战争与和平(上)-第163章

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not　one　hair　of　our　head　falls　without　His　will。　And　the　guiding　principle　of　His　will　is　only　His　infinite　love　for　us；　and　so　whatever　may　befall　us；　all　is　for　our　good。
“You　ask　whether　we　shall　spend　next　winter　in　Moscow。　In　spite　of　all　my　desire　to　see　you；　I　do　not　expect　and　do　not　wish　to　do　so。　And　you　will　be　surprised　to　hear　that　Bonaparte　is　responsible　for　this！　I　will　tell　you　why：　my　father’s　health　is　noticeably　weaker；　he　cannot　endure　contradiction　and　is　easily　irritated。　This　irritability　is；　as　you　are　aware；　most　readily　aroused　on　political　subjects。　He　cannot　endure　the　idea　that　Bonaparte　is　treating　on　equal　terms　with　all　the　sovereigns　of　Europe；　especially　our　own；　the　grandson　of　the　great　Catherine！　As　you　know；　I　take　absolutely　no　interest　in　politics；　but　from　my　father　and　his　conversations　with　Mihail　Ivanovitch；　I　know　all　that　goes　on　in　the　world；　and　have　heard　of　all　the　honours　conferred　on　Bonaparte。　It　seems　that　Bleak　Hills　is　now　the　only　spot　on　the　terrestrial　globe　where　he　is　not　recognised　as　a　great　man—still　less　as　Emperor　of　France。　And　my　father　cannot　tolerate　this　state　of　things。　It　seems　to　me　that　my　father　shows　a　disinclination　for　the　visit　to　Moscow；　chiefly　owing　to　his　political　views　and　his　foreseeing　the　difficulties　likely　to　arise　from　his　habit　of　expressing　his　opinions　freely　with　no　regard　for　any　one。　All　that　he　would　gain　from　medical　treatment　in　Moscow；　he　would　lose　from　the　inevitable　discussions　upon　Bonaparte。　In　any　case　the　matter　will　very　soon　be　settled。
“Our　home　life　goes　on　in　its　old　way；　except　for　the　absence　of　my　brother　Andrey。　As　I　wrote　to　you　before；　he　has　greatly　changed　of　late。　It　is　only　of　late；　during　this　year　that　he　seems　to　have　quite　recovered　from　the　shock　of　his　loss。　He　has　become　again　just　as　I　knew　him　as　a　child；　good…natured；　affectionate；　with　a　heart　such　as　I　know　in　no　one　else。　He　feels　now；　it　seems　to　me；　that　life　is　not　over　for　him。　But；　together　with　this　moral　change；　he　has　become　very　weak　physically。　He　is　thinner　than　ever　and　more　nervous。　I　feel　anxious　about　him　and　glad　that　he　is　taking　this　tour　abroad；　which　the　doctors　prescribed　long　ago。　I　hope　that　it　will　cure　him。　You　write　to　me　that　he　is　spoken　of　in　Petersburg　as　one　of　the　most　capable；　cultivated；　and　intellectual　young　men。　Forgive　me　for　the　pride　of　family—I　never　doubted　it。　The　good　he　did　here　to　every　one—from　his　peasants　to　the　local　nobility—is　incalculable。　When　he　went　to　Petersburg　he　was　received　as　he　deserved。　I　wonder　at　the　way　reports　fly　from　Petersburg　to　Moscow；　and　especially　such　groundless　ones　as　the　rumour　you　wrote　to　me　about；　of　my　brother’s　supposed　engagement　to　the　little　Rostov　girl。　I　don’t　imagine　that　Andrey　will　ever　marry　any　one　at　all；　and　certainly　not　her。　And　I　will　tell　you　why。　In　the　first　place；　I　know　that　though　he　rarely　speaks　of　his　late　wife；　the　grief　of　his　loss　has　penetrated　too　deeply　into　his　heart　for　him　ever　to　be　ready　to　give　her　a　successor；　and　our　little　angel　a　step…mother。　Secondly；　because；　as　far　as　I　can　ascertain；　that　girl　is　not　one　of　the　kind　of　women　who　could　attract　my　brother　Andrey。　I　do　not　believe　that　Andrey　has　chosen　her　for　his　wife；　and　I　will　frankly　confess；　I　should　not　wish　for　such　a　thing。　But　how　I　have　been　running　on；　I　am　finishing　my　second　sheet。　Farewell；　my　sweet　friend；　and　may　God　keep　you　in　His　holy　and　mighty　care。　My　dear　companion；　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　sends　you　kisses。
MARIE。”


Chapter　26
IN　THE　MIDDLE　of　the　summer　Princess　Marya；　to　her　surprise；　received　a　letter　from　Prince　Andrey；　who　was　in　Switzerland。　In　it　he　told　her　strange　and　surprising　news。　He　informed　his　sister　of　his　engagement　to　the　younger　Rostov。　His　whole　letter　was　full　of　loving　enthusiasm　for　his　betrothed；　and　tender　and　confiding　affection　for　his　sister。　He　wrote　that　he　had　never　loved　as　he　loved　now；　and　that　it　was　only　now　that　he　saw　all　the　value　and　meaning　of　life。　He　begged　his　sister　to　forgive　him　for　having　said　nothing　of　his　plans　to　her　on　his　last　visit　to　Bleak　Hills；　though　he　had　spoken　of　it　to　his　father。　He　had　said　nothing　to　her　for　fear　Princess　Marya　would　beg　her　father　to　give　his　consent；　and；　without　attaining　her　object；　would　irritate　her　father　and　draw　all　the　weight　of　his　displeasure　upon　herself。　The　matter　was　not；　however；　then；　he　wrote　to　her；　so　completely　settled　as　now。　“At　that　time　our　father　insisted　on　a　delay　of　a　year；　and　now　six　months；　half　of　the　period　specified；　is　over；　and　I　remain　firmer　than　ever　in　my　resolution。　If　it　were　not　for　the　doctors　keeping　me　here　at　the　waters　I　should　be　back　in　Russia　myself；　but；　as　it　is；　I　must　put　off　my　return　for　another　three　months。　You　know　me　and　my　relations　with　our　father。　I　want　nothing　from　him。　I　have　been；　and　always　shall　be；　independent；　but　to　act　in　opposition　to　his　will；　to　incur　his　anger　when　he　has　perhaps　not　long　left　to　be　with　us；　would　destroy　half　my　happiness。　I　am　writing　a　letter　to　him　now；　and　I　beg　you　to　choose　a　favourable　moment　to　give　him　the　letter；　and　to　let　me　know　how　he　looks　at　the　whole　matter；　and　if　there　is　any　hope　of　his　agreeing　to　shorten　the　year　by　three　months。”
After　long　hesitations；　doubts；　and　prayers；　Princess　Marya　gave　the　letter　to　her　father。　The　next　day　the　old　prince　said　to　her　calmly：
“Write　to　your　brother　to　wait　till　I’m　dead。…　He　won’t　have　long　to　wait。　I　shall　soon　set　him　free。”
The　princess　tried　to　make　some　reply；　but　her　father　would　not　let　her　speak；　and　went　on；　getting　louder　and　louder。　“Let　him　marry；　let　him　marry；　the　dear　fellow。…　A　nice　connection！…　Clever　people；　eh？　Rich；　eh？　Oh　yes；　a　fine　stepmother　for　Nikolushka　she’ll　make！　You　write　to　him　he　can　marry　her　to…morrow。　Nikolushka　shall　have　her　for　a　stepmother；　and　I’ll　marry　little　Bourienne！…　Ha；　ha；　ha；　and　so　he　shall　have　a　stepmother　too！　Only　there’s　one　thing；　I　won’t　have　any　more　women…folk　about　my　house；　he　may　marry　and　go　and　live　by　himself。　Perhaps　you’ll　go　and　live　with　him　too？”　He　turned　to　Princess　Marya：　“You’re　welcome　to；　and　good　luck　to　you！”
After　this　outburst　the　prince　did　not　once　allude　to　the　subject　again。　But　his　repressed　anger　at　his　son’s　poor…spirited　behaviour　found　a　vent　in　his　treatment　of　his　daughter。　He　now　added　to　his　former　subjects　for　jeering　and　annoying　her　a　new　one—allusions　to　a　stepmother　and　gallantries　to　Mademoiselle　Bourienne。
“Why　shouldn’t　I　marry　her？”　he　would　say　to　his　daughter。　“A　capital　princess　she　will　make！”　And　latterly；　to　her　perplexity　and　amazement；　Princess　Marya　began　to　notice　that　her　father　was　really　beginning　to　attach　himself　more　and　more　closely　to　the　French…woman。　Princess　Marya　wrote　to　Prince　Andrey　and　told　him　how　their　father　had　taken　the　letter；　but　comforted　her　brother　with　hopes　that　he　would　become　reconciled　to　the　idea。
Nikolushka　and　his　education；　her　brother　Andrey　and　religion；　were　Princess　Marya’s　joys　and　consolations。　But　apart　from　those；　since　every　one　must　have　personal　hopes；　Princess　Marya　cherished；　in　the　deepest　secrecy　of　her　heart；　a　hidden　dream　and　hope　that　was　the　source　of　the　chief　comfort　in　her　life。　This　comforting　dream　and　hope　was　given　her　by　“God’s　folk”—the　crazy　prophets　and　the　pilgrims；　who　visited　her　without　the　prince’s　knowledge。　The　longer　Princess　Marya　lived；　the　more　experience　and　observation　she　had　of　life；　the　more　she　wondered　at　the　shortsightedness　of　men；　who　seek　here　on　earth　for　enjoyment；　toil；　suffer；　strive　and　do　each　other　harm　to　attain　that　impossible；　visionary；　and　sinful　happiness。　Prince　Andrey　had　loved　a　wife；　she　died；　that　was　not　enough　for　him；　he　wanted　to　bind　his　happiness　to　another　woman。　Her　father　did　not　want　that；　because　he　coveted　a　more　distinguished　or　a　wealthier　match　for　Andrey。　And　they　were　all　striving；　and　suffering；　and　in　torment；　and　sullying　their　souls；　their　eternal　souls；　to　attain　a　bliss　the　duration　of　which　was　but　a　moment。　Not　only　do　we　know　that　for　ourselves。　Christ；　the　Son　of　God；　came　down　upon　earth　and　told　us　that　this　li