the Rostóvs’ and Bolkónskis’ relations sometimes came to Bald Hills with sixteen horses and dozens of servants and stayed for months. Besides that, four times a year, on the name days and birthdays of the hosts, as many as a hundred visitors would gather there for a day or two. The rest of the year life pursued its unbroken routine with its ordinary occupations, and its breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and suppers, provided out of the produce of the estate.
IX
It was the eve of St. Nikoláy, the fifth of December, 1820. Natásha had been staying at her brother’s with her husband and children since early autumn. Pierre had gone to Petersburg on business of his own for three weeks as he said, but had remained there nearly seven weeks and was expected back every minute.
Besides the Bezúkhov family, Nikoláy’s old friend the retired General Vasíli Fëdorovich Denísov was staying with the Rostóvs this fifth of December.
On the sixth, which was his name day when the house would be full of visitors, Nikoláy knew he would have to exchange his Tartar tunic for a tail coat, and put