and　when　she　felt　a　need　to　speak　spitefully；　the　pretext　would　be
  Countess　Mary。　When　her　vocal　organs　needed　exercise；　which　was
  usually　toward　seven　o'clock　when　she　had　had　an　after…dinner　rest
  in　a　darkened　room；　the　pretext　would　be　the　retelling　of　the　same
  stories　over　and　over　again　to　the　same　audience。
  The　old　lady's　condition　was　understood　by　the　whole　household
  though　no　one　ever　spoke　of　it；　and　they　all　made　every　possible
  effort　to　satisfy　her　needs。　Only　by　a　rare　glance　exchanged　with　a
  sad　smile　between　Nicholas；　Pierre；　Natasha；　and　Countess　Mary　was　the
  common　understanding　of　her　condition　expressed。
  But　those　glances　expressed　something　more：　they　said　that　she　had
  played　her　part　in　life；　that　what　they　now　saw　was　not　her　whole
  self；　that　we　must　all　become　like　her；　and　that　they　were　glad　to
  yield　to　her；　to　restrain　themselves　for　this　once　precious　being
  formerly　as　full　of　life　as　themselves；　but　now　so　much　to　be
  pitied。　〃Memento　mori；〃　said　these　glances。
  Only　the　really　heartless；　the　stupid　ones　of　that　household；　and
  the　little　children　failed　to　understand　this　and　avoided　her。
  EP1｜CH13
  CHAPTER　XIII
  When　Pierre　and　his　wife　entered　the　drawing　room　the　countess　was
  in　one　of　her　customary　states　in　which　she　needed　the　mental　exertion
  of　playing　patience；　and　so…　though　by　force　of　habit　she　greeted
  him　with　the　words　she　always　used　when　Pierre　or　her　son　returned
  after　an　absence：　〃High　time；　my　dear；　high　time！　We　were　all　weary　of
  waiting　for　you。　Well；　thank　God！〃　and　received　her　presents　with
  another　customary　remark：　〃It's　not　the　gift　that's　precious；　my　dear；
  but　that　you　give　it　to　me；　an　old　woman。。。〃…　yet　it　was　evident
  that　she　was　not　pleased　by　Pierre's　arrival　at　that　moment　when　it
  diverted　her　attention　from　the　unfinished　game。
  She　finished　her　game　of　patience　and　only　then　examined　the
  presents。　They　consisted　of　a　box　for　cards；　of　splendid
  workmanship；　a　bright…blue　Sevres　tea　cup　with　shepherdesses
  depicted　on　it　and　with　a　lid；　and　a　gold　snuffbox　with　the　count's
  portrait　on　the　lid　which　Pierre　had　had　done　by　a　miniaturist　in
  Petersburg。　The　countess　had　long　wished　for　such　a　box；　but　as　she
  did　not　want　to　cry　just　then　she　glanced　indifferently　at　the
  portrait　and　gave　her　attention　chiefly　to　the　box　for　cards。
  〃Thank　you；　my　dear；　you　have　cheered　me　up；〃　said　she　as　she　always
  did。　〃But　best　of　all　you　have　brought　yourself　back…　for　I　never
  saw　anything　like　it；　you　ought　to　give　your　wife　a　scolding！　What　are
  we　to　do　with　her？　She　is　like　a　mad　woman　when　you　are　away。
  Doesn't　see　anything；　doesn't　remember　anything；〃　she　went　on；
  repeating　her　usual　phrases。　〃Look；　Anna　Timofeevna；〃　she　added　to　her
  companion；　〃see　what　a　box　for　cards　my　son　has　brought　us！〃
  Belova　admired　the　presents　and　was　delighted　with　her　dress
  material。
  Though　Pierre；　Natasha；　Nicholas；　Countess　Mary；　and　Denisov　had
  much　to　talk　about　that　they　could　not　discuss　before　the　old
  countess…　not　that　anything　was　hidden　from　her；　but　because　she　had
  dropped　so　far　behindhand　in　many　things　that　had　they　begun　to
  converse　in　her　presence　they　would　have　had　to　answer　inopportune
  questions　and　to　repeat　what　they　had　already　told　her　many　times：
  that　so…and…so　was　dead　and　so…and…so　was　married；　which　she　would
  again　be　unable　to　remember…　yet　they　sat　at　tea　round　the　samovar
  in　the　drawing　room　from　habit；　and　Pierre　answered　the　countess'
  questions　as　to　whether　Prince　Vasili　had　aged　and　whether　Countess
  Mary　Alexeevna　had　sent　greetings　and　still　thought　of　them；　and　other
  matters　that　interested　no　one　and　to　which　she　herself　was
  indifferent。
  Conversation　of　this　kind；　interesting　to　no　one　yet　unavoidable；
  continued　all　through　teatime。　All　the　grown…up　members　of　the
  family　were　assembled　near　the　round　tea　table　at　which　Sonya　presided
  beside　the　samovar。　The　children　with　their　tutors　and　governesses　had
  had　tea　and　their　voices　were　audible　from　the　next　room。　At　tea　all
  sat　in　their　accustomed　places：　Nicholas　beside　the　stove　at　a　small
  table　where　his　tea　was　handed　to　him；　Milka；　the　old　gray　borzoi
  bitch　（daughter　of　the　first　Milka）；　with　a　quite　gray　face　and
  large　black　eyes　that　seemed　more　prominent　than　ever；　lay　on　the
  armchair　beside　him；　Denisov；　whose　curly　hair；　mustache；　and　whiskers
  had　turned　half　gray；　sat　beside　countess　Mary　with　his　general's
  tunic　unbuttoned；　Pierre　sat　between　his　wife　and　the　old　countess。　He
  spoke　of　what　he　knew　might　interest　the　old　lady　and　that　she　could
  understand。　He　told　her　of　external　social　events　and　of　the　people
  who　had　formed　the　circle　of　her　contemporaries　and　had　once　been　a
  real；　living；　and　distinct　group；　but　who　were　now　for　the　most　part
  scattered　about　the　world　and　like　herself　were　garnering　the　last
  ears　of　the　harvests　they　had　sown　in　earlier　years。　But　to　the　old
  countess　those　contemporaries　of　hers　seemed　to　be　the　only　serious
  and　real　society。　Natasha　saw　by　Pierre's　animation　that　his　visit　had
  been　interesting　and　that　he　had　much　to　tell　them　but　dare　not　say　it
  before　the　old　countess。　Denisov；　not　being　a　member　of　the　family；
  did　not　understand　Pierre's　caution　and　being；　as　a　malcontent；　much
  interested　in　what　was　occurring　in　Petersburg；　kept　urging　Pierre
  to　tell　them　about　what　had　happened　in　the　Semenovsk　regiment；　then
  about　Arakcheev；　and　then　about　the　Bible　Society。　Once　or　twice
  Pierre　was　carried　away　and　began　to　speak　of　these　things；　but
  Nicholas　and　Natasha　always　brought　him　back　to　the　health　of　Prince
  Ivan　and　Countess　Mary　Alexeevna。
  〃Well；　and　all　this　idiocy…　Gossner　and　Tatawinova？〃　Denisov
  asked。　〃Is　that　weally　still　going　on？〃
  〃Going　on？〃　Pierre　exclaimed。　〃Why　more　than　ever！　The　Bible　Society
  is　the　whole　government　now！〃
  〃What　is　that；　mon　cher　ami？〃　asked　the　countess；　who　had
  finished　her　tea　and　evidently　needed　a　pretext　for　being　angry
  after　her　meal。　〃What　are　you　saying　about　the　government？　I　don't
  understand。〃
  〃Well；　you　know；　Maman；〃　Nicholas　interposed；　knowing　how　to
  translate　things　into　his　mother's　language；　〃Prince　Alexander
  Golitsyn　has　founded　a　society　and　in　consequence　has　great　influence；
  they　say。〃
  〃Arakcheev　and　Golitsyn；〃　incautiously　remarked　Pierre；　〃are　now　the
  whole　government！　And　what　a　government！　They　see　treason　everywhere
  and　are　afraid　of　everything。〃
  〃Well；　and　how　is　Prince　Alexander　to　blame？　He　is　a　most
  estimable　man。　I　used　to　meet　him　at　Mary　Antonovna's；〃　said　the
  countess　in　an　offended　tone；　and　still　more　offended　that　they　all
  remained　silent；　she　went　on：　〃Nowadays　everyone　finds　fault。　A　Gospel
  Society！　Well；　and　what　harm　is　there　in　that？〃　and　she　rose
  （everybody　else　got　up　too）　and　with　a　severe　expression　sailed　back
  to　her　table　in　the　sitting　room。
  The　melancholy　silence　that　followed　was　broken　by　the　sounds　of　the
  children's　voices　and　laughter　from　the　next　room。　Evidently　some
  jolly　excitement　was　going　on　there。
  〃Finished；　finished！〃　little　Natasha's　gleeful　yell　rose　above
  them　all。
  Pierre　exchanged　glances　with　Countess　Mary　and　Nicholas　（Natasha　he
  never　lost　sight　of）　and　smiled　happily。
  〃That's　delightful　music！〃　said　he。
  〃It　means　that　Anna　Makarovna　has　finished　her　stocking；〃　said
  Countess　Mary。
  〃Oh；　I'll　go　and　see；〃　said　Pierre；　jumping　up。　〃You　know；〃　he
  added；　stopping　at　the　door；　〃why　I'm　especially　fond　of　that　music？
  It　is　always　the　first　thing　that　tells　me　all　is　well。　When　I　was
  driving　here　today；　the　nearer　I　got　to　the　house　the　more　anxious　I
  grew。　As　I　entered　the　anteroom　I　heard　Andrusha's　peals　of　laughter
  and　that　meant　that　all　was　well。〃
  〃I　know！　I　know　that　feeling；〃　said　Nicholas。　〃But　I　mustn't　go
  there…　those　stockings　are　to　be　a　surprise　for　me。〃
  Pierre　went　to　the　children；　and　the　shouting　and　laughter　grew
  still　louder。
  〃Come；　Anna　Makarovna；〃　Pierre's　voice　was　heard　saying；　〃come
  here　into　the　middle　of　the　room　and　at　the　word　of　command；　'One；
  two；'　and　when　I　say　'three'。。。　You　stand　here；　and　you　in　my　arms…
  well　now！　One；　two！。。。〃　said　Pierre；　and　a　silence　followed：
  〃three！〃　and　a　rapturously　breathless　cry　of　children's　voices
  filled　the　room。　〃Two；　two！〃　they　shouted。
  This　meant　two　stockings；　which　by　a　secret　process　known　only　to
  herself　Anna　Makarovna　used　to　knit　at　the　same　time　on　the　same
  needles；　and　which；　when　they　were　ready；　she　always　triumphantly
  drew；　one　out　of　the　other；　in　the　children's　presence。
  EP1｜CH14
  CHAPTER　XIV
  Soon　after　this　the　children　came　in　to　say　good　night。　They
  kissed　everyone；　the　tutors　and　governesses　made　their　bows；　and
  they　went　out。　Only　young　Nicholas　and　his　tutor　remained。　Dessalles
  whispered　to　the　boy　to　come　downstairs。
  〃No；　Monsieur　Dessalles；　I　will　ask　my　aunt　to　let　me　stay；〃　replied
  Nicholas　Bolkonski　a