战争与和平(上)-第155章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　her　of　how　he　had　first　seen　her　in　the　avenue　at　Otradnoe；　and　how　she　could　not　sleep　on　that　moonlight　night；　and　told　her　how　he　had　unwittingly　listened　to　her。　Natasha　blushed　at　these　recollections；　and　tried　as　it　were　to　excuse　herself；　as　though　there　were　something　to　be　ashamed　of　in　the　emotion　to　which　Prince　Andrey　had　unwittingly　played　the　eavesdropper。
Like　all　men　who　have　grown　up　in　society；　Prince　Andrey　liked　meeting　anything　not　of　the　conventional　society　stamp。　And　such　was　Natasha　with　her　wonder；　her　delight；　her　shyness；　and　even　her　mistakes　in　talking　French。　His　manner　was　particularly　tender　and　circumspect　as　he　talked　to　her。　Sitting　beside　her；　and　talking　of　the　simplest　and　most　trifling　subjects；　Prince　Andrey　admired　the　radiant　brilliance　of　her　eyes　and　her　smile；　that　had　no　concern　with　what　was　said　but　was　due　simply　to　her　own　happiness。　When　Natasha　was　chosen　again；　and　she　got　up　with　a　smile　and　was　dancing；　Prince　Andrey　particularly　admired　her　shy　grace。　In　the　middle　of　the　cotillion；　Natasha　went　back　to　her　place；　breathless　at　the　end　of　a　figure。　Another　partner　again　chose　her。　She　was　tired　and　panting；　and　evidently　she　thought　for　an　instant　of　refusing；　but　immediately　she　put　her　hand　on　her　partner’s　shoulder　and　was　off　again　gaily；　smiling　to　Prince　Andrey。
“I　should　have　been　glad　to　rest　and　sit　by　you。　I’m　tired；　but　you　see　how　they　keep　asking　me；　and　I’m　glad　of　it；　and　I’m　happy；　and　I　love　every　one；　and　you　and　I　understand　all　about　it；”　and　more；　much　more　was　said　in　that　smile。　When　her　partner　left　her　side；　Natasha　flew　across　the　room　to　choose　two　ladies　for　the　figure。
“If　she　goes　first　to　her　cousin　and　then　to　another　lady；　she　will　be　my　wife；”　Prince　Andrey—greatly　to　his　own　surprise—caught　himself　saying　mentally；　as　he　watched　her。　She　did　go　first　to　her　cousin。
“What　nonsense　does　sometimes　come　into　one’s　mind！”　thought　Prince　Andrey；　“but　one　thing’s　certain；　that　girl　is　so　charming；　so　original；　that　she　won’t　be　dancing　here　a　month　before　she　will　be　married。…　She’s　a　rare　thing　here；”　he　thought；　as　Natasha　settled　herself　beside　him；　sticking　in　the　rose　that　was　falling　out　of　her　bodice。
At　the　end　of　the　cotillion；　the　old　count　in　his　blue　frock　coat　went　up　to　the　young　people　who　had　been　dancing。　He　invited　Prince　Andrey　to　come　and　see　them；　and　asked　his　daughter　whether　she　were　enjoying　herself。　Natasha　did　not　at　once　answer；　she　only　smiled　a　smile　that　said　reproachfully：　“How　can　you　ask　such　a　question？”
“Enjoying　myself　as　I　never　have　before　in　my　life！”　she　said；　and　Prince　Andrey　noticed　how　her　thin　arms　were　swiftly　raised　as　though　to　embrace　her　father；　and　dropped　again　at　once。　Natasha　was　happy　as　she　had　never　been　in　her　life。　She　was　at　that　highest　pitch　of　happiness；　when　one　becomes　completely　good　and　kind；　and　disbelieves　in　the　very　possibility　of　evil；　unhappiness；　and　sorrow。
At　that　ball　Pierre　for　the　first　time　felt　humiliated　by　the　position　his　wife　took　in　the　highest　court　circle。　He　was　sullen　and　absent…minded。　There　was　a　broad　furrow　right　across　his　forehead；　as　he　stood　in　a　window；　staring　over　his　spectacles　and　seeing　no　one。　Natasha　passed　close　by　him　on　her　way　in　to　supper。　Pierre’s　gloomy；　unhappy　face　struck　her。　She　stopped；　facing　him。　She　longed　to　come　to　his　aid；　to　bestow　on　him　some　of　her　own　overflowing　happiness。　“How　delightful　it　is；”　she　said；　“isn’t　it？”
Pierre　smiled　an　absent…minded　smile；　obviously　not　grasping　what　was　said　to　him。　“Yes；　I’m　very　glad；”　he　said。
“How　can　people　be　discontented　at　anything！”　thought　Natasha。　“Especially　any　one　as　nice　as　Bezuhov。”
In　Natasha’s　eyes　all　the　people　at　the　ball　were　particularly　kind；　sweet；　good　people；　loving　one　another；　none　were　capable　of　wronging　one　another；　and　so　all　must　be　happy。


Chapter　18
NEXT　DAY　when　Prince　Andrey　thought　of　the　ball　it　did　not　occupy　his　mind　for　long。　“Yes；　it　was　a　very　successful　ball。　And　besides…yes；　the　younger　Rostov　is　very　charming。　There’s　something　fresh　in　her；　original；　unlike　Petersburg。”　That　was　all　he　thought　about　the　previous　day’s　ball；　and　after　his　morning　tea　he　set　to　work。
But　from　fatigue　and　want　of　sleep　he　was　not　very　well　disposed　for　work；　and　could　get　nothing　done。　He　was　continually　criticising　his　own　work—a　habit　common　with　him—and　was　glad　when　he　heard　a　visitor　arrive。
The　visitor　was　Bitsky；　a　man　who　was　a　member　of　various　committees　and　of　all　the　societies　in　Petersburg。　He　was　a　passionate　adherent　of　the　new　ideas　and　of　Speransky；　and　the　busiest　purveyor　of　news　in　Petersburg；　one　of　those　men　who　choose　their　opinions　like　their　clothes—according　to　the　fashion—but　for　that　very　reason　seem　the　most　vehement　partisans。　Scarcely　waiting　to　remove　his　hat；　he　ran　fussily　up　to　Prince　Andrey；　and　at　once　began　talking。　He　had　just　learned　particulars　of　the　sitting　of　the　State　Council　of　that　morning；　opened　by　the　Tsar；　and　began　enthusiastically　upon　the　subject。　The　Tsar’s　speech　had　been；　he　said；　an　extraordinary　one。　It　had　been　a　speech　such　as　are　only　delivered　by　constitutional　monarchs。　“The　Emperor　directly　asserted　that　the　Council　and　the　Senate　are　the　estates　of　the　realm；　he　said　that　government　should　be　founded　not　on　arbitrary　authority；　but　on　a　secure　basis。　The　Emperor　said　that　the　fiscal　system　must　be　reconstituted　and　the　accounts　must　be　public；”　Bitsky　announced；　laying　stress　on　certain　words；　and　opening　his　eyes　significantly。　“Yes；　to…day’s　sitting　marks　an　epoch；　the　greatest　epoch　in　our　history；”　he　concluded。
Prince　Andrey　heard　his　account　of　the　opening　of　the　State　Council；　to　which　he　had　been　looking　forward　with　such　eagerness；　and　to　which　he　had　attached　so　much　consequence；　and　was　amazed　that　now；　when　it　had　come　to　pass；　this　event；　far　from　affecting　him；　struck　him　as　less　than　insignificant。　With　quiet　irony　he　listened　to　Bitsky’s　enthusiastic　description。　The　idea　in　his　mind　was　of　the　simplest。　“What　is　it　to　me　and　Bitsky；”　he　thought；　“what　is　it　to　us；　whatever　the　Emperor　is　pleased　to　say　in　the　Council？　Can　all　that　make　me　any　happier　or　better？”
And　this　simple　reflection　suddenly　destroyed　all　Prince　Andrey’s　former　interest　in　the　reforms　that　were　being　made。　That　day　Prince　Andrey　was　to　dine　with　Speransky；　“with　only　a　few　friends；”　as　the　host　had　said　in　inviting　him。　That　dinner；　in　the　intimate　home　circle　of　the　man　who　had　so　fascinated　him；　had　seemed　very　attractive　to　Prince　Andrey；　especially　as　he　had　not　hitherto　seen　Speransky　in　his　home　surroundings。　But　now　he　had　no　wish　to　go　to　it。
At　the　hour　fixed；　however；　Prince　Andrey　was　entering　the　small　house　in　Tavritchesky　Garden。　The　little　house；　which　was　Speransky’s　property；　was　distinguished　by　an　extraordinary　cleanliness；　suggestive　of　the　cleanliness　of　a　convent。　In　the　parqueted　dining…room；　Prince　Andrey；　who　was　a　little　late；　found　all　that　circle　of　Speransky’s　intimate　friends　already　gathered　together　at　five　o’clock。　There　were　no　ladies　present；　except　Speransky’s　little　daughter　（with　a　long　face　like　her　father’s）　and　her　governess。　The　guests　were　Gervais；　Magnitsky　and　Stolypin。　From　the　vestibule　Prince　Andrey　had　caught　the　sound　of　loud　voices　and　a　ringing；　staccato　laugh—a　laugh　such　as　one　hears　on　the　stage。　Some　one—it　sounded　like　Speransky—was　giving　vent　to　a　staccato　“ha…ha…ha…”　Prince　Andrey　had　never　before　heard　Speransky　laugh；　and　this　shrill；　ringing　laugh　from　the　great　statesman　made　a　strange　impression　on　him。
Prince　Andrey　went　into　the　dining…room。　The　whole　party　were　standing　between　the　two　windows　at　a　little　table　laid　with　hors　d’？uvres。　Speransky　was　standing　at　the　table　with　a　mirthful　countenance；　wearing　a　grey　frock　coat　with　a　star；　and　the　white　waistcoat　and　high　white　stock；　in　which　he　had　been　at　the　famous　sitting　of　the　State　Council。　His　guests　formed　a　ring　round　him。　Turning　towards　him　Magnitsky　was　relating　an　anecdote。　Speransky　listened；　laughing　beforehand　at　what　Magnitsky　was　going　to　say。　Just　as　Prince　Andrey　walked　into　th