战争与和平(上)-第123章

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he　would　come　to　her　on　Tuesday。
“It　is　of　great　importance　to　me；”　she　said　with　a　smile；　looking　round　at　Anna　Pavlovna；　and　Anna　Pavlovna；　with　the　same　mournful　smile　with　which　she　accompanied　any　reference　to　her　royal　patroness；　gave　her　support　to　Ellen’s　wishes。　It　appeared　that　from　some　words　Boris　had　uttered　that　evening　about　the　Prussian　army　Ellen　had　suddenly　discovered　the　absolute　necessity　of　seeing　him。　She　seemed　to　promise　him　that　when　he　came　on　Tuesday　she　would　disclose　to　him　that　necessity。　When　Boris　entered　Ellen’s　magnificent　reception…room　on　Tuesday　evening　he　received　no　clear　explanation　of　the　urgent　reasons　for　his　visit。　Other　guests　were　present；　the　countess　talked　little　to　him；　and　only　as　he　kissed　her　hand　at　taking　leave；　with　a　strangely　unsmiling　face；　she　whispered　to　him　unexpectedly：
“Come　to　dinner　to…morrow　…　in　the　evening　…　you　must　come　…　come。”
During　that　stay　in　Petersburg　Boris　was　constantly　at　the　house　of　the　Countess　Bezuhov　on　a　footing　of　the　closest　intimacy。


Chapter　8
WAR　had　broken　out　and　the　theatre　of　it　was　closer　to　the　borders　of　Russia。　On　all　sides　could　be　heard　curses　upon　the　enemy　of　the　human　race；　Bonaparte；　in　the　villages　there　were　levies　of　recruits　and　reserve　men；　and　from　the　theatre　of　war　came　news　of　the　most　conflicting　kind；　false　as　usual；　and　hence　variously　interpreted。
The　life　of　the　old　Prince　Bolkonsky；　of　Prince　Andrey；　and　of　Princess　Marya　was　greatly　changed　since　the　year　1805。
In　1806　the　old　prince　had　been　appointed　one　of　the　eight　commanders…in…chief；　created　at　that　time　for　the　equipment　of　the　militia　throughout　all　Russia。　In　spite　of　his　weakness　and　age；　which　had　been　particularly　noticeable　during　the　time　when　he　believed　his　son　to　have　been　killed；　the　old　prince　did　not　think　it　right　to　refuse　a　duty　to　which　he　had　been　appointed　by　the　Emperor　himself；　and　this　new　field　for　his　activity　gave　him　fresh　energy　and　strength。　He　was　continually　away　on　tours　about　the　three　provinces　that　were　put　under　his　command；　he　was　punctilious　to　pedantry　in　the　performance　of　his　duties；　severe　to　cruelty　with　his　subordinates；　and　entered　into　the　minutest　details　of　the　work　himself。　Princess　Marya　no　longer　took　lessons　in　mathematics　from　her　father；　and　only　went　into　her　father’s　room　on　the　mornings　when　he　was　at　home；　accompanied　by　the　wet　nurse　and　little　Prince　Nikolay　（as　his　grandfather　called　him）。　The　baby；　Prince　Nikolay；　with　his　wet　nurse　and　the　old　nurse　Savishna；　occupied　the　rooms　that　had　been　his　mother’s；　and　Princess　Marya　spent　most　of　her　time　in　the　nursery　taking　a　mother’s　place　to　her　little　nephew；　to　the　best　of　her　powers。　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　too；　appeared　to　be　passionately　fond　of　the　child；　and　Princess　Marya　often　sacrificed　herself　by　giving　up　to　her　friend　the　pleasure　of　dandling　and　playing　with　the　little　angel　（as　she　called　the　baby）。
Near　the　altar　of　the　church　at　Bleak　Hills　was　a　little　chapel　over　the　tomb　of　the　little　princess；　and　in　the　chapel　had　been　placed　a　marble　monument　brought　from　Italy；　representing　an　angel　with　its　wings　parted　about　to　take　flight　for　heaven。　The　angel　had　the　upper　lip　lifted　as　though　about　to　smile；　and　one　day　Prince　Andrey　and　Princess　Marya；　as　they　came　out　of　the　chapel；　confessed　to　one　another　that；　strange　to　say；　the　face　of　the　angel　reminded　them　of　the　face　of　the　little　princess。　But　what　was　stranger；　though　this　Prince　Andrey　did　not　confess　to　his　sister；　was　that　in　the　expression　the　sculptor　had　chanced　to　put　into　the　angel’s　face；　Prince　Andrey　read　the　same　words　of　reproach　which　he　had　read　then　on　the　face　of　his　dead　wife：　“Ah；　why　have　you　done　this　to　me？　…”
Soon　after　Prince　Andrey’s　return；　the　old　prince　made　over　a　part　of　the　property　to　him；　giving　him　Bogutcharovo；　a　large　estate　about　thirty　miles　from　Bleak　Hills。　Partly　to　escape　the　painful　memories　associated　with　Bleak　Hills；　partly　because　Prince　Andrey　did　not　always　feel　equal　to　bearing　with　his　father’s　peculiarities；　and　partly　from　a　craving　for　solitude；　Prince　Andrey　made　use　of　Bogutcharovo；　established　himself　there　and　spent　the　greater　part　of　his　time　there。
After　the　Austerlitz　campaign；　Prince　Andrey　had　grimly　resolved　never　to　serve　again　in　the　army。　And　when　war　broke　out　and　all　were　bound　to　serve；　he　took　service　under　his　father　in　the　levying　of　the　militia；　so　as　to　escape　active　service。　Since　the　campaign　of　1805　the　old　prince　and　his　son　had　as　it　were　exchanged　parts。　The　old　prince；　stimulated　by　activity；　expected　the　best　results　from　the　present　campaign。　Prince　Andrey；　on　the　contrary；　taking　no　part　in　the　war；　and　secretly　regretting　his　inaction；　saw　in　it　nothing　but　what　was　bad。
On　the　26th　of　February；　1807　the　old　prince　set　off　on　a　tour　of　inspection。　Prince　Andrey　was　staying　at　Bleak　Hills；　as　he　usually　did　in　his　father’s　absence。　Little　Nikolushka　had　been　ill　for　the　last　three　days。　The　coachman；　who　had　driven　the　old　prince　away；　returned　bringing　papers　and　letters　from　the　town　for　Prince　Andrey。　The　valet　with　the　letters　not　finding　the　young　prince　in　his　study；　went　to　Princess　Marya’s　apartments；　but　he　was　not　there　either。　The　valet　was　told　that　the　prince　had　gone　to　the　nursery。　“If　you　please；　your　excellency；　Petrusha　has　come　with　some　papers；”　said　one　of　the　nursery　maids；　addressing　Prince　Andrey；　who　was　sitting　on　a　child’s　little　chair。　Screwing　up　his　eyes；　he　was　with　trembling　hands　pouring　drops　from　a　medicine　bottle　into　a　glass　half　full　of　water。
“What　is　it？”　he　said　angrily；　and　his　hand　shaking；　he　accidentally　poured　too　many　drops　from　the　bottle　into　the　glass。　He　tipped　the　medicine　out　of　the　glass　on　to　the　floor　and　asked　for　some　more　water。　The　maid　gave　it　him。
In　the　room　were　a　couple　of　armchairs；　a　child’s　crib；　a　table　and　a　child’s　table　and　a　little　chair；　on　which　Prince　Andrey　was　sitting。　The　windows　were　curtained；　and　on　the　table　a　single　candle　was　burning；　screened　by　a　note…book；　so　that　the　light　did　not　fall　on　the　crib。
“My　dear；”　said　Princess　Marya；　turning　to　her　brother　from　beside　the　crib　where　she　was　standing；　“it　would　be　better　to　wait　a　little…later。”
“Oh；　please；　do　as　I　say；　what　nonsense　you　keep　talking；　you　have　kept　putting　things　off；　and　see　what’s　come　of　it！”　said　Prince　Andrey　in　an　exasperated　whisper；　evidently　meaning　to　wound　his　sister。
“My　dear；　it’s　really　better　not　to　wake　him；　he　has　fallen　asleep；”　said　the　princess　in　a　voice　of　entreaty。
Prince　Andrey　got　up　and　went　on　tiptoe　to　the　crib　with　the　glass　in　his　hand。
“Should　we　really　not　wake　him？”　he　said；　hesitating。
“As　you　think—really…I　believe　so…but　as　you　think；”　said　Princess　Marya；　obviously　intimidated　and　ashamed　that　her　opinion　should　triumph。　She　drew　her　brother’s　attention　to　the　maid；　who　was　summoning　him　in　a　whisper。
It　was　the　second　night　that　they　had　been　without　sleep　looking　after　the　baby；　who　was　feverish。　Mistrusting　their　own　household　doctor　and　expecting　the　doctor　they　had　sent　from　the　town；　they　had　spent　all　that　time　trying　first　one　remedy　and　then　another。　Agitated　and　worn　out　by　sleeplessness；　they　vented　their　anxiety　on　each　other；　found　fault　with　each　other；　and　quarrelled。
“Petrusha　with　papers　from　your　papa；”　whispered　the　maid。　Prince　Andrey　went　out。
“Damn　them　all！”　he　commented　angrily；　and　after　listening　to　the　verbal　instructions　sent　him　from　his　father；　and　taking　the　correspondence　and　his　father’s　letter；　he　went　back　to　the　nursery。　“Well？”　queried　Prince　Andrey。
“No　change；　wait　a　little；　for　God’s　sake。　Karl　Ivanitch　always　says　sleep　is　better　than　anything；”　Princess　Marya　whispered　with　a　sigh。　Prince　Andrey　went　up　to　the　baby　and　felt　him。　He　was　burning　hot。　“Bother　you　and　your　Karl　Ivanitch！”　He　took　the　glass　with　the　drops　of　medicine　in　it　and　again　went　up　to　the　crib。
“Andryusha；　you　shouldn’t！”　said　Princess　Marya。　But　he　scowled　at　her　with　an　expression　of　anger　and　at　the　same　time　of　anguish；　and　bent　over　the　child　with　the　glass。
“But　I　wish　it；”　he　said。　“Come；　I　beg