战争与和平(上)-第130章

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“No。　I　only　say　that　one　is　convinced　of　the　necessity　of　a　future　life；　not　by　argument；　but　when　one　goes　hand…in…hand　with　some　one；　and　all　at　once　that　some　one　slips　away　yonder　into　nowhere；　and　you　are　left　facing　that　abyss　and　looking　down　into　it。　And　I　have　looked　into　it　…”
“Well；　that’s　it　then！　You　know　there　is　a　yonder　and　there　is　some　one。　Yonder　is　the　future　life；　Some　One　is　God。”
Prince　Andrey　did　not　answer。　The　coach　and　horses　had　long　been　taken　across　to　the　other　bank；　and　had　been　put　back　into　the　shafts；　and　the　sun　had　half　sunk　below　the　horizon；　and　the　frost　of　evening　was　starring　the　pools　at　the　fording…place；　but　Pierre　and　Andrey；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　footmen；　coachmen；　and　ferrymen；　still　stood　in　the　ferry　and　were　still　talking。
“If　there　is　God　and　there　is　a　future　life；　then　there　is　truth　and　there　is　goodness；　and　the　highest　happiness　of　man　consists　in　striving　for　their　attainment。　We　must　live；　we　must　love；　we　must　believe；”　said　Pierre；　“that　we　are　not　only　living　to…day　on　this　clod　of　earth；　but　have　lived　and　will　live　for　ever　there　in　everything”　（he　pointed　to　the　sky）。　Prince　Andrey　stood　with　his　elbow　on　the　rail　of　the　ferry；　and　as　he　listened　to　Pierre　he　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　red　reflection　of　the　sun　on　the　bluish　stretch　of　water。　Pierre　ceased　speaking。　There　was　perfect　stillness。　The　ferry　had　long　since　come　to　a　standstill；　and　only　the　eddies　of　the　current　flapped　with　a　faint　sound　on　the　bottom　of　the　ferry　boat。　It　seemed　to　Prince　Andrey　that　the　lapping　of　the　water　kept　up　a　refrain　to　Pierre’s　words：　“It’s　the　truth；　believe　it。”
Prince　Andrey　sighed；　and　with　a　radiant；　childlike；　tender　look　in　his　eyes　glanced　at　the　face　of　Pierre—flushed　and　triumphant；　though　still　timidly　conscious　of　his　friend’s　superiority。
“Yes；　if　only　it　were　so！”　he　said。　“Let　us　go　and　get　in；　though；”　added　Prince　Andrey；　and　as　he　got　out　of　the　ferry　he　looked　up　at　the　sky；　to　which　Pierre　had　pointed　him；　and　for　the　first　time　since　Austerlitz　he　saw　the　lofty；　eternal　sky；　as　he　had　seen　it　lying　on　the　field　of　Austerlitz；　and　something　that　had　long　been　slumbering；　something　better　that　had　been　in　him；　suddenly　awoke　with　a　joyful；　youthful　feeling　in　his　soul。　That　feeling　vanished　as　soon　as　Prince　Andrey　returned　again　to　the　habitual　conditions　of　life；　but　he　knew　that　that　feeling—though　he　knew　not　how　to　develop　it—was　still　within　him。　Pierre’s　visit　was　for　Prince　Andrey　an　epoch；　from　which　there　began；　though　outwardly　unchanged；　a　new　life　in　his　inner　world。


Chapter　13
IT　WAS　DARK　by　the　time　Prince　Andrey　and　Pierre　drove　up　to　the　principal　entrance　of　the　house　at　Bleak　Hills。　While　they　were　driving　in；　Prince　Andrey　with　a　smile　drew　Pierre’s　attention　to　a　commotion　that　was　taking　place　at　the　back　entrance。　A　bent　little　old　woman　with　a　wallet　on　her　back；　and　a　short　man　with　long　hair；　in　a　black　garment；　ran　back　to　the　gate　on　seeing　the　carriage　driving　up。　Two　women　ran　out　after　them；　and　all　the　four；　looking　round　at　the　carriage　with　scared　faces；　ran　in　at　the　back　entrance。
“Those　are　Masha’s　God’s　folk；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“They　took　us　for　my　father。　It’s　the　one　matter　in　which　she　does　not　obey　him。　He　orders　them　to　drive　away　these　pilgrims；　but　she　receives　them。”
“But　what　are　God’s　folk？”　asked　Pierre。
Prince　Andrey　had　not　time　to　answer　him。　The　servants　came　out　to　meet　them；　and　he　inquired　where　the　old　prince　was　and　whether　they　expected　him　home　soon。　The　old　prince　was　still　in　the　town；　and　they　were　expecting　him　every　minute。
Prince　Andrey　led　Pierre　away　to　his　own　suite　of　rooms；　which　were　always　in　perfect　readiness　for　him　in　his　father’s　house；　and　went　off　himself　to　the　nursery。
“Let　us　go　to　my　sister；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　coming　back　to　Pierre；　“I　have　not　seen　her　yet；　she　is　in　hiding　now；　sitting　with　her　God’s　folk。　Serve　her　right；　she　will　be　put　to　shame；　and　you　will　see　God’s　folk。　It’s　curious；　upon　my　word。”
“What　are　‘God’s　folk’？”　asked　Pierre。
“You　shall　see。”
Princess　Marya　certainly　was　disconcerted；　and　reddened　in　patches　when　they　went　in。　In　her　snug　room；　with　lamps　before　the　holy　picture　stand；　there　was　sitting；　behind　the　samovar；　on　the　sofa　beside　her；　a　young　lad　with　a　long　nose　and　long　hair；　wearing　a　monk’s　cassock。　In　a　low　chair　near　sat　a　wrinkled；　thin；　old　woman；　with　a　meek　expression　on　her　childlike　face。
“Andrey；　why　did　you　not　let　me　know？”　she　said　with　mild　reproach；　standing　before　her　pilgrims　like　a　hen　before　her　chickens。
“Delighted　to　see　you。　I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；”　she　said　to　Pierre；　as　he　kissed　her　hand。　She　had　known　him　as　a　child；　and　now　his　friendship　with　Andrey；　his　unhappy　marriage；　and　above　all；　his　kindly；　simple　face；　disposed　her　favourably　to　him。　She　looked　at　him　with　her　beautiful；　luminous　eyes；　and　seemed　to　say　to　him：　“I　like　you　very　much；　but；　please；　don’t　laugh　at　my　friends。”
After　the　first　phrases　of　greeting；　they　sat　down
“Oh；　and　Ivanushka’s　here；”　said　Prince　Andrey　with　a　smile；　indicating　the　young　pilgrim。
“Andryusha！”　said　Princess　Marya　imploringly。
“You　must　know；　it　is　a　woman；”　said　Andrey　to　Pierre　in　French。
“Andrey；　for　heaven’s　sake！”　repeated　Princess　Marya。
It　was　plain　that　Prince　Andrey’s　ironical　tone　to　the　pilgrims；　and　Princess　Marya’s　helpless　championship　of　them；　were　their　habitual；　long…established　attitudes　on　the　subject。
“Why；　my　dear　girl；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　“you　ought　to　be　obliged　to　me；　on　the　contrary；　for　explaining　your　intimacy　with　this　young　man　to　Pierre。”
“Indeed？”　said　Pierre；　looking　with　curiosity　and　seriousness　（for　which　Princess　Marya　felt　particularly　grateful　to　him）　at　the　face　of　Ivanushka；　who；　seeing　that　he　was　the　subject　under　discussion；　looked　at　all　of　them　with　his　crafty　eyes。
Princess　Marya　had　not　the　slightest　need　to　feel　embarrassment　on　her　friends’　account。　They　were　quite　at　their　ease。　The　old　woman　cast　down　her　eyes；　but　stole　sidelong　glances　at　the　new…comers；　and　turning　her　cup　upside　down　in　the　saucer；　and　laying　a　nibbled　lump　of　sugar　beside　it；　sat　calmly　without　stirring　in　her　chair；　waiting　to　be　offered　another　cup。　Ivanushka；　sipping　out　of　the　saucer；　peeped　from　under　his　brows　with　his　sly；　feminine　eyes　at　the　young　men。
“Where　have　you　been；　in　Kiev？”　Prince　Andrey　asked　the　old　woman。
“I　have；　good　sir；”　answered　the　old　woman；　who　was　conversationally　disposed；　“just　at　the　Holy　Birth　I　was　deemed　worthy　to　be　a　partaker　in　holy；　heavenly　mysteries　from　the　saints。　And　now；　good　sir；　from　Kolyazin　a　great　blessing　has　been　revealed。”
“And　Ivanushka　was　with　you？”
“I　go　alone　by　myself；　benefactor；”　said　Ivanushka；　trying　to　speak　in　a　bass　voice。　“It　was　only　at　Yuhnovo　I　joined　Pelageyushka　…”
Pelageyushka　interrupted　her　companion；　she　was　evidently　anxious　to　tell　of　what　she　had　seen。　“In　Kolyazin；　good　sir；　great　is　the　blessing　revealed。”
“What；　new　relics？”　asked　Prince　Andrey。
“Hush；　Andrey；”　said　Princess　Marya。　“Don’t　tell　us　about　it；　Pelageyushka。”
“Not　…　nay；　ma’am；　why　not　tell　him？　I　like　him。　He’s　a　good　gentleman；　chosen　of　God；　he’s　my　benefactor；　he　gave　me　ten　roubles；　I　remember。　When　I　was　in　Kiev；　Kiryusha；　the　crazy　pilgrim；　tells　me—verily　a　man　of　God；　winter　and　summer　he　goes　barefoot—why　are　you　not　going　to　your　right　place；　says　he；　go　to　Kolyazin；　there　a　wonder…working　ikon；　a　holy　Mother　of　God　has　been　revealed。　On　these　words　I　said　good…bye　to　the　holy　folk　and　off　I　went　…”
All　were　silent；　only　the　pilgrim　woman　talked　on　in　her　measured　voice；　drawing　her　breath　regularly。　“I　came；　good　sir；　and　folks　say　to　me：　a　great　blessing　has　been　vouchsafed；　drops　of　myrrh　trickle　from　the　cheeks　of　the　Holy　Mother　of　God　…”
“Come；　that　will　do；　that　will　do；　you　shall　tell　me　later；”　said　Princess　Marya；　flushing。
“Let　me　ask　her　a　question；”　said　Pierre。　“Did　you　see　it　yourself？”　he　asked。
“To　be　sure；　good　sir；　I　myself　was　found　worthy。　Such　a　brightness　overspread　the　face；　like　the　light　of　heaven；　and　fro