战争与和平(上)-第141章

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“But　when　are　you　coming　to　bed？”　answered　another　voice。
“I’m　not　coming！　I　can’t　sleep；　what’s　the　use？　Come；　for　the　last　time。…”
Two　feminine　voices　sang　a　musical　phrase；　the　finale　of　some　song。
“Oh；　it’s　exquisite！　Well；　now　go　to　sleep；　and　there’s　an　end　of　it。”
“You　go　to　sleep；　but　I　can’t；”　responded　the　first　voice；　coming　nearer　to　the　window。　She　was　evidently　leaning　right　out　of　the　window；　for　he　could　hear　the　rustle　of　her　garments　and　even　her　breathing。　All　was　hushed　and　stonily　still；　like　the　moon　and　its　lights　and　shadows。　Prince　Andrey　dared　not　stir　for　fear　of　betraying　his　unintentional　presence。
“Sonya！　Sonya！”　he　heard　the　first　voice　again。　“Oh；　how　can　you　sleep！　Do　look　how　exquisite！　Oh；　how　exquisite！　Do　wake　up；　Sonya！”　she　said；　almost　with　tears　in　her　voice。　“Do　you　know　such　an　exquisite　night　has　never；　never　been　before。”
Sonya　made　some　reluctant　reply。
“No；　do　look　what　a　moon！…Oh；　how　lovely　it　is！　Do　come　here。　Darling；　precious；　do　come　here。　There；　do　you　see？　One　has　only　to　squat　on　one’s　heels　like　this—see—and　to　hold　one’s　knees—as　tight；　as　tight　as　one　can—give　a　great　spring　and　one　would　fly　away。…　Like　this—see！”
“Mind；　you’ll　fall。”
He　heard　sounds　of　a　scuffle　and　Sonya’s　voice　in　a　tone　of　vexation：　“Why；　it’s　past　one　o’clock。”
“Oh；　you　only　spoil　it　all　for　me。　Well；　go　to　bed　then；　go　along。”
All　was　hushed　again；　but　Prince　Andrey　knew　she　was　still　sitting　there。　He　heard　at　times　a　soft　rustle；　and　at　times　a　sigh。
“O　my　God！　my　God！　what　does　it　mean？”　she　cried　suddenly。　“To　bed　then；　if　it　must　be　so！”　and　she　closed　the　window　with　a　slam。
“And　nothing　to　do　with　my　existence！”　thought　Prince　Andrey　while　he　had　been　listening　to　her　talk；　for　some　reason　hoping　and　dreading　she　might　say　something　about　him。　“And　she　again！　As　though　it　were　on　purpose！”　he　thought。　All　at　once　there　stirred　within　his　soul　such　a　wholly　unexpected　medley　of　youthful　hopes　and　ideas；　running　counter　to　the　whole　tenor　of　his　life；　that　he　made　haste　to　fall　asleep；　feeling　incapable　of　seeing　clearly　into　his　own　state　of　mind。


Chapter　3
NEXT　DAY　Prince　Andrey　took　leave　of　the　count　alone　and　set　off　on　his　way　home；　without　waiting　for　the　ladies　to　appear。
It　was　the　beginning　of　June　when　Prince　Andrey；　on　his　return　journey；　drove　again　into　the　birch　forest；　in　which　the　old；　gnarled　oak　had　made　upon　him　so　strange　and　memorable　an　impression。　The　ringing　of　the　bells　did　not　carry　so　far　now　in　the　forest　as　six　weeks　before。　Everything　was　fully　out；　thick；　and　shut　in。　And　the　young　firs；　dotted　about　the　forest；　did　not　break　the　general　beauty；　but；　subdued　to　the　same　character　as　the　rest；　were　softly　green　with　their　feathery　bunches　of　young　needles。
The　whole　day　had　been　hot；　a　storm　was　gathering；　but　only　a　small　rain…cloud　had　sprinkled　the　dust　of　the　road　and　the　sappy　leaves。　The　left　side　of　the　forest　was　dark；　lying　in　shadow。　The　right　side；　glistening　with　the　raindrops；　gleamed　in　the　sunlight；　faintly　undulating　in　the　wind。　Everything　was　in　flower；　the　nightingales　twittered　and　carolled；　now　close；　now　far　away。
“Yes；　it　was　here；　in　this　forest；　I　saw　that　oak；　with　whom　I　was　in　sympathy；”　thought　Prince　Andrey。　“But　where　is　he？”　he　thought　again　as　he　gazed　at　the　left　side　of　the　road；　and；　all　unaware　and　unrecognising；　he　was　admiring　the　very　oak　he　was　seeking。　The　old　oak；　utterly　transformed；　draped　in　a　tent　of　sappy　dark　green；　basked　faintly；　undulating　in　the　rays　of　the　evening　sun。　Of　the　knotted　fingers；　the　gnarled　excrescences；　the　aged　grief　and　mistrust—nothing　was　to　be　seen。　Through　the　rough；　century…old　bark；　where　there　were　no　twigs；　leaves　had　burst　out　so　sappy；　so　young；　that　it　was　hard　to　believe　that　aged　creature　had　borne　them。
“Yes；　that　is　the　same　tree；”　thought　Prince　Andrey；　and　all　at　once　there　came　upon　him　an　irrational；　spring　feeling　of　joy　and　of　renewal。　All　the　best　moments　of　his　life　rose　to　his　memory　at　once。　Austerlitz；　with　that　lofty　sky；　and　the　dead；　reproachful　face　of　his　wife；　and　Pierre　on　the　ferry；　and　the　girl；　thrilled　by　the　beauty　of　the　night；　and　that　night　and　moon—it　all　rushed　at　once　into　his　mind。
“No；　life　is　not　over　at　thirty…one；”　Prince　Andrey　decided　all　at　once；　finally　and　absolutely。　“It’s　not　enough　for　me　to　know　all　there　is　in　me；　every　one　must　know　it　too；　Pierre　and　that　girl；　who　wanted　to　fly　away　into　the　sky；　every　one　must　know　me　so　that　my　life　may　not　be　spent　only　on　myself；　they　must　not　live　so　apart　from　my　life；　it　must　be　reflected　in　all　of　them　and　they　must　all　share　my　life　with　me！”
On　getting　home　after　his　journey；　Prince　Andrey　made　up　his　mind　to　go　to　Petersburg　in　the　autumn；　and　began　inventing　all　sorts　of　reasons　for　this　decision。　A　whole　chain　of　sensible；　logical　reasons；　making　it　essential　for　him　to　visit　Petersburg；　and　even　to　re…enter　the　service；　was　at　every　moment　ready　at　his　disposal。　He　could　not　indeed　comprehend　now　how　he　could　ever　have　doubted　of　the　necessity　of　taking　an　active　share　in　life；　just　as　a　month　before　he　could　not　have　understood　how　the　idea　of　leaving　the　country　could　ever　occur　to　him。　It　seemed　clear　to　him　that　all　his　experience　of　life　would　be　wasted　and　come　to　naught；　if　he　did　not　apply　it　in　practice　and　take　an　active　part　in　life　again。　He　could　not　understand　indeed　how　on　a　basis　of　such　poor　arguments　it　could　have　seemed　so　incontestable　to　him　that　he　would　be　lowering　himself；　if　after　the　lessons　he　had　received　from　life；　he　were　to　put　faith　again　in　the　possibility　of　being　useful　and　in　the　possibility　of　happiness　and　of　love。　Reason　now　gave　its　whole　support　to　the　other　side。　After　his　journey　to　Ryazan；　Prince　Andrey　began　to　weary　of　life　in　the　country；　his　former　pursuits　ceased　to　interest　him；　and　often　sitting　alone　in　his　study；　he　got　up；　went　to　the　looking…glass　and　gazed　a　long　while　at　his　own　face。　Then　he　turned　away　to　the　portrait　of　Liza；　who；　with　her　curls　tied　up　à　la　grecque；　looked　gaily　and　tenderly　out　of　the　gold　frame　at　him。　She　did　not　say　those　terrible　words　to　him；　she　looked　curiously　and　merrily　at　him。　And；　clasping　his　hands　behind　him；　Prince　Andrey　would　walk　a　long　while　up　and　down　his　room；　frowning　and　smiling　by　turns；　as　he　brooded　over　those　irrational　ideas；　that　could　not　be　put　into　words；　and　were　secret　as　a　crime—the　ideas　connected　with　Pierre；　with　glory；　with　the　girl　at　the　window；　with　the　oak；　with　woman’s　beauty；　and　love；　which　had　changed　the　whole　current　of　his　life。　And　if　any　one　came　into　his　room　at　such　moments；　he　would　be　particularly　short；　severely　decided　and　disagreeably　logical。
“Mon　cher；”　Princess　Marya　would　say　coming　in　at　such　a　moment；　“Nikolushka　cannot　go　out　for　a　walk　to…day；　it　is　very　cold。”
“If　it　were　hot；”　Prince　Andrey　would　answer　his　sister　with　peculiar　dryness　on　such　occasions；　“then　he　would　go　out　with　only　his　smock　on；　but　as　it　is　cold；　you　must　put　on　him　warm　clothes　that　have　been　designed　for　that　object。　That’s　what　follows　from　its　being　cold；　and　not　staying　at　home　when　the　child　needs　fresh　air；”　he　would　say；　with　an　exaggerated　logicality；　as　it　were　punishing　some　one　for　that　secret；　illogical　element　working　within　him。
On　such　occasions　Princess　Marya　thought　what　a　chilling　effect　so　much　intellectual　work　had　upon　men。


Chapter　4
PRINCE　ANDREY　arrived　in　Petersburg　in　the　August　of　1809。　It　was　the　period　when　the　young　Speransky　was　at　the　zenith　of　his　fame　and　his　reforms　were　being　carried　out　with　the　utmost　vigour。　In　that　very　month　the　Tsar　was　thrown　out　of　his　carriage；　hurt　his　foot；　and　was　laid　up　for　three　weeks　at　Peterhof；　seeing　Speransky　every　day　and　no　one　else。　At　that　period　there　were　in　preparation　the　two　famous　decrees　that　so　convulsed　society；　abolishing　the　bestowal　of　grades　by　court　favour　and　establishing　examinations　for　obtaining　the　ranks　of　collegiate　assessors　and　state　councillors。　But　besides　these　reforms；　a　whole　political　constitution　was　under　discussion　destined　to　transform　the　whole　legal；　admin