Lifewascheaperbecauseitwascircumscribed: thatmostexpensiveluxury, thekindoflifethatcanbechangedatanymoment, , andsothatwayoflifeprovedeconomical.
Withamerry, smilingfacePierrewassortinghispurchases.
"Whatdoyouthinkofthis?" saidhe, unrollingapieceofstufflikeashopman.
Natasha, whowassittingoppositetohimwithhereldestdaughteronherlap, turnedhersparklingeyesswiftlyfromherhusbandtothethingsheshowedher.
"That'sforBelova? Excellent!" Shefeltthequalityofthematerial."Itwasarubleanarshin, Isuppose?"
Pierretoldhertheprice.
"Toodear!" Natasharemarked."HowpleasedthechildrenwillbeandMammatoo! Onlyyouneednothaveboughtmethis," sheadded, unabletosuppressasmileasshegazedadmiringlyatagoldcombsetwithpearls, ofakindthenjustcomingintofashion.
"Adeletemptedme: shekeptontellingmetobuyit," returnedPierre.
"WhenamItowearit?" andNatashastuckitinhercoilofhair."WhenItakelittleMashaintosociety? , let'sgonow."
Andcollectingthepresentstheywentfirsttothenurseryandthentotheoldcountess' rooms.
ThecountesswassittingwithhercompanionBelova, playinggrand-patienceasusual, whenPierreandNatashacameintothedrawingroomwithparcelsundertheirarms.
Thecountesswasnowoversixty, wasquitegray, , herupperliphadsunkin, andhereyesweredim.
Afterthedeathsofhersonandhusbandinsuchrapidsuccession, , drank, slept, orkeptawake, , , thatis, —, sleep, think, speak, weep, work, giveventtoheranger, andsoon, merelybecauseshehadastomach, abrain, muscles, nerves, , , becausehernosehadtobecleared, .
Thusinthemorning—especiallyifshehadeatenanythingrichthedaybefore—shefeltaneedofbeingangryandwouldchooseasthehandiestpretextBelova'sdeafness.
Shewouldbegintosaysomethingtoherinalowtonefromtheotherendoftheroom.
"Itseemsalittlewarmertoday, mydear," shewouldmurmur.
AndwhenBelovareplied: "Ohyes, they'vecome," shewouldmutterangrily: "OLord! Howstupidanddeafsheis!"
Anotherpretextwouldbehersnuff, , andhermaidsknewbyinfalliblesymptomswhenBelovawouldagainbedeaf, thesnuffdamp, andthecountess' -existingfacultyofthinking—, , Nicholasandhishealthwouldbethepretext, andwhenshefeltaneedtospeakspitefully, , whichwasusuallytowardseveno'clockwhenshehadhadanafter-dinnerrestinadarkenedroom, thepretextwouldbetheretellingofthesamestoriesoverandoveragaintothesameaudience.
Theoldlady'sconditionwasunderstoodbythewholehouseholdthoughnooneeverspokeofit, , Pierre, Natasha, andCountessMarywasthecommonunderstandingofherconditionexpressed.
Butthoseglancesexpressedsomethingmore: theysaidthatshehadplayedherpartinlife, thatwhattheynowsawwasnotherwholeself, thatwemustallbecomelikeher, andthattheyweregladtoyieldtoher, torestrainthemselvesforthisoncepreciousbeingformerlyasfulloflifeasthemselves, butnowsomuchtobepitied."Mementomori," saidtheseglances.
Onlythereallyheartless, thestupidonesofthathousehold, andthelittlechildrenfailedtounderstandthisandavoidedher.
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