first epilogue-第12章

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nursery　holding　his　baby　son；　who　was　again　awake；　on　his　huge　right

palm　and　dandling　him。　A　blissful　bright　smile　was　fixed　on　the　baby's

broad　face　with　its　toothless　open　mouth。　The　storm　was　long　since

over　and　there　was　bright；　joyous　sunshine　on　Natasha's　face　as　she

gazed　tenderly　at　her　husband　and　child。

　　〃And　have　you　talked　everything　well　over　with　Prince　Theodore？〃　she

asked。

　　〃Yes；　capitally。〃

　　〃You　see；　he　holds　it　up。〃　（She　meant　the　baby's　head。）　〃But　how

he　did　frighten　me。。。　You've　seen　the　princess？　Is　it　true　she's　in

love　with　that。。。〃

　　〃Yes；　just　fancy。。。〃

　　At　that　moment　Nicholas　and　Countess　Mary　came　in。　Pierre　with　the

baby　on　his　hand　stooped；　kissed　them；　and　replied　to　their　inquiries。

But　in　spite　of　much　that　was　interesting　and　had　to　be　discussed；　the

baby　with　the　little　cap　on　its　unsteady　head　evidently　absorbed　all

his　attention。

　　〃How　sweet！〃　said　Countess　Mary；　looking　at　and　playing　with　the

baby。　〃Now；　Nicholas；〃　she　added；　turning　to　her　husband；　〃I　can't

understand　how　it　is　you　don't　see　the　charm　of　these　delicious

marvels。〃

　　〃I　don't　and　can't；〃　replied　Nicholas；　looking　coldly　at　the　baby。

〃A　lump　of　flesh。　Come　along；　Pierre！〃

　　〃And　yet　he's　such　an　affectionate　father；〃　said　Countess　Mary；

vindicating　her　husband；　〃but　only　after　they　are　a　year　old　or　so。。。〃

　　〃Now；　Pierre　nurses　them　splendidly；〃　said　Natasha。　〃He　says　his

hand　is　just　made　for　a　baby's　seat。　Just　look！〃

　　〃Only　not　for　this。。。〃　Pierre　suddenly　exclaimed　with　a　laugh；　and

shifting　the　baby　he　gave　him　to　the　nurse。

EP1｜CH12

　　CHAPTER　XII



　　As　in　every　large　household；　there　were　at　Bald　Hills　several

perfectly　distinct　worlds　which　merged　into　one　harmonious　whole；

though　each　retained　its　own　peculiarities　and　made　concessions　to　the

others。　Every　event；　joyful　or　sad；　that　took　place　in　that　house

was　important　to　all　these　worlds；　but　each　had　its　own　special

reasons　to　rejoice　or　grieve　over　that　occurrence　independently　of　the

others。

　　For　instance；　Pierre's　return　was　a　joyful　and　important　event　and

they　all　felt　it　to　be　so。

　　The　servants…　the　most　reliable　judges　of　their　masters　because　they

judge　not　by　their　conversation　or　expressions　of　feeling　but　by　their

acts　and　way　of　life…　were　glad　of　Pierre's　return　because　they　knew

that　when　he　was　there　Count　Nicholas　would　cease　going　every　day

attend　to　the　estate；　and　would　would　be　in　better　spirits　and　temper；

and　also　because　they　would　all　receive　handsome　presents　for　the

holidays。

　　The　children　and　their　governesses　were　glad　of　Pierre's　return

because　no　one　else　drew　them　into　the　social　life　of　the　household　as

he　did。　He　alone　could　play　on　the　clavichord　that　ecossaise　（his　only

piece）　to　which；　as　he　said；　all　possible　dances　could　be　danced；

and　they　felt　sure　he　had　brought　presents　for　them　all。

　　Young　Nicholas；　now　a　slim　lad　of　fifteen；　delicate　and　intelligent；

with　curly　light…brown　hair　and　beautiful　eyes；　was　delighted

because　Uncle　Pierre　as　he　called　him　was　the　object　of　his

rapturous　and　passionate　affection。　No　one　had　instilled　into　him　this

love　for　Pierre　whom　he　saw　only　occasionally。　Countess　Mary　who　had

brought　him　up　had　done　her　utmost　to　make　him　love　her　husband　as　she

loved　him；　and　little　Nicholas　did　love　his　uncle；　but　loved　him

with　just　a　shade　of　contempt。　Pierre；　however；　he　adored。　He　did

not　want　to　be　an　hussar　or　a　Knight　of　St。　George　like　his　uncle

Nicholas；　he　wanted　to　be　learned；　wise；　and　kind　like　Pierre。　In

Pierre's　presence　his　face　always　shone　with　pleasure　and　he　flushed

and　was　breathless　when　Pierre　spoke　to　him。　He　did　not　miss　a

single　word　he　uttered；　and　would　afterwards；　with　Dessalles　or　by

himself；　recall　and　reconsider　the　meaning　of　everything　Pierre　had

said。　Pierre's　past　life　and　his　unhappiness　prior　to　1812　（of　which

young　Nicholas　had　formed　a　vague　poetic　picture　from　some　words　he

had　overheard）；　his　adventures　in　Moscow；　his　captivity；　Platon

Karataev　（of　whom　he　had　heard　from　Pierre）；　his　love　for　Natasha

（of　whom　the　lad　was　also　particularly　fond）；　and　especially

Pierre's　friendship　with　the　father　whom　Nicholas　could　not

remember…　all　this　made　Pierre　in　his　eyes　a　hero　and　a　saint。

　　From　broken　remarks　about　Natasha　and　his　father；　from　the　emotion

with　which　Pierre　spoke　of　that　dead　father；　and　from　the　careful；

reverent　tenderness　with　which　Natasha　spoke　of　him；　the　boy；　who

was　only　just　beginning　to　guess　what　love　is；　derived　the　notion　that

his　father　had　loved　Natasha　and　when　dying　had　left　her　to　his

friend。　But　the　father　whom　the　boy　did　not　remember　appeared　to　him　a

divinity　who　could　not　be　pictured；　and　of　whom　he　never　thought

without　a　swelling　heart　and　tears　of　sadness　and　rapture。　So　the

boy　also　was　happy　that　Pierre　had　arrived。

　　The　guests　welcomed　Pierre　because　he　always　helped　to　enliven　and

unite　any　company　he　was　in。

　　The　grown…up　members　of　the　family；　not　to　mention　his　wife；　were

pleased　to　have　back　a　friend　whose　presence　made　life　run　more

smoothly　and　peacefully。

　　The　old　ladies　were　pleased　with　the　presents　he　brought　them；　and

especially　that　Natasha　would　now　be　herself　again。

　　Pierre　felt　the　different　outlooks　of　these　various　worlds　and

made　haste　to　satisfy　all　their　expectations。

　　Though　the　most　absent…minded　and　forgetful　of　men；　Pierre；　with　the

aid　of　a　list　his　wife　drew　up；　had　now　bought　everything；　not

forgetting　his　mother…　and　brother…in…law's　commissions；　nor　the　dress

material　for　a　present　to　Belova；　nor　toys　for　his　wife's　nephews。

In　the　early　days　of　his　marriage　it　had　seemed　strange　to　him　that

his　wife　should　expect　him　not　to　forget　to　procure　all　the　things

he　undertook　to　buy；　and　he　had　been　taken　aback　by　her　serious

annoyance　when　on　his　first　trip　he　forgot　everything。　But　in　time

he　grew　used　to　this　demand。　Knowing　that　Natasha　asked　nothing　for

herself；　and　gave　him　commissions　for　others　only　when　he　himself

had　offered　to　undertake　them；　he　now　found　an　unexpected　and

childlike　pleasure　in　this　purchase　of　presents　for　everyone　in　the

house；　and　never　forgot　anything。　If　he　now　incurred　Natasha's　censure

it　was　only　for　buying　too　many　and　too　expensive　things。　To　her　other

defects　（as　most　people　thought　them；　but　which　to　Pierre　were

qualities）　of　untidiness　and　neglect　of　herself；　she　now　added

stinginess。

　　From　the　time　that　Pierre　began　life　as　a　family　man　on　a　footing

entailing　heavy　expenditure；　he　had　noticed　to　his　surprise　that　he

spent　only　half　as　much　as　before；　and　that　his　affairs…　which　had

been　in　disorder　of　late；　chiefly　because　of　his　first　wife's　debts…

had　begun　to　improve。

　　Life　was　cheaper　because　it　was　circumscribed：　that　most　expensive

luxury；　the　kind　of　life　that　can　be　changed　at　any　moment；　was　no

longer　his　nor　did　he　wish　for　it。　He　felt　that　his　way　of　life　had

now　been　settled　once　for　all　till　death　and　that　to　change　it　was　not

in　his　power；　and　so　that　way　of　life　proved　economical。

　　With　a　merry；　smiling　face　Pierre　was　sorting　his　purchases。

　　〃What　do　you　think　of　this？〃　said　he；　unrolling　a　piece　of　stuff

like　a　shopman。

　　Natasha；　who　was　sitting　opposite　to　him　with　her　eldest　daughter　on

her　lap；　turned　her　sparkling　eyes　swiftly　from　her　husband　to　the

things　he　showed　her。

　　〃That's　for　Belova？　Excellent！〃　She　felt　the　quality　of　the

material。　〃It　was　a　ruble　an　arshin；　I　suppose？〃

　　Pierre　told　her　the　price。

　　〃Too　dear！〃　Natasha　remarked。　〃How　pleased　the　children　will　be

and　Mamma　too！　Only　you　need　not　have　bought　me　this；〃　she　added；

unable　to　suppress　a　smile　as　she　gazed　admiringly　at　a　gold　comb

set　with　pearls；　of　a　kind　then　just　coming　into　fashion。

　　〃Adele　tempted　me：　she　kept　on　telling　me　to　buy　it；〃　returned

Pierre。

　　〃When　am　I　to　wear　it？〃　and　Natasha　stuck　it　in　her　coil　of　hair。

〃When　I　take　little　Masha