战争与和平(上)-第108章

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ng　place　in　the　corridor。　Several　women　passed　to　and　fro　treading　softly；　they　glanced　at　the　princess　and　turned　away　from　her。　She　did　not　venture　to　ask　questions；　and　going　back　to　her　room　closed　the　door　and　sat　still　in　an　armchair；　or　took　up　her　prayer…book；　or　knelt　down　before　the　shrine。　To　her　distress　and　astonishment　she　felt　that　prayer　did　not　soothe　her　emotion。　All　at　once　the　door　of　her　room　was　softly　opened；　and　she　saw　on　the　threshold　her　old　nurse；　Praskovya　Savvishna；　with　a　kerchief　over　her　head。　The　old　woman　hardly　ever；　owing　to　the　old　prince’s　prohibition；　came　into　her　room。
“I’ve　come　to　sit　a　bit　with　thee；　Mashenka；”　said　the　nurse；　“and　here　I’ve　brought　the　prince’s　wedding　candles　to　light　before　his　saint；　my　angel；”　she　said；　sighing。
“Ah；　how　glad　I　am；　nurse！”
“God　is　merciful；　my　darling。”　The　nurse　lighted　the　gilt　candles　before　the　shrine；　and　sat　down　with　her　stocking　near　the　door。　Princess　Marya　took　a　book　and　began　reading。　Only　when　they　heard　steps　or　voices；　the　princess　and　the　nurse　looked　at　one　another；　one　with　alarmed　inquiry；　the　other　with　soothing　reassurance　in　her　face。　The　feeling　that　Princess　Marya　was　experiencing　as　she　sat　in　her　room　had　overpowered　the　whole　house　and　taken　possession　of　every　one。　Owing　to　the　belief　that　the　fewer　people　know　of　the　sufferings　of　a　woman　in　labour；　the　less　she　suffers；　every　one　tried　to　affect　to　know　nothing　of　it；　no　one　talked　about　it；　but　over　and　above　the　habitual　staidness　and　respectfulness　of　good　manners　that　always　reigned　in　the　prince’s　household；　there　was　apparent　in　all　a　sort　of　anxiety；　a　softening　of　the　heart；　and　a　consciousness　of　some　great；　unfathomable　mystery　being　accomplished　at　that　moment。　There　was　no　sound　of　laughter　in　the　big　room　where　the　maids　sat。　In　the　waiting…room　the　men　all　sat　in　silence；　as　it　were　on　the　alert。　Torches　and　candles　were　burning　in　the　serfs’　quarters；　and　no　one　slept。　The　old　prince　walked　about　his　study；　treading　on　his　heels；　and　sent　Tihon　to　Marya　Bogdanovna　to　ask　what　news。
“Only　say：　the　prince　has　sent　to　ask；　what　news　and　come　and　tell　me　what　she　says。”
“Inform　the　prince　that　the　labour　has　commenced；”　said　Marya　Bogdanovna；　looking　significantly　at　the　messenger。　Tihon　went　and　gave　the　prince　that　information。
“Very　good；”　said　the　prince；　closing　the　door　behind　him；　and　Tihon　heard　not　the　slightest　sound　in　the　study　after　that。　After　a　short　interval　Tihon　went　into　the　study；　as　though　to　attend　to　the　candles。　Seeing　the　prince　lying　on　the　couch；　Tihon　looked　at　him；　looked　at　his　perturbed　face；　shook　his　head；　and　went　up　to　him　dumbly　and　kissed　him　on　the　shoulder；　then　went　out　without　touching　the　candles　or　saying　why　he　had　come。　The　most　solemn　mystery　in　the　world　was　being　accomplished。　Evening　passed；　night　came　on。　And　the　feeling　of　suspense　and　softening　of　the　heart　before　the　unfathomable　did　not　wane；　but　grew　more　intense。　No　one　slept。
It　was　one　of　those　March　nights　when　winter　seems　to　regain　its　sway；　and　flings　its　last　snows　and　storms　with　malignant　desperation。　A　relay　of　horses　had　been　sent　to　the　high…road　for　the　German　doctor　who　was　expected　every　minute；　and　men　were　despatched　on　horseback　with　lanterns　to　the　turning　at　the　cross…roads　to　guide　him　over　the　holes　and　treacherous　places　in　the　ice。
Princess　Marya　had　long　abandoned　her　book；　she　sat　in　silence；　her　luminous　eyes　fixed　on　the　wrinkled　face　of　her　old　nurse　（so　familiar　to　her　in　the　minutest　detail）；　on　the　lock　of　grey　hair　that　had　escaped　from　the　kerchief；　on　the　baggy　looseness　of　the　skin　under　her　chin。
The　old　nurse；　with　her　stocking　in　her　hand；　talked　away　in　a　soft　voice；　not　hearing　it　herself　nor　following　the　meaning　of　her　own　words；　telling；　as　she　had　told　hundreds　of　times　before；　how　the　late　princess　had　been　brought　to　bed　of　Princess　Marya　at　Kishinyov；　and　had　only　a　Moldavian　peasant　woman　instead　of　a　midwife。
“God　is　merciful；　doctors　are　never　wanted；”　she　said。
Suddenly　a　gust　of　wind　blew　on　one　of　the　window…frames　（by　the　prince’s　decree　the　double　frames　were　always　taken　out　of　every　window　when　the　larks　returned）；　and　flinging　open　a　badly　fastened　window　bolt；　set　the　stiff　curtain　fluttering；　and　the　chill；　snowy　draught　blew　out　the　candle。　Princess　Marya　shuddered；　the　nurse；　putting　down　her　stocking；　went　to　the　window；　and　putting　her　head　out　tried　to　catch　the　open　frame。　The　cold　wind　flapped　the　ends　of　her　kerchief　and　the　grey　locks　of　her　hair。
“Princess；　my　dearie；　there’s　some　one　driving　up　the　avenue！”　she　said；　holding　the　window…frame　and　not　closing　it。　“With　lanterns；　it　must　be　the　doctor。…”
“Ah；　my　God！　Thank　God！”　said　the　Princess　Marya。　“I　must　go　and　meet　him；　he　does　not　know　Russian。”
Princess　Marya　flung　on　a　shawl　and　ran　to　meet　the　stranger。　As　she　passed　through　the　ante…room；　she　saw　through　the　window　a　carriage　and　lanterns　standing　at　the　entrance。　She　went　out　on　to　the　stairs。　At　the　post　of　the　balustrade　stood　a　tallow…candle　guttering　in　the　draught。　The　footman　Filipp；　looking　scared；　stood　below　on　the　first　landing　of　the　staircase；　with　another　candle　in　his　hand。　Still　lower　down；　at　the　turn　of　the　winding　stairs；　steps　in　thick　overshoes　could　be　heard　coming　up。　And　a　voice—familiar　it　seemed　to　Princess　Marya—was　saying　something。
“Thank　God！”　said　the　voice。　“And　father？”
“He　has　gone　to　bed；”　answered　the　voice　of　the　butler；　Demyan；　who　was　below。
Then　the　voice　said　something　more；　Demyan　answered　something；　and　the　steps　in　thick　overshoes　began　approaching　more　rapidly　up　the　unseen　part　of　the　staircase。
“It　is　Andrey！”　thought　Princess　Marya。　“No；　it　cannot　be；　it　would　be　too　extraordinary；”　she　thought；　and　at　the　very　instant　she　was　thinking　so；　on　the　landing　where　the　footman　stood　with　a　candle；　there　came　into　sight　the　face　and　figure　of　Prince　Andrey；　in　a　fur　coat；　with　a　deep　collar　covered　with　snow。　Yes；　it　was　he；　but　pale　and　thin；　and　with　a　transformed；　strangely　softened；　agitated　expression　on　his　face。　He　went　up　the　stairs　and　embraced　his　sister。
“You　did　not　get　my　letter；　then？”　he　asked；　and　not　waiting　for　an　answer；　which　he　would　not　have　received；　for　the　princess　could　not　speak；　he　turned　back；　and　with　the　doctor　who　was　behind　him　（they　had　met　at　the　last　station）；　he　ran　again　rapidly　upstairs　and　again　embraced　his　sister。
“What　a　strange　fate！”　he　said；　“Masha；　darling！”　And　flinging　off　his　fur　coat　and　overboots；　he　went　towards　the　little　princess’s　room。


Chapter　9
THE　LITTLE　PRINCESS　was　lying　on　the　pillows　in　her　white　nightcap　（the　agony　had　only　a　moment　left　her）。　Her　black　hair　lay　in　curls　about　her　swollen　and　perspiring　cheeks；　her　rosy；　charming　little　mouth；　with　the　downy　lip；　was　open；　and　she　was　smiling　joyfully。　Prince　Andrey　went　into　the　room；　and　stood　facing　her　at　the　foot　of　the　bed　on　which　she　lay。　The　glittering　eyes；　staring　in　childish　terror　and　excitement；　rested　on　him　with　no　change　in　their　expression。　“I　love　you　all；　I　have　done　no　one　any　harm；　why　am　I　suffering？　help　me；”　her　face　seemed　to　say。　She　saw　her　husband；　but　she　did　not　take　in　the　meaning　of　his　appearance　now　before　her。　Prince　Andrey　went　round　the　bed　and　kissed　her　on　the　forehead。
“My　precious；”　he　said；　a　word　he　had　never　used　speaking　to　her　before。　“God　is　merciful。…”　She　stared　at　him　with　a　face　of　inquiry；　of　childish　reproach。
“I　hoped　for　help　from　you；　and　nothing；　nothing；　you　too！”　her　eyes　said。　She　was　not　surprised　at　his　having　come；　she　did　not　understand　that　he　had　come。　His　coming　had　nothing　to　do　with　her　agony　and　its　alleviation。　The　pains　began　again；　and　Marya　Bogdanovna　advised　Prince　Andrey　to　go　out　of　the　room。
The　doctor　went　into　the　room。　Prince　Andrey　came　out；　and；　meeting　Princess　Marya；　went　to　her　again。　They　talked　in　whispers；　but　every　moment　their　talk　was　hushed。　They　were　waiting　and　listening。
“Go；　mon　ami；”　said　Princess　Marya。　Prince　Andrey　went　again　to　his　wife　and　sat　down　in　the　adjoining　room；　waiting。　A　woman　ran　out　of　the　bedroom　with　a　frightened　f