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第9章

first epilogue-第9章

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nursery。

  The children were playing at 〃going to Moscow〃 in a carriage made of

chairs and invited her to go with them。 She sat down and played with

them a little; but the thought of her husband and his unreasonable

crossness worried her。 She got up and; walking on tiptoe with

difficulty; went to the small sitting room。

  〃Perhaps he is not asleep; I'll have an explanation with him;〃 she

said to herself。 Little Andrew; her eldest boy; imitating his

mother; followed her on tiptoe。 She not notice him。

  〃Mary; dear; I think he is asleep… he was so tired;〃 said Sonya;

meeting her in the large sitting room (it seemed to Countess Mary that

she crossed her path everywhere)。 〃Andrew may wake him。〃

  Countess Mary looked round; saw little Andrew following her; felt

that Sonya was right; and for that very reason flushed and with

evident difficulty refrained from saying something harsh。 She made

no reply; but to avoid obeying Sonya beckoned to Andrew to follow

her quietly and went to the door。 Sonya went away by another door。

From the room in which Nicholas was sleeping came the sound of his

even breathing; every slightest tone of which was familiar to his

wife。 As she listened to it she saw before her his smooth handsome

forehead; his mustache; and his whole face; as she had so often seen

it in the stillness of the night when he slept。 Nicholas suddenly

moved and cleared his throat。 And at that moment little Andrew shouted

from outside the door: 〃Papa! Mamma's standing here!〃 Countess Mary

turned pale with fright and made signs to the boy。 He grew silent; and

quiet ensued for a moment; terrible to Countess Mary。 She knew how

Nicholas disliked being waked。 Then through the door she heard

Nicholas clearing his throat again and stirring; and his voice said

crossly:

  〃I can't get a moment's peace。。。。 Mary; is that you? Why did you

bring him here?〃

  〃I only came in to look and did not notice。。。 forgive me。。。〃

  Nicholas coughed and said no more。 Countess Mary moved away from the

door and took the boy back to the nursery。 Five minutes later little

black…eyed three…year…old Natasha; her father's pet; having learned

from her brother that Papa was asleep and Mamma was in the sitting

room; ran to her father unobserved by her mother。 The dark…eyed little

girl boldly opened the creaking door; went up to the sofa with

energetic steps of her sturdy little legs; and having examined the

position of her father; who was asleep with his back to her; rose on

tiptoe and kissed the hand which lay under his head。 Nicholas turned

with a tender smile on his face。

  〃Natasha; Natasha!〃 came Countess Mary's frightened whisper from the

door。 〃Papa wants to sleep。〃

  〃No; Mamma; he doesn't want to sleep;〃 said little Natasha with

conviction。 〃He's laughing。〃

  Nicholas lowered his legs; rose; and took his daughter in his arms。

  〃Come in; Mary;〃 he said to his wife。

  She went in and sat down by her husband。

  〃I did not notice him following me;〃 she said timidly。 〃I just

looked in。〃

  Holding his little girl with one arm; Nicholas glanced at his wife

and; seeing her guilty expression; put his other arm around her and

kissed her hair。

  〃May I kiss Mamma?〃 he asked Natasha。

  Natasha smiled bashfully。

  〃Again!〃 she commanded; pointing with a peremptory gesture to the

spot where Nicholas had placed the kiss。

  〃I don't know why you think I am cross;〃 said Nicholas; replying

to the question he knew was in his wife's mind。

  〃You have no idea how unhappy; how lonely; I feel when you are

like that。 It always seems to me。。。 〃

  〃Mary; don't talk nonsense。 You ought to be ashamed of yourself!〃 he

said gaily。

  〃It seems to be that you can't love me; that I am so plain。。。

always。。。 and now。。。 in this cond。。。〃

  〃Oh; how absurd you are! It is not beauty that endears; it's love

that makes us see beauty。 It is only Malvinas and women of that kind

who are loved for their beauty。 But do I love my wife? I don't love

her; but。。。 I don't know how to put it。 Without you; or when something

comes between us like this; I seem lost and can't do anything。 Now

do I love my finger? I don't love it; but just try to cut it off!

  〃I'm not like that myself; but I understand。 So you're not angry

with me?〃

  〃Awfully angry!〃 he said; smiling and getting up。 And smoothing

his hair he began to pace the room。

  〃Do you know; Mary; what I've been thinking?〃 he began;

immediately thinking aloud in his wife's presence now that they had

made it up。

  He did not ask if she was ready to listen to him。 He did not care。 A

thought had occurred to him and so it belonged to her also。 And he

told her of his intention to persuade Pierre to stay with them till

spring。

  Countess Mary listened till he had finished; made some remark; and

in her turn began thinking aloud。 Her thoughts were about the

children。

  〃You can see the woman in her already;〃 she said in French; pointing

to little Natasha。 〃You reproach us women with being illogical。 Here

is our logic。 I say: 'Papa wants to sleep!' but she says; 'No; he's

laughing。' And she was right;〃 said Countess Mary with a happy smile。

  〃Yes; yes。〃 And Nicholas; taking his little daughter in his strong

hand; lifted her high; placed her on his shoulder; held her by the

legs; and paced the room with her。 There was an expression of carefree

happiness on the faces of both father and daughter。

  〃But you know you may be unfair。 You are too fond of this one;〃

his wife whispered in French。

  〃Yes; but what am I to do?。。。 I try not to show。。。〃

  At that moment they heard the sound of the door pulley and footsteps

in the hall and anteroom; as if someone had arrived。

  〃Somebody has come。〃

  〃I am sure it is Pierre。 I will go and see;〃 said Countess Mary

and left the room。

  In her absence Nicholas allowed himself to give his little

daughter a gallop round the room。 Out of breath; he took the

laughing child quickly from his shoulder and pressed her to his heart。

His capers reminded him of dancing; and looking at the child's round

happy little face he thought of what she would be like when he was

an old man; taking her into society and dancing the mazurka with her

as his old father had danced Daniel Cooper with his daughter。

  〃It is he; it is he; Nicholas!〃 said Countess Mary; re…entering

the room a few minutes later。 〃Now our Natasha has come to life。 You

should have seen her ecstasy; and how he caught it for having stayed

away so long。 Well; come along now; quick; quick! It's time you two

were parted;〃 she added; looking smilingly at the little girl who

clung to her father。

  Nicholas went out holding the child by the hand。

  Countess Mary remained in the sitting room。

  〃I should never; never have believed that one could be so happy;〃

she whispered to herself。 A smile lit up her face but at the same time

she sighed; and her deep eyes expressed a quiet sadness as though

she felt; through her happiness; that there is another sort of

happiness unattainable in this life and of which she involuntarily

thought at that instant。

EP1|CH10

  CHAPTER X



  Natasha had married in the early spring of 1813; and in 1820 already

had three daughters besides a son for whom she had longed and whom she

was now nursing。 She had grown stouter and broader; so that it was

difficult to recognize in this robust; motherly woman the slim; lively

Natasha of former days。 Her features were more defined and had a calm;

soft; and serene expression。 In her face there was none of the

ever…glowing animation that had formerly burned there and

constituted its charm。 Now her face and body were of all that one saw;

and her soul was not visible at all。 All that struck the eye was a

strong; handsome; and fertile woman。 The old fire very rarely

kindled in her face now。 That happened only when; as was the case that

day; her husband returned home; or a sick child was convalescent; or

when she and Countess Mary sp

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