My dear friend?

　　CHAPTER VI

　　It was long since the Rostovs had news of Nicholas. Not tillmidwinter was the count at last handed a letter addressed in his son'shandwriting. On receiving it, he ran on tiptoe to his study in alarmand haste, trying to escape notice, closed the door, and began to readthe letter.

　　Anna Mikhaylovna, who always knew everything that passed in thehouse, on hearing of the arrival of the letter went softly into theroom and found the count with it in his hand, sobbing and laughingat the same time.

　　Anna Mikhaylovna, though her circumstances had improved, was stillliving with the Rostovs.

　　"My dear friend?" said she, in a tone of pathetic inquiry,prepared to sympathize in any way.

　　The count sobbed yet more.

　　"Nikolenka... a letter... wa... a... s... wounded... my darlingboy... the countess... promoted to be an officer... thank God... Howtell the little countess!"

　　Anna Mikhaylovna sat down beside him, with her own handkerchiefwiped the tears from his eyes and from the letter, then having driedher own eyes she comforted the count, and decided that at dinner andtill teatime she would prepare the countess, and after tea, with God'shelp, would inform her.

　　At dinner Anna Mikhaylovna talked the whole time about the warnews and about Nikolenka, twice asked when the last letter had beenreceived from him, though she knew that already, and remarked thatthey might very likely be getting a letter from him that day. Eachtime that these hints began to make the countess anxious and sheglanced uneasily at the count and at Anna Mikhaylovna, the latter veryadroitly turned the conversation to insignificant matters. Natasha,who, of the whole family, was the most gifted with a capacity tofeel any shades of intonation, look, and expression, pricked up herears from the beginning of the meal and was certain that there wassome secret between her father and Anna Mikhaylovna, that it hadsomething to do with her brother, and that Anna Mikhaylovna waspreparing them for it. Bold as she was, Natasha, who knew howsensitive her mother was to anything relating to Nikolenka, did notventure to ask any questions at dinner, but she was too excited to eatanything and kept wriggling about on her chair regardless of hergoverness' remarks. After dinner, she rushed head long after AnnaMikhaylovna and, dashing at her, flung herself on her neck as soonas she overtook her in the sitting room.