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ging to another world than hers； who was yet able to understand all that was in Anisya and her father and her mother and her aunt and every Russian soul。
“Well done； little countess—forward； quick march！” cried the uncle； laughing gleefully as he finished the dance。 “Ah； that’s a niece to be proud of！ She only wants a fine fellow picked out now for her husband；—and then； forward； quick march！”
“One has been picked out already；” said Nikolay； smiling。
“Oh！” said the uncle in surprise； looking inquiringly at Natasha。 Natasha nodded her head with a happy smile。
“And such an one！” she said。 But as soon as she said it a different； new series of ideas and feelings rose up within her。 “What was the meaning of Nikolay’s smile when he said： ‘One has been picked out already’？ Was he glad of it； or not glad？ He seemed to think my Bolkonsky would not approve； would not understand our gaiety now。 No； he would quite understand it。 Where is he now？” Natasha wondered； and her face became serious at once。 But that lasted only one second。 “I mustn’t think； I mustn’t dare to think about that；” she said to herself； and smiling； she sat down again near the uncle； begging him to play them something more。
The uncle played another song and waltz。 Then； after a pause； he cleared his throat and began to sing his favourite hunting song：—
“When there fall at evening glow
The first flakes of winter snow。”…
The uncle sang； as peasants sing； in full and naive conviction that in a song the whole value rests in the words； that the tune comes of itself and that a tune apart is nothing； that the tune is only for the sake of the verse。 And this gave the uncle’s unself…conscious singing a peculiar charm； like the song of birds。 Natasha was in ecstasies over the uncle’s singing。 She made up her mind not to learn the harp any longer； but to play only on the guitar。 She asked the uncle for the guitar and at once struck the chords of the song。
At ten o’clock there arrived the wagonette； a trap； and three men on horseback； who had been sent to look for Natasha and Petya。 The count and countess did not know where they were and were very anxious； so said one of the men。
Petya was carried out and laid in the wagonette as though he had been a corpse。 Natasha and Nikolay got into the trap。 The uncle wrapped Natasha up； and said good…bye to her with quite a new tenderness。 He accompanied them on foot as far as the bridge which they had to ride round； fording the stream； and bade his huntsmen ride in front with lanterns。
“Farewell； dear little niece！” they heard called in the darkness by his voice； not the one Natasha had been familiar with before； but the voice that had sung “When there fall at evening glow。”
There were red lights in the village they drove through and a cheerful smell of smoke。
“What a darling that uncle is！” said Natasha as they drove out into the highroad。
“Yes；” said Nikolay。 “You’re not cold？”
“No； I’m very comfortable； very。 I am so happy；” said Natasha； positively perplexed at her own well…being。 They were silent for a long while。
The night was dark and damp。 They could not see the horses； but could only hear them splashing through the unseen mud。
What was passing in that childlike； responsive soul； that so eagerly caught and made its own all the varied impressions of life？ How were they all stored away in her heart？ But she was very happy。 They were getting near home when she suddenly hummed the air of “When there fall at evening glow；” which she had been trying to get all the way； and had only just succeeded in catching。
“Have you caught it？” said Nikolay。
“What are you thinking of just now； Nikolay？” asked Natasha。 They were fond of asking each other that question。
“I？” said Nikolay； trying to recall。 “Well； you see； at first I was thinking that Rugay； the red dog； is like the uncle； and that if he were a man he would keep uncle always in the house with him； if not for racing； for music he’d keep him anyway。 How jolly uncle is！ Isn’t he？ Well； and you？”
“I？ Wait a minute； wait a minute！ Oh； I was thinking at first that here we are driving and supposing that we are going home； but God knows where we are going in this darkness； and all of a sudden we shall arrive and see we are not at Otradnoe but in fairyland。 And then I thought； too … no； nothing more。”
“I know； of course； you thought of him；” said Nikolay； smiling； as Natasha could tell by his voice。
“No；” Natasha answered； though she really had been thinking at the same time of Prince Andrey and how he would like the uncle。 “And I keep repeating； too； all the way I keep repeating： how nicely Anisyushka walked； how nicely…” said Natasha。 And Nikolay heard her musical； causeless； happy laugh。
“And do you know？” she said suddenly。 “I know I shall never be as happy； as peaceful as I am now…”
“What nonsense； idiocy； rubbish！” said Nikolay； and he thought： “What a darling this Natasha of mine is！ I have never had； and never shall have； another friend like her。 Why should she be married？ I could drive like this with her for ever！”
“What a darling this Nikolay of mine is！” Natasha was thinking。
“Ah！ Still a light in the drawing…room；” she said； pointing to the windows of their house gleaming attractively in the wet； velvety darkness of the night。
Chapter 8
COUNT ILYA ANDREITCH had given up being a marshal of nobility； because that position involved too heavy an expenditure。 But his difficulties were not removed by that。 Often Natasha and Nikolay knew of uneasy； private consultations between their parents； and heard talk of selling the sumptuous ancestral house of the Rostovs and the estate near Moscow。 When the count was no longer marshal it was not necessary to entertain on such a large scale； and they led a quieter life at Otradnoe than in former years。 But the immense house and the lodges were still full of people； more than twenty persons still sat down to table with them。 These were all their own people； time…honoured inmates of their household； almost members of the family； or persons who must； it seemed； inevitably live in the count’s house。 Such were Dimmler； the music…master； and his wife； Vogel the dancing…master； with his family； an old Madame Byelov； and many others besides； Petya’s tutors； the girls’ old governess； and persons who simply found it better or more profitable to live at the count’s than in a house of their own。 They did not entertain so many guests as before； but they still lived in that manner； apart from which the count and countess could not have conceived of life at all。 There was still the same hunting establishment； increased indeed by Nikolay。 There were still the same fifty horses and fifteen grooms in the stables； the same costly presents on name…days； and ceremonial dinners to the whole neighbourhood。 There were still the count’s games of whist and boston； at which； letting every one see his cards； he allowed himself to be plundered every day of hundreds by his neighbours； who looked upon the privilege of making up a rubber with Count Ilya Andreitch as a profitable investment。
The count went into his affairs as though walking into a huge net； trying not to b