"Oh, yes, Iquiteunderstand," answeredRostov, whowasunderhisnewfriend'sinfluence.
.Thefirsthalfofthewinterof1806, whichNicholasRostovspentinMoscow, wasoneofthehappiest, ' ; Sonyaagirlofsixteenwithallthecharmofanopeningflower; Natasha, halfgrownupandhalfchild, wasnowchildishlyamusing, nowgirlishlyenchanting.
AtthattimeintheRostovs' —seeingthoseimpressionable, smilingyoungfaces (smilingprobablyattheirownhappiness), feelingtheeagerbustlearoundhim, andhearingthefitfulburstsofsongandmusicandtheinconsequentbutfriendlyprattleofyounggirlsreadyforanythingandfullofhope—experiencedthesamefeeling; sharingwiththeyoungfolkoftheRostovs' householdareadinesstofallinloveandanexpectationofhappiness.
AmongtheyoungmenintroducedbyRostovoneofthefirstwasDolokhov, , andthatintheduelwithBezukhov, PierrewasrightandDolokhovwrong, andfurtherthathewasdisagreeableandunnatural.
"There'snothingformetounderstand," shecriedoutwithresoluteself-will, ", IlikeyourDenisovthoughheisarakeandallthat, stillIlikehim; 'tknowhowtoputit...withthisoneeverythingiscalculated, andIdon'..."
"Oh, Denisovisquitedifferent," repliedNicholas, implyingthatevenDenisovwasnothingcomparedtoDolokhov—"youmustunderstandwhatasoulthereisinDolokhov, !"
"Well, Idon'tknowaboutthat, ?"
"Whatnonsense..."
"I'mcertainofit; you'llsee."
Natasha', whodidnotusuallycareforthesocietyofladies, begantocomeoftentothehouse, andthequestionforwhosesakehecame (thoughnoonespokeofit) , thoughshewouldneverhavedaredtosayso, knewitandblushedscarleteverytimeDolokhovappeared.
DolokhovoftendinedattheRostovs', nevermissedaperformanceatwhichtheywerepresent, andwenttoIogel', buteventheoldcountessandNatashablushedwhentheysawhislooks.
Itwasevidentthatthisstrange, strongmanwasundertheirresistibleinfluenceofthedark, gracefulgirlwholovedanother.
RostovnoticedsomethingnewinDolokhov'srelationswithSonya, buthedidnotexplaintohimselfwhatthesenewrelationswere."They'realwaysinlovewithsomeone," .
, tenmenineverythousandfortheregulararmy, andbesidesthis, , andonlyawaitedtheterminationofDenisov', , atdinners, parties, andballs.
