War and Peace

Chapter 12

Under the personal arrangement of the Duke of Vohiel, Bin-Air came to Petersburg and lived in the Duke's house.

In Petersburg, as in Moscow, Bin-Air continued to be surrounded by an atmosphere of gentle pampering.He could not refuse the position, or rather the title, that Worshley had won for him (for he had nothing to do every day), and the social classes, the banquets, and the many public works that made Bin-Air Been dizzy all day long.

Most of his former single friends were not in Petersburg.The Guards went out to fight, Rucourt was relegated to the rank of soldier, Unladury was in the army in the field, and Duke Andrele was fighting abroad. Therefore, Bin-Air was very bored and his life was monotonous. At balls, and mostly at the Vauchilles' house, all the time was spent in the little circle around the duke's fat wife and beautiful daughter Hanley.

Aina Sareau, like everyone else, took a ninety-degree turn in her attitude towards Bin Air.

From [-] to [-], Bin-Air would often receive invitations from Aina to evening parties. On the invitations, a sentence was often added: "Hanli, who is beautiful and never tired of watching, will also visit the humble house." The first time When he read the postscript, Bin-Air felt that a relationship recognized by others had been formed between him and Hanli. This approach surprised him, as if it was pressing on him a relationship he couldn't understand. The obligation to get rid of it, at the same time, made him especially amused by the idea, as if it were an interesting hypothesis.

Aina's party is still exactly the same as before, only the characters and topics that Aina uses to entertain guests have changed.At today's party, it can be seen that Aina is doing her best to bring Bin-Air and Hanli together.Bin-Air, Hanley, and an old aunt were sitting together, talking about the aunt's snuff-box.Aunt handed her snuff bottle around Hanli's back to Bin-Air, who was lying up.Hanli gave up her body, took a little space, and looked back with a smile.She wore a variety of topless and backless fashion clothes as usual for the party.She was too close to his lips and nose, and he could touch her just by lowering his head a little.He felt her body heat, smelled her perfume, heard the creak of her skirt as she breathed.He saw her full breasts, beautiful as a statue of marble, and the full allure of her smooth flesh beneath the thin layer of clothing.He had already seen his heart fluttering, and he could no longer see anything else, and he was a little flustered.Just like we can no longer trust debunked hoaxes.

"Haven't you observed the charms enough?" Hanli seemed to be saying, "Haven't you noticed that I am a beautiful woman? Yes, my beautiful woman can belong to others, and it can also belong to you." Her eyes told me.It was at this moment that Bin-Air felt his blood rush, that Hanli not only could and should be his wife, there would be no other choice.

He was so sure of this now that he seemed to be marrying her at the moment.How to achieve this?When will it be realized?He has no idea.He didn't even know if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but he knew that it would definitely become a reality.

Back home, Bin-Air lay in bed for a long time unable to sleep, trying to figure out what happened that night.What happened?nothing.He only knows that this woman is his childhood sweetheart, she is very beautiful, and he also knows that this woman must belong to him.

"But she's so stupid that even I say she's stupid," he thought, "and there's something hideous and shameful about the ripples she makes in me. Someone once told me that his brother Angladuli Falling in love with her, and she loved him, made the city stormy, and that's why Unladuli was sent away, and his brother Jabiritai... his father, Duke Vahire... It's complicated .” He was thinking.He reasoned like this, and found himself smiling, realizing that another set of inferences overturned the previous set, and while he was thinking of her being worthless, he was imagining that if she were his wife, she might love him , become a completely different person, everything he heard about her may not necessarily be true.Now that she was no longer the daughter of the Duke of Vauchille, all he saw was her whole body in the tulle. "No, why didn't I have this idea before?" He said to himself how is this possible?There was something shady, unnatural, illegitimate about this marriage, he fancied.He thought of the words she had said and the look she had given her, of the compliments and the look she had given her when they were together, of the same kind of insinuation made by Ena, the Duke of Vauchille, and many others. He shuddered, he was afraid that he had been bound by a certain phenomenon, that he could not help himself, and did things he shouldn't do.However, when he thought this way, her beautiful face and smooth skin appeared in his mind.

[two]

In November [-], the Duke of Vauhilie found a job for himself to inspect four provinces. He wanted to take the opportunity to see his manor, and called his son Ang Ladourie back from the station to meet with him. Go to see Malal Balkonski together so Unladouri can marry the old rich man's daughter.But before going out, he still had to settle matters with Bin-Air and Hanli.Bin-Air had indeed been spending all day at Duke Vohiel's house lately, looking very happy with Hanli (like a man in love), but he hadn't formally proposed yet.

On the night after the party at Aina's house, Bin-Air speculated that the union between him and Hanli would not be happy, and he should choose to escape and leave, but it had been a long time since he made this decision, and Bin-Air still lived in the house. At the Duke of Vauchile's house, he was also terrified to see that in the eyes of others, the relationship between the two had been fixed.Bin-Air fell into deep worry, sometimes he thought Hanli was too silly, and sometimes he thought she was cute.He neither had the heart to leave, nor was he determined to propose.Ever since the desire arose when he bent over to look at the snuff bottle at Aina's house that night had dominated him, an unconscious sense of guilt for that impulse at that time had changed his mind.

This day was Hanli's name day, and many relatives and friends came to Vohile's house, including Duchess Kuragina and Aina Shaleo.At dinner, Bin-Air sat with Hanli.The relatives and friends at the banquet were eating, drinking, talking and laughing, as if no one paid attention to Bin-Air and Hanli, but in fact, all the guests' attention was focused on this couple.

After dinner, Bin-Air took Hanli into the living room with the crowd.The guests began to leave, some left without saying hello to Hanli, some came and stood for a while and then left, and Hanli was not allowed to see them off, as if they were afraid of affecting her business.

After seeing off the guests, Bin-Air and Hanli walked into the small living room together.In the recent period of time, he often sat alone with Hanli and chatted, but he never fell in love with her.He felt that it was necessary to clarify the matter today, but he couldn't make up his mind to take this last step.He regretted it very much, as if he felt that he had taken someone else's place next to Hanli. "I don't deserve this happiness," said a voice inside him. "This happiness is reserved for people who don't have the things you have."

But he couldn't sit still, so he spoke up, and asked her if she had a good evening, and she replied curtly, as before, that it was the happiest name-day she'd ever had.

Prince Vauchille came in to have a look, made a couple of jokes that didn't work, and left.He lay on the sofa in the outer room, closed his eyes, and seemed to be sleeping; but suddenly woke up again.

"Alina," he said to his wife, "go inside and see what they are doing."

The Duchess made her way to the door, passed through it with an air of indifference and significantness, and glanced into the drawing-room.Bin-Air and Hanli were still sitting talking.

"Same as before," she told her husband.Prince Vauchille frowned, put his mouth aside, looked a little anxious, and showed his characteristic annoying grimace.He cheered himself up, stood up, and walked towards the small living room with steady steps.He walked up to Bin-Air with a smile on his face, and Bin-Air stood up hastily in fright.

"Thank you so much!" he said. "My wife told me all about it!" He put one arm around Bin-Air and the other around Hanley. "Dear daughter! I'm so, so excited." ’” His voice trembled. “I love your father... Hanli will be a wonderful wife for you...God bless you all with happiness!”

He hugged his daughter, then embraced Bin-air, kissed Bin-air with his dry mouth, tears really wet his cheeks. "Come here, ma'am," he called.The Duchess came in with moist eyes.An elderly lady nearby took out a handkerchief to wipe her eyes.Everyone kissed Bin-Air, and he kissed Hanli's smooth white hand several times.After that, they stayed alone in the small living room again.

"Everything should have been like this a long time ago, and it can't be changed," Bin-Air thought. "You don't have to think about whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. It's a good thing, because everything has been determined, and there is no painful doubt like before." Al firmly held Hanli's hand, looking at her beautiful chest that kept rising and falling.

"Hanli!" he called softly, then stopped again. "Something else should be said on this occasion," he thought, but he could not think of anything to talk about.He looked at her face.She leaned closer to him, patches of blush appearing on her face.

"Oh, take it off..." She pointed to Bin-Air's glasses.Bin-Air took off his glasses and put them on the coffee table. In addition to the strange look of people who often wear glasses, there was a surprised expression in his eyes.He wanted to lower his head to kiss her hand, but she quickly waved her head and blocked his lips, and the lips of the two touched together.Her panicked look startled Bin-Air.

"Now it's settled, it's all over. But I love her anyway," thought Bin-Air.

"I love you!" he said in French, remembering what he should say on such occasions, but with such a limpness that even he was ashamed.

One and a half months later, they held their wedding and moved to a renovated building in Count Binzokhov's family. People praised Binair, who has a beautiful lover and millions of dollars, is really lucky.

[three]

In December, [-], the old Prince Maral Bolkonski received a letter from Prince Vauchil, saying that he was going to visit with his son.

"Then don't let your daughter go out, the proposer will come to the door in person." The petite Duchess said casually after reading the letter.

Maral Balkonski frowned and said nothing.Old Bolkonski had always looked down on Vohiley's actions, and in recent years, because of his high position in the Paul and Alexander dynasties, he looked down on him even more.Now, with this letter and the hints of the petite Duchess, his contempt for the Duke of Vauchille has turned into a malicious contempt, and he is disturbed to talk about him, and on the day when the Duke of Vauchille is coming, he will be very old. Getting up early in the morning, he couldn't stop losing his temper, and even asked his servants to pour snow onto the clean road to "block" the oncoming carriage.

Hearing the old prince's cry, the petite duchess decided to hide in the room and not go out.

"I'm thinking of the fetus," she said to Miss Pollyeyre, "and who knows what will happen."

The petite Duchess, who lived at Bald Hill Manor, often felt restless, harbored an involuntary hatred for her father-in-law, which was softened by excessive fear.The old duke also looked down on his daughter-in-law a bit, but it was masked by contempt.After the petite Duchess got used to living here, she was very fond of Miss Polly Love, and spent all day with her, invited her to live with her, and talked to her about her husband.

In the evening, Duke Vauchille arrived.Coachmen and servants yelled on the deliberately snowed road and dragged the carriage into the yard with difficulty.

Duke Vauhilie and Unladourie were taken to two separate rooms.Angladuli took off his coat, sat on the chair with his hands on his hips, and smiled with his big charming eyes, staring casually at the corner of the table.He saw his life as a continuous enjoyment arranged just for him.He also held the same view on the vicious old man and his not-so-beautiful daughter who came to visit this time.All this, he thought, must have a happy and interesting ending. "Since she is very rich, why don't I marry her?" Angladuli thought.

He shaved and perfumed, as he was used to, and he did it with patience and grace.With a pretentious look, he held his beautiful head high and came to the room where his father lived.Two servants were busy changing clothes for Duke Vauchille.Duke Vohiel looked around with great interest, and nodded happily to his son who came into the room, as if to say: "Yes, I hope you are dressed up like this!"

"Papa, is she very ugly?" he asked his father in French, as if continuing a topic they had talked about so many times during their travels.

"Don't talk nonsense, the important thing is that you have enough respect and prudence for the old Duke."

"If he scolds, I'll leave immediately," Unladourie said. "I can't stand this stubborn old man."

"You have to remember clearly that everything you do depends on the result of this effort." At this time, the news of the minister and Angladuli's arrival, as well as the detailed description of them, had already reached the maid's room.Princess Molly, who also knew about this, stayed alone in her room, unable to restrain her inner excitement.

The little Duchess and Miss Polly love had made themselves well, and then they dressed up Molière. The two girls really wanted her to be pretty, and she was so ugly that they didn't want to. Thinking of competing with her.They therefore devoted themselves to adorning her, with that simple, stubborn conviction of women that clothes make a man beautiful.They changed several coats for her, made two or three alterations, and were still busy and cheerful.

But suddenly, when they took out another outfit, they realized that Princess Molière was sitting in front of the mirror blankly, looking at her face, her eyes were full of sad tears, and her mouth was open. Shaking, she was on the point of crying.

Miss Pollylove and the petite Duchess had to admit that the outfit of the Princess Molière was very ugly, even more ugly than her usual attire, but it was too late, and the Duchess Molière showed a contemplative and looked at them with a sad expression, which did not disturb them (she would disturb no one), but they knew very well that once a look of determination appeared on her face, she would silently take Persevere in your determination to the end.

The petite Duchess and Miss Polly Love walked out of the room, and Molière stayed in the room by herself. She was deeply saddened by her unbeauty, and at the same time, she was full of extravagant hopes for her future marriage.

(End of this chapter)