战争与和平(上)-第131章

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“To　be　sure；　good　sir；　I　myself　was　found　worthy。　Such　a　brightness　overspread　the　face；　like　the　light　of　heaven；　and　from　the　Holy　Mother’s　cheeks　drops　like　this　and　like　this　…”
“Why；　but　it　must　be　a　trick；”　said　Pierre　na？vely；　after　listening　attentively　to　the　old　woman。
“Oh；　sir；　what　a　thing　to　say！”　said　Pelageyushka　with　horror；　turning　to　Princess　Marya　for　support。
“They　impose　upon　the　people；”　he　repeated。
“Lord　Jesus　Christ！”　said　the　pilgrim　woman；　crossing　herself。　“Oh；　don’t　speak　so；　sir。　There　was　a　general　did　not　believe　like　that；　said　‘the　monks　cheat；’　and　as　he　said　it；　he　was　struck　blind。　And　he　dreamed　a　dream；　the　holy　mother　of　Petchersky　comes　to　him　and　says：　‘Believe　in　me　and　I　will　heal　thee。’　And　so　he　kept　beseeching　them：　‘Take　me　to　her；　take　me　to　her。’　It’s　the　holy　truth　I’m　telling　you；　I’ve　seen　it　myself。　They　carried　him；　blind　as　he　was；　to　her；　he　went　up；　fell　down；　and　said：　‘Heal　me！　I　will　give　thee；’　says　he；　‘what　the　Tsar　bestowed　on　me。’　I　saw　it　myself—a　sort　of　star　carved　in　it。　Well—he　regained　his　sight！　It’s　a　sin　to　speak　so。　God　will　punish　you；”　she　said　admonishingly　to　Pierre。
“How？　Was　the　star　in　the　holy　image？”　asked　Pierre。
“And　didn’t　they　make　the　holy　mother　a　general？”　said　Prince　Andrey；　smiling。
Pelageyushka　turned　suddenly　pale　and　flung　up　her　hands。
“Sir；　sir；　it’s　a　sin　of　you；　you’ve　a　son！”　she　said；　suddenly　turning　from　white　to　dark　red。　“Sir；　for　what　you　have　said；　God　forgive　you。”　She　crossed　herself。　“Lord；　forgive　him。　Lady；　what’s　this？　…”　she　turned　to　Princess　Marya。　She　got　up；　and　almost　crying　began　gathering　up　her　wallet。　Plainly　she　was　both　frightened　and　ashamed　at　having　accepted　bounty　in　a　house　where　they　could　say　such　things；　and　sorry　that　she　must　henceforth　deprive　herself　of　the　bounty　of　that　house。
“What　did　you　want　to　do　this　for？”　said　Princess　Marya。　“Why　did　you　come　to　me？　…”
“No；　I　was　joking　really；　Pelageyushka；”　said　Pierre。　“Princess；　ma　parole；　je　n’ai　pas　voulu　l’offenser。　I　said　it；　meaning　nothing。　Don’t　think　of　it；　I　was　joking；”　he　said；　smiling　timidly　and　trying　to　smooth　over　his　crime。　“It　was　all　my　fault；　but　he　didn’t　mean　it；　he　was　joking。”
Pelageyushka　remained　distrustful；　but　Pierre’s　face　wore　a　look　of　such　genuine　penitence；　and　Prince　Andrey　looked　so　mildly　from　Pelageyushka　to　Pierre；　that　she　was　gradually　reassured。


Chapter　14
THE　PILGRIM　WOMAN　was　appeased；　and　being　drawn　into　conversation　again；　told　them　a　long　story　again　of　Father　Amfilohey；　who　was　of　so　holy　a　life　that　his　hands　smelt　of　incense；　and　how　some　monks　of　her　acquaintance　had；　on　her　last　pilgrimage　to　Kiev；　given　her　the　keys　of　the　catacombs；　and　how　taking　with　her　some　dry　bread　she　had　spent　two　days　and　nights　in　the　catacombs　with　the　saints。　“I　pray　a　bit　in　one；　chant　a　hymn；　and　go　into　another。　I　fall　asleep；　again　I　go　and　kiss　the　holy　relics；　and　such　peace；　ma’am；　such　blessedness；　that　one　has　no　wish　to　come　out　into　God’s　world　again。”
Pierre　listened　to　her　attentively　and　seriously。　Prince　Andrey　went　out　of　the　room。　And　leaving　God’s　folk　to　finish　their　tea；　Princess　Marya　followed　him　with　Pierre　to　the　drawing…room。　“You　are　very　kind；”　she　said　to　him。
“Ah；　I　really　didn’t　mean　to　hurt　her　feelings；　I　so　well　understand　those　feelings；　and　prize　them　so　highly。”
Princess　Marya　looked　mutely　at　him；　and　smiled　affectionately。
“I　have　known　you　for　a　long　time；　you　see；　and　I　love　you　like　a　brother；”　she　said。　“How　do　you　think　Andrey　is　looking？”　she　asked　hurriedly；　not　letting　him　have　time　to　say　anything　in　reply　to　her　affectionate　words。　“He　makes　me　very　uneasy。　His　health　was　better　in　the　winter；　but　last　spring　the　wound　reopened；　and　the　doctor　says　he　ought　to　go　away　for　proper　treatment。　And　I　feel　afraid　for　him　morally。　He　has　not　a　character　like　us　women；　to　suffer　and　find　relief　for　sorrow　in　tears。　He　keeps　it　all　within　him。　To…day　he　is　lively　and　in　good　spirits。　But　that’s　the　effect　of　your　being　with　him；　he　is　not　often　like　this。　If　only　you　could　persuade　him　to　go　abroad。　He　needs　activity；　and　this　quiet；　regular　life　is　bad　for　him。　Others　don’t　notice　it；　but　I　see　it。”
Towards　ten　o’clock　the　footmen　rushed　to　the　steps；　hearing　the　bells　of　the　old　prince’s　carriage　approaching。　Prince　Andrey　and　Pierre；　too；　went　out　on　to　the　steps。
“Who’s　that？”　asked　the　old　prince；　as　he　got　out　of　the　carriage　and　saw　Pierre。
“Ah！　very　glad！　kiss　me！”　he　said；　on　learning　who　the　young　stranger　was。
The　old　prince　was　in　good　humour　and　very　cordial　to　Pierre。
Before　supper；　Prince　Andrey；　on　coming　back　into　his　father’s　study；　found　the　old　prince　in　hot　dispute　with　Pierre。　The　latter　was　maintaining　that　a　time　would　come　when　there　would　be　no　more　war。　The　old　prince　was　making　fun　of　him　but　with　good　humour。
“Let　off　blood　from　men’s　veins　and　fill　them　up　with　water；　then　there’ll　be　no　more　war。　Old　women’s　nonsense；　old　women’s　nonsense；”　he　was　saying；　but　still　he　slapped　Pierre　affectionately　on　the　shoulder；　and　went　up　to　the　table　where　Prince　Andrey；　evidently　not　caring　to　take　part　in　the　conversation；　was　looking　through　the　papers　the　old　prince　had　brought　from　the　town。　The　old　prince　went　up　to　him　and　began　to　talk　of　business。
“The　marshal；　a　Count　Rostov；　hasn’t　sent　half　his　contingent。　Came　to　the　town　and　thought　fit　to　invite　me　to　dinner—a　pretty　dinner　I　gave　him；　…　And　here；　look　at　this。…　Well；　my　boy；”　said　the　old　prince　to　his　son；　clapping　Pierre　on　the　shoulder；　“your　friend　is　a　capital　fellow；　I　like　him！　He　warms　me　up。　Other　people　will　talk　sense　and　one　doesn’t　care　to　listen；　and　he　talks　nonsense；　but　it　does　an　old　man　like　me　good。　There；　run　along；”　he　said；　“maybe　I’ll　come　and　sit　with　you　at　your　supper。　We’ll　have　another　dispute。　Make　friends　with　my　dunce；　Princess　Marya；”　he　shouted　to　Pierre　from　the　door。
It　was　only　now　on　his　visit　to　Bleak　Hills　that　Pierre　appreciated　fully　all　the　charm　of　his　friendship　with　Prince　Andrey。　The　charm　was　not　so　manifest　in　his　relations　with　his　friend　himself　as　in　his　relations　with　all　his　family　and　household。　Though　he　had　hardly　known　them；　Pierre　felt　at　once　like　an　old　friend　both　with　the　harsh　old　prince　and　the　gentle；　timid　Princess　Marya。　They　all　liked　him。　Not　only　Princess　Marya；　who　had　been　won　by　his　kindliness　with　the　pilgrims；　looked　at　him　with　her　most　radiant　expression；　little　Prince　Nikolay；　as　the　old　prince　called　the　year…old　baby；　smiled　at　Pierre　and　went　to　him。　Mihail　Ivanitch　and　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　looked　at　him　with　smiles　when　he　talked　to　the　old　prince。
The　old　prince　came　in　to　supper；　it　was　obviously　on　Pierre’s　account。　He　was　extremely　warm　with　him　both　days　of　his　stay　at　Bleak　Hills；　and　asked　him　to　come　and　stay　with　him　again。
When　Pierre　had　gone；　and　all　the　members　of　the　family　were　met　together；　they　began　to　criticise　him；　as　people　always　do　after　a　new　guest　has　left；　and　as　rarely　happens；　all　said　nothing　but　good　of　him。


Chapter　15
ON　RETURNING　this　time　from　his　leave；　Rostov　for　the　first　time　felt　and　recognised　how　strong　was　the　tie　that　bound　him　to　Denisov　and　all　his　regiment。
When　Rostov　reached　the　regiment；　he　experienced　a　sensation　akin　to　what　he　had　felt　on　reaching　his　home　at　Moscow。　When　he　caught　sight　of　the　first　hussar　in　the　unbuttoned　uniform　of　his　regiment；　when　he　recognised　red…haired　Dementyev；　and　saw　the　picket　ropes　of　the　chestnut　horses；　when　Lavrushka　gleefully　shouted　to　his　master；　“The　count　has　come！”　and　Denisov；　who　had　been　asleep　on　his　bed；　ran　all　dishevelled　out　of　the　mud…hut；　and　embraced　him；　and　the　officers　gathered　around　to　welcome　the　newcomer—Rostov　felt　the　same　sensation　as　when　his　mother　had　embraced　him；　and　his　father　and　sisters；　and　the　tears　of　joy　that　rose　in　his　throat　prevented　his　speaking。　The　regiment　was　a　home；　too；　and　a　home　as　unchangeably　dear　and　precious　as　the　parental　home。
After　reporting　himself　to　his　colonel；　being　assigned　to　his　own　squadron；　and　serving　on　orderl