seemed to say： “Why ask？ Why doubt of what you cannot but know？ Why talk when no words can express what one feels？”
She came nearer to him and stopped。 He took her hand and kissed it。
“Do you love me？”
“Yes； yes；” said Natasha； almost angrily it seemed。 She drew a deep sigh； and another； her breathing came more and more quickly； and she burst into sobs。
“What is it？ What’s the matter？”
“Oh； I am so happy；” she answered； smiling through her tears。 She bent over closer to him； thought a second； as though wondering whether it were possible； and then kissed him。
Prince Andrey held her hands； looked into her eyes and could find no trace of his former love for her in his heart。 Some sudden reaction seemed to have taken place in his soul； there was none of the poetic and mysterious charm of desire left in it； instead of that there was pity for her feminine and childish weakness； terror at her devotion and trustfulness； an irksome； yet sweet； sense of duty； binding him to her for ever。 The actual feeling； though not so joyous and poetical as the former feeling； was more serious and deeper。
“Did your mamma tell you that it cannot be for a year？” said Prince Andrey； still gazing into her eyes。
“Can this be I； the baby…girl （as every one used to call me）？” Natasha was thinking。 “Can I really be from this minute a wife； on a level with this unknown； charming； intellectual man； who is looked up to even by my father？ Can it be true？ Can it be true that now there can be no more playing with life； that now I am grown up； that now a responsibility is laid upon me for every word and action？ Oh； what did he ask me？”
“No；” she answered； but she had not understood his question。
“Forgive me；” said Prince Andrey； “but you are so young； and I have had so much experience of life。 I am afraid for you。 You don’t know yourself。”
Natasha listened with concentrated attention； trying to take in the meaning of his words； but she did not understand them
“Hard as that year will be to me； delaying my happiness；” continued Prince Andrey； “in that time you will be sure of yourself。 I beg you to make me happy in a year； but you are free； our engagement shall be kept a secret； and if you should find out that you do not love me； or if you should come to love …” said Prince Andrey with a forced smile。
“Why do you say that？” Natasha interrupted。 “You know that from the very day when you first came to Otradnoe； I have loved you；” she said； firmly persuaded that she was speaking the truth。
“In a year you will learn to know yourself。…”
“A who…ole year！” cried Natasha suddenly； only now grasping that their marriage was to be deferred for a year。 “But why a year？ … Why a year？…”
Prince Andrey began to explain to her the reasons for this delay。 Natasha did not hear him。
“And can’t it be helped？” she asked。 Prince Andrey made no reply； but his face expressed the impossibility of altering this decision。
“That’s awful！ Oh； it’s awful； awful！” Natasha cried suddenly； and she broke into sobs again。 “I shall die if I have to wait a year； it’s impossible； it’s awful。” She glanced at her lover’s face and saw the look of sympathetic pain and perplexity on it。
“No； no； I’ll do anything；” she said； suddenly checking her tears； “I’m so happy！”
Her father and mother came into the room and gave the betrothed couple their blessing。 From that day Prince Andrey began to visit the Rostovs as Natasha’s affianced lover。
Chapter 24
THERE WAS NO formal betrothal and no announcement was made of the engagement of Bolkonsky and Natasha； Prince Andrey insisted upon that。 He said that since he was responsible for the delay of their marriage； he ought to bear the whole burden of it。 He said that he was bound for ever by his word； but he did not want to bind Natasha and would leave her perfect freedom。 If in another six months she were to feel that she did not love him； she would have a perfect right to refuse him。 It need hardly be said that neither Natasha nor her parents would hear of this possibility； but Prince Andrey insisted on having his own way。 Prince Andrey came every day to the Rostovs’； but he did not behave with Natasha as though he were engaged to her； he addressed her formally and kissed only her hand。 From the day of his proposal Prince Andrey’s relations with Natasha had become quite different from what had existed between them before： their relations were simple and intimate。 It seemed as though till then they had not known each other。 Both loved to recall how they had regarded one another when they were nothing to each other。 Now they both felt utterly different creatures—then affected； now simple and sincere。 At first there had been a feeling of awkwardness in the family in regard to Prince Andrey。 He seemed a man from another world； and Natasha used for a long while to try and make her people understand Prince Andrey； and declared to every one with pride that he only seemed to be so different； that he was really like every one else； and that she was not afraid of him and no one need be。 After a few days； the rest of the family got accustomed to seeing him； and went on without constraint with their usual manner of life； in which he took part。 He knew how to talk to the count about the management of his estates； to the countess and Natasha about dress； and to Sonya about her album and embroidery。 Sometimes the Rostovs among themselves； and in Prince Andrey’s presence； expressed their wonder at the way it had all happened； and at the events that obviously betokened that it was to be： Prince Andrey’s coming to Otradnoe； and their coming to Petersburg； and the resemblance between Natasha and Prince Andrey； which the old nurse had remarked on Prince Andrey’s first visit； and the meeting in 1805 between Andrey and Nikolay； and many other incidents betokening that it was to be； were observed by the family。
The house was full of that poetic atmosphere of dullness and silence； which always accompanies the presence of an engaged couple。 Often as they all sat together every one was silent。 Sometimes the others got up and went away； and the engaged pair were still as mute when they were left alone。 Rarely they spoke of their future life together。 Prince Andrey felt frightened and ashamed to speak of it。 Natasha shared the feeling； as she did all his feelings； which she never failed to divine。 Once Natasha began questioning him about his son。
Prince Andrey blushed—a thing frequent with him at that time； which Natasha particularly liked to see—and said that his son would not live with them。
“Why not？” said Natasha； taking fright。
“I cannot take him from his grandfather and then…”
“How I should have loved him！” said Natasha； at once divining his thought； “but I know you want to avoid any pretext for our being blamed。”
The old count sometimes came up to Prince Andrey； kissed him and asked his advice about some question relating t