战争与和平(上)-第1章

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Part　One
Chapter　1
WELL；　PRINCE；　Genoa　and　Lucca　are　now　no　more　than　private　estates　of　the　Bonaparte　family。　No；　I　warn　you；　that　if　you　do　not　tell　me　we　are　at　war；　if　you　again　allow　yourself　to　palliate　all　the　infamies　and　atrocities　of　this　Antichrist　（upon　my　word；　I　believe　he　is）；　I　don’t　know　you　in　future；　you　are　no　longer　my　friend；　no　longer　my　faithful　slave；　as　you　say。　There；　how　do　you　do；　how　do　you　do？　I　see　I’m　scaring　you；　sit　down　and　talk　to　me。”
These　words　were　uttered　in　July　1805　by　Anna　Pavlovna　Scherer；　a　distinguished　lady　of　the　court；　and　confidential　maid…of…honour　to　the　Empress　Marya　Fyodorovna。　It　was　her　greeting　to　Prince　Vassily；　a　man　high　in　rank　and　office；　who　was　the　first　to　arrive　at　her　soirée。　Anna　Pavlovna　had　been　coughing　for　the　last　few　days；　she　had　an　attack　of　la　grippe；　as　she　said—grippe　was　then　a　new　word　only　used　by　a　few　people。　In　the　notes　she　had　sent　round　in　the　morning　by　a　footman　in　red　livery；　she　had　written　to　all　indiscriminately：
“If　you　have　nothing　better　to　do；　count　（or　prince）；　and　if　the　prospect　of　spending　an　evening　with　a　poor　invalid　is　not　too　alarming　to　you；　I　shall　be　charmed　to　see　you　at　my　house　between　7　and　10。　Annette　Scherer。”
“Heavens！　what　a　violent　outburst！”　the　prince　responded；　not　in　the　least　disconcerted　at　such　a　reception。　He　was　wearing　an　embroidered　court　uniform；　stockings　and　slippers；　and　had　stars　on　his　breast；　and　a　bright　smile　on　his　flat　face。
He　spoke　in　that　elaborately　choice　French；　in　which　our　forefathers　not　only　spoke　but　thought；　and　with　those　slow；　patronising　intonations　peculiar　to　a　man　of　importance　who　has　grown　old　in　court　society。　He　went　up　to　Anna　Pavlovna；　kissed　her　hand；　presenting　her　with　a　view　of　his　perfumed；　shining　bald　head；　and　complacently　settled　himself　on　the　sofa。
“First　of　all；　tell　me　how　you　are；　dear　friend。　Relieve　a　friend’s　anxiety；”　he　said；　with　no　change　of　his　voice　and　tone；　in　which　indifference；　and　even　irony；　was　perceptible　through　the　veil　of　courtesy　and　sympathy。
“How　can　one　be　well　when　one　is　in　moral　suffering？　How　can　one　help　being　worried　in　these　times；　if　one　has　any　feeling？”　said　Anna　Pavlovna。　“You’ll　spend　the　whole　evening　with　me；　I　hope？”
“And　the　fête　at　the　English　ambassador’s？　To…day　is　Wednesday。　I　must　put　in　an　appearance　there；”　said　the　prince。　“My　daughter　is　coming　to　fetch　me　and　take　me　there。”
“I　thought　to…day’s　fête　had　been　put　off。　I　confess　that　all　these　festivities　and　fireworks　are　beginning　to　pall。”
“If　they　had　known　that　it　was　your　wish；　the　fête　would　have　been　put　off；”　said　the　prince；　from　habit；　like　a　wound…up　clock；　saying　things　he　did　not　even　wish　to　be　believed。
“Don’t　tease　me。　Well；　what　has　been　decided　in　regard　to　the　Novosiltsov　dispatch？　You　know　everything。”
“What　is　there　to　tell？”　said　the　prince　in　a　tired；　listless　tone。　“What　has　been　decided？　It　has　been　decided　that　Bonaparte　has　burnt　his　ships；　and　I　think　that　we　are　about　to　burn　ours。”
Prince　Vassily　always　spoke　languidly；　like　an　actor　repeating　his　part　in　an　old　play。　Anna　Pavlovna　Scherer；　in　spite　of　her　forty　years；　was　on　the　contrary　brimming　over　with　excitement　and　impulsiveness。　To　be　enthusiastic　had　become　her　pose　in　society；　and　at　times　even　when　she　had；　indeed；　no　inclination　to　be　so；　she　was　enthusiastic　so　as　not　to　disappoint　the　expectations　of　those　who　knew　her。　The　affected　smile　which　played　continually　about　Anna　Pavlovna’s　face；　out　of　keeping　as　it　was　with　her　faded　looks；　expressed　a　spoilt　child’s　continual　consciousness　of　a　charming　failing　of　which　she　had　neither　the　wish　nor　the　power　to　correct　herself；　which；　indeed；　she　saw　no　need　to　correct。
In　the　midst　of　a　conversation　about　politics；　Anna　Pavlovna　became　greatly　excited。
“Ah；　don’t　talk　to　me　about　Austria！　I　know　nothing　about　it；　perhaps；　but　Austria　has　never　wanted；　and　doesn’t　want　war。　She　is　betraying　us。　Russia　alone　is　to　be　the　saviour　of　Europe。　Our　benefactor　knows　his　lofty　destiny；　and　will　be　true　to　it。　That’s　the　one　thing　I　have　faith　in。　Our　good　and　sublime　emperor　has　the　greatest　part　in　the　world　to　play；　and　he　is　so　virtuous　and　noble　that　God　will　not　desert　him；　and　he　will　fulfil　his　mission—to　strangle　the　hydra　of　revolution；　which　is　more　horrible　than　ever　now　in　the　person　of　this　murderer　and　miscreant。…　Whom　can　we　reckon　on；　I　ask　you？　…　England　with　her　commercial　spirit　will　not　comprehend　and　cannot　comprehend　all　the　loftiness　of　soul　of　the　Emperor　Alexander。　She　has　refused　to　evacuate　Malta。　She　tries　to　detect；　she　seeks　a　hidden　motive　in　our　actions。　What　have　they　said　to　Novosiltsov？　Nothing。　They　didn’t　understand；　they’re　incapable　of　understanding　the　self…sacrifice　of　our　emperor；　who　desires　nothing　for　himself；　and　everything　for　the　good　of　humanity。　And　what　have　they　promised？　Nothing。　What　they　have　promised　even　won’t　come　to　anything！　Prussia　has　declared　that　Bonaparte　is　invincible；　and　that　all　Europe　can　do　nothing　against　him。…　And　I　don’t　believe　a　single　word　of　what　was　said　by　Hardenberg　or　Haugwitz。　That　famous　Prussian　neutrality　is　a　mere　snare。　I　have　no　faith　but　in　God　and　the　lofty　destiny　of　our　adored　emperor。　He　will　save　Europe！”　She　stopped　short　abruptly；　with　a　smile　of　amusement　at　her　own　warmth。
“I　imagine；”　said　the　prince；　smiling；　“that　if　you　had　been　sent　instead　of　our　dear　Wintsengerode；　you　would　have　carried　the　Prussian　king’s　consent　by　storm；—you　are　so　eloquent。　Will　you　give　me　some　tea？”
“In　a　moment。　By　the　way；”　she　added　subsiding　into　calm　again；　“there　are　two　very　interesting　men　to　be　here　to…night；　the　vicomte　de　Mortemart；　he　is　connected　with　the　Montmorencies　through　the　Rohans；　one　of　the　best　families　in　France。　He　is　one　of　the　good　emigrants；　the　real　ones。　Then　Abbé　Morio；　you　know　that　profound　intellect？　He　has　been　received　by　the　emperor。　Do　you　know　him？”
“Ah！　I　shall　be　delighted；”　said　the　prince。　“Tell　me；”　he　added；　as　though　he　had　just　recollected　something；　speaking　with　special　non…chalance；　though　the　question　was　the　chief　motive　of　his　visit：　“is　it　true　that　the　dowager　empress　desires　the　appointment　of　Baron　Funke　as　first　secretary　to　the　Vienna　legation？　He　is　a　poor　creature；　it　appears；　that　baron。”　Prince　Vassily　would　have　liked　to　see　his　son　appointed　to　the　post；　which　people　were　trying；　through　the　Empress　Marya　Fyodorovna；　to　obtain　for　the　baron。
Anna　Pavlovna　almost　closed　her　eyes　to　signify　that　neither　she　nor　any　one　else　could　pass　judgment　on　what　the　empress　might　be　pleased　or　see　fit　to　do。
“Baron　Funke　has　been　recommended　to　the　empress…mother　by　her　sister；”　was　all　she　said　in　a　dry；　mournful　tone。　When　Anna　Pavlovna　spoke　of　the　empress　her　countenance　suddenly　assumed　a　profound　and　genuine　expression　of　devotion　and　respect；　mingled　with　melancholy；　and　this　happened　whenever　she　mentioned　in　conversation　her　illustrious　patroness。　She　said　that　her　Imperial　Majesty　had　been　graciously　pleased　to　show　great　esteem　to　Baron　Funke；　and　again　a　shade　of　melancholy　passed　over　her　face。　The　prince　preserved　an　indifferent　silence。　Anna　Pavlovna；　with　the　adroitness　and　quick　tact　of　a　courtier　and　a　woman；　felt　an　inclination　to　chastise　the　prince　for　his　temerity　in　referring　in　such　terms　to　a　person　recommended　to　the　empress；　and　at　the　same　time　to　console　him。
“But　about　your　own　family；”　she　said；　“do　you　know　that　your　daughter；　since　she　has　come　out；　charms　everybody？　People　say　she　is　as　beautiful　as　the　day。”
The　prince　bowed　in　token　of　respect　and　acknowledgment。
“I　often　think；”　pursued　Anna　Pavlovna；　moving　up　to　the　prince　and　smiling　cordially　to　him；　as　though　to　mark　that　political　and　worldly　conversation　was　over　and　now　intimate　talk　was　to　begin：　“I　often　think　how　unfairly　the　blessings　of　life　are　sometimes　apportioned。　Why　has　fate　given　you　two　such　splendid　children—I　don’t　include　Anatole；　your　youngest—him　I　don’t　like”　（she　put　in　with　a　decision　admitting　of　no　appeal；　raising　her　eyebrows）—“such　charming　children？　And