first epilogue-第14章

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countess　those　contemporaries　of　hers　seemed　to　be　the　only　serious

and　real　society。　Natasha　saw　by　Pierre's　animation　that　his　visit　had

been　interesting　and　that　he　had　much　to　tell　them　but　dare　not　say　it

before　the　old　countess。　Denisov；　not　being　a　member　of　the　family；

did　not　understand　Pierre's　caution　and　being；　as　a　malcontent；　much

interested　in　what　was　occurring　in　Petersburg；　kept　urging　Pierre

to　tell　them　about　what　had　happened　in　the　Semenovsk　regiment；　then

about　Arakcheev；　and　then　about　the　Bible　Society。　Once　or　twice

Pierre　was　carried　away　and　began　to　speak　of　these　things；　but

Nicholas　and　Natasha　always　brought　him　back　to　the　health　of　Prince

Ivan　and　Countess　Mary　Alexeevna。

　　〃Well；　and　all　this　idiocy…　Gossner　and　Tatawinova？〃　Denisov

asked。　〃Is　that　weally　still　going　on？〃

　　〃Going　on？〃　Pierre　exclaimed。　〃Why　more　than　ever！　The　Bible　Society

is　the　whole　government　now！〃

　　　〃What　is　that；　mon　cher　ami？〃　asked　the　countess；　who　had

finished　her　tea　and　evidently　needed　a　pretext　for　being　angry

after　her　meal。　〃What　are　you　saying　about　the　government？　I　don't

understand。〃

　　〃Well；　you　know；　Maman；〃　Nicholas　interposed；　knowing　how　to

translate　things　into　his　mother's　language；　〃Prince　Alexander

Golitsyn　has　founded　a　society　and　in　consequence　has　great　influence；

they　say。〃

　　〃Arakcheev　and　Golitsyn；〃　incautiously　remarked　Pierre；　〃are　now　the

whole　government！　And　what　a　government！　They　see　treason　everywhere

and　are　afraid　of　everything。〃

　　〃Well；　and　how　is　Prince　Alexander　to　blame？　He　is　a　most

estimable　man。　I　used　to　meet　him　at　Mary　Antonovna's；〃　said　the

countess　in　an　offended　tone；　and　still　more　offended　that　they　all

remained　silent；　she　went　on：　〃Nowadays　everyone　finds　fault。　A　Gospel

Society！　Well；　and　what　harm　is　there　in　that？〃　and　she　rose

（everybody　else　got　up　too）　and　with　a　severe　expression　sailed　back

to　her　table　in　the　sitting　room。

　　The　melancholy　silence　that　followed　was　broken　by　the　sounds　of　the

children's　voices　and　laughter　from　the　next　room。　Evidently　some

jolly　excitement　was　going　on　there。

　　〃Finished；　finished！〃　little　Natasha's　gleeful　yell　rose　above

them　all。

　　Pierre　exchanged　glances　with　Countess　Mary　and　Nicholas　（Natasha　he

never　lost　sight　of）　and　smiled　happily。

　　〃That's　delightful　music！〃　said　he。

　　〃It　means　that　Anna　Makarovna　has　finished　her　stocking；〃　said

Countess　Mary。

　　〃Oh；　I'll　go　and　see；〃　said　Pierre；　jumping　up。　〃You　know；〃　he

added；　stopping　at　the　door；　〃why　I'm　especially　fond　of　that　music？

It　is　always　the　first　thing　that　tells　me　all　is　well。　When　I　was

driving　here　today；　the　nearer　I　got　to　the　house　the　more　anxious　I

grew。　As　I　entered　the　anteroom　I　heard　Andrusha's　peals　of　laughter

and　that　meant　that　all　was　well。〃

　　〃I　know！　I　know　that　feeling；〃　said　Nicholas。　〃But　I　mustn't　go

there…　those　stockings　are　to　be　a　surprise　for　me。〃

　　Pierre　went　to　the　children；　and　the　shouting　and　laughter　grew

still　louder。

　　〃Come；　Anna　Makarovna；〃　Pierre's　voice　was　heard　saying；　〃come

here　into　the　middle　of　the　room　and　at　the　word　of　command；　'One；

two；'　and　when　I　say　'three'。。。　You　stand　here；　and　you　in　my　arms…

well　now！　One；　two！。。。〃　said　Pierre；　and　a　silence　followed：

〃three！〃　and　a　rapturously　breathless　cry　of　children's　voices

filled　the　room。　〃Two；　two！〃　they　shouted。

　　This　meant　two　stockings；　which　by　a　secret　process　known　only　to

herself　Anna　Makarovna　used　to　knit　at　the　same　time　on　the　same

needles；　and　which；　when　they　were　ready；　she　always　triumphantly

drew；　one　out　of　the　other；　in　the　children's　presence。

EP1｜CH14

　　CHAPTER　XIV



　　Soon　after　this　the　children　came　in　to　say　good　night。　They

kissed　everyone；　the　tutors　and　governesses　made　their　bows；　and

they　went　out。　Only　young　Nicholas　and　his　tutor　remained。　Dessalles

whispered　to　the　boy　to　come　downstairs。

　　〃No；　Monsieur　Dessalles；　I　will　ask　my　aunt　to　let　me　stay；〃　replied

Nicholas　Bolkonski　also　in　a　whisper。

　　〃Ma　tante；　please　let　me　stay；〃　said　he；　going　up　to　his　aunt。

　　His　face　expressed　entreaty；　agitation；　and　ecstasy。　Countess　Mary

glanced　at　him　and　turned　to　Pierre。

　　〃When　you　are　here　he　can't　tear　himself　away；〃　she　said。

　　〃I　will　bring　him　to　you　directly；　Monsieur　Dessalles。　Good

night！〃　said　Pierre；　giving　his　hand　to　the　Swiss　tutor；　and　he　turned

to　young　Nicholas　with　a　smile。　〃You　and　I　haven't　seen　anything　of

one　another　yet。。。　How　like　he　is　growing；　Mary！〃　he　added；　addressing

Countess　Mary。

　　〃Like　my　father？〃　asked　the　boy；　flushing　crimson　and　looking　up

at　Pierre　with　bright；　ecstatic　eyes。

　　Pierre　nodded；　and　went　on　with　what　he　had　been　saying　when　the

children　had　interrupted。　Countess　Mary　sat　down　doing　woolwork；

Natasha　did　not　take　her　eyes　off　her　husband。　Nicholas　and　Denisov

rose；　asked　for　their　pipes；　smoked；　went　to　fetch　more　tea　from

Sonya…　who　sat　weary　but　resolute　at　the　samovar…　and　questioned

Pierre。　The　curly…headed；　delicate　boy　sat　with　shining　eyes　unnoticed

in　a　corner；　starting　every　now　and　then　and　muttering　something　to

himself；　and　evidently　experiencing　a　new　and　powerful　emotion　as　he

turned　his　curly　head；　with　his　thin　neck　exposed　by　his　turn…down

collar；　toward　the　place　where　Pierre　sat。

　　The　conversation　turned　on　the　contemporary　gossip　about　those　in

power；　in　which　most　people　see　the　chief　interest　of　home　politics。

Denisov；　dissatisfied　with　the　government　on　account　of　his　own

disappointments　in　the　service；　heard　with　pleasure　of　the　things　done

in　Petersburg　which　seemed　to　him　stupid；　and　made　forcible　and

sharp　comments　on　what　Pierre　told　them。

　　〃One　used　to　have　to　be　a　German…　now　one　must　dance　with　Tatawinova

and　Madame　Kwudener；　and　wead　Ecka'tshausen　and　the　bwethwen。　Oh；　they

should　let　that　fine　fellow　Bonaparte　lose…　he'd　knock　all　this

nonsense　out　of　them！　Fancy　giving　the　command　of　the　Semenov　wegiment

to　a　fellow　like　that　Schwa'tz！〃　he　cried。

　　Nicholas；　though　free　from　Denisov's　readiness　to　find　fault　with

everything；　also　thought　that　discussion　of　the　government　was　a

very　serious　and　weighty　matter；　and　the　fact　that　A　had　been

appointed　Minister　of　This　and　B　Governor　General　of　That；　and　that

the　Emperor　had　said　so…and…so　and　this　minister　so…and…so；　seemed

to　him　very　important。　And　so　he　thought　it　necessary　to　take　an

interest　in　these　things　and　to　question　Pierre。　The　questions　put

by　these　two　kept　the　conversation　from　changing　its　ordinary

character　of　gossip　about　the　higher　government　circles。

　　But　Natasha；　knowing　all　her　husband's　ways　and　ideas；　saw　that　he

had　long　been　wishing　but　had　been　unable　to　divert　the　conversation

to　another　channel　and　express　his　own　deeply　felt　idea　for　the　sake

of　which　he　had　gone　to　Petersburg　to　consult　with　his　new　friend

Prince　Theodore；　and　she　helped　him　by　asking　how　his　affairs　with

Prince　Theodore　had　gone。

　　〃What　was　it　about？〃　asked　Nicholas。

　　〃Always　the　same　thing；〃　said　Pierre；　looking　round　at　his

listeners。　〃Everybody　sees　that　things　are　going　so　badly　that　they

cannot　be　allowed　to　go　on　so　and　that　it　is　the　duty　of　all　decent

men　to　counteract　it　as　far　as　they　can。〃

　　〃What　can　decent　men　do？〃　Nicholas　inquired；　frowning　slightly。

〃What　can　be　done？〃

　　〃Why；　this。。。〃

　　〃Come　into　my　study；〃　said　Nicholas。

　　Natasha；　who　had　long　expected　to　be　fetched　to　nurse　her　baby；

now　heard　the　nurse　calling　her　and　went　to　the　nursery。　Countess　Mary

followed　her。　The　men　went　into　the　study　and　little　Nicholas

Bolkonski　followed　them　unnoticed　by　his　uncle　and　sat　down　at　the

writing　table　in　a　shady　corner　by　the　window。

　　〃Well；　what　would　you　do？〃　asked　Denisov。

　　〃Always　some　fantastic　schemes；〃　said　Nicholas。

　　〃Why　this；〃　began　Pierre；　not　sitting　down　but　pacing　the　room；

sometimes　stopping　short；　gesticulating；　and　lisping：　〃the　position　in

Petersburg　is　this：　the