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“Ah； that’s what I say；” she said。 “I can’t understand； I simply can’t understand why men can’t get on without war。 Why is it we women want nothing of the sort？ We don’t care for it。 Come； you shall be the judge。 I keep saying to him： here he is uncle’s adjutant； a most brilliant position。 He’s so well known； so appreciated by every one。 The other day at the Apraxins’ I heard a lady ask： ‘So that is the famous Prince André？ Upon my word！’ ” She laughed。 “He’s asked everywhere。 He could very easily be a flügel…adjutant。 You know the Emperor has spoken very graciously to him。 Annette and I were saying it would be quite easy to arrange it。 What do you think？”
Pierre looked at Prince Andrey； and； noticing that his friend did not like this subject； made no reply。
“When are you starting？” he asked。
“Ah； don’t talk to me about that going away； don’t talk about it。 I won’t even hear it spoken of；” said the princess in just the capriciously playful tone in which she had talked to Ippolit at the soirée； a tone utterly incongruous in her own home circle； where Pierre was like one of the family。 “This evening when I thought all these relations so precious to me must be broken off。…And then； you know； André？” She looked significantly at her husband。 “I’m afraid！ I’m afraid！” she whispered； twitching her shoulder。 Her husband looked at her as though he were surprised to observe that there was some one in the room beside himself and Pierre； and with frigid courtesy he addressed an inquiry to his wife。
“What are you afraid of； Liza？ I don’t understand；” he said。
“See what egoists all men are； they are all； all egoists！ Of his own accord； for his own whim； for no reason whatever； he is deserting me； shutting me up alone in the country。”
“With my father and sister； remember；” said Prince Andrey quietly。
“It’s just the same as alone； without my friends。…And he doesn’t expect me to be afraid。” Her tone was querulous now； her upper lip was lifted； giving her face not a joyous expression； but a wild…animal look； like a squirrel。 She paused as though feeling it indecorous to speak of her condition before Pierre； though the whole gist of the matter lay in that。
“I still don’t understand what you are afraid of；” Prince Andrey said deliberately； not taking his eyes off his wife。 The princess flushed red； and waved her hands despairingly。
“No； André； I say you are so changed； so changed…”
“Your doctor’s orders were that you were to go to bed earlier；” said Prince Andrey。 “It’s time you were asleep。”
The princess said nothing； and suddenly her short； downy lip began to quiver； Prince Andrey got up and walked about the room； shrugging his shoulders。
Pierre looked over his spectacles in na？ve wonder from him to the princess； and stirred uneasily as though he too meant to get up； but had changed his mind。
“What do I care if Monsieur Pierre is here；” the little princess said suddenly； her pretty face contorted into a tearful grimace； “I have long wanted to say to you； Andrey； why are you so changed to me？ What have I done？ You go away to the war； you don’t feel for me。 Why is it？”
“Liza！” was all Prince Andrey said； but in that one word there was entreaty and menace； and； most of all； conviction that she would herself regret her words； but she went on hurriedly。
“You treat me as though I were ill； or a child。 I see it all。 You weren’t like this six months ago。”
“Liza； I beg you to be silent；” said Prince Andrey； still more expressively。
Pierre； who had been growing more and more agitated during this conversation； got up and went to the princess。 He seemed unable to endure the sight of her tears； and was ready to weep himself。
“Please don’t distress yourself； princess。 You only fancy that because …I assure you； I’ve felt so myself…because…through…oh； excuse me； an outsider has no business…Oh； don’t distress yourself…goodbye。”
Prince Andrey held his hand and stopped him。
“No； stay a little； Pierre。 The princess is so good； she would not wish to deprive me of the pleasure of spending an evening with you。”
“No； he thinks of nothing but himself；” the princess declared； not attempting to check her tears of anger。
“Liza；” said Prince Andrey drily； raising his voice to a pitch that showed his patience was exhausted。
All at once the angry squirrel expression of the princess’s lovely little face changed to an attractive look of terror that awakened sympathy。 She glanced from under her brows with lovely eyes at her husband； and her face wore the timorous； deprecating look of a dog when it faintly but rapidly wags its tail in penitence。
“Mon Dieu！ mon Dieu！” murmured the princess； and holding her gown with one hand； she went to her husband and kissed him on the forehead。
“Good…night； Liza；” said Prince Andrey； getting up and kissing her hand courteously； as though she were a stranger。
The friends were silent。 Neither of them began to talk。 Pierre looked at Prince Andrey； Prince Andrey rubbed his forehead with his small hand。
“Let us go and have supper；” he said with a sigh； getting up and going to the door。
They went into the elegantly； newly and richly furnished dining…room。 Everything from the dinner…napkins to the silver； the china and the glass； wore that peculiar stamp of newness that is seen in the household belongings of newly married couples。 In the middle of supper Prince Andrey leaned on his elbow； and like a man who has long had something on his mind； and suddenly resolves on giving it utterance； he began to speak with an expression of nervous irritation which Pierre had never seen in his friend before。
“Never； never marry； my dear fellow； that’s my advice to you； don’t marry till you have faced the fact that you have done all you’re capable of doing； and till you cease to love the woman you have chosen； till you see her plainly； or else you will make a cruel mistake that can never be set right。 Marry when you’re old and good for nothing…Or else everything good and lofty in you will be done for。 It will all be frittered away over trifles。 Yes； yes； yes！ Don’t look at me with such surprise。 If you expect anything of yourself in the future you will feel at every step that for you all is over； all is closed up except the drawing…room； where you will stand on the same level with the court lackey and the idiot…And why！”…He made a vigorous gesture。
Pierre took off his spectacles； which transformed his face； making it look even more good…natured； and looked wonderingly at his friend。
“My wife；” pursued Prince Andrey； “is an excellent woman。 She is one of those rare women with whom one can feel quite secure of one’s honour； but； my God！ what wouldn’t I give now not to be married！ You are the first and the only person I say this to； because I like you。”
As Prince Andrey said this he was less than ever like the Bolkonsky who had sat lolling in Anna Pavlovna’s drawing…room with half…closed eyelids； filtering French phrases through his teeth。 His dry face was quivering with nervous excitement in every muscle； his eyes； which had seemed lustreless and lifeless； now gleamed with a full； vivid light。 It seemed that the more lifeless he