战争与和平(上)-第179章

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s　it　and　on　one　side　of　it　there　fell　on　the　snow　and　the　path　a　network　of　shadows　from　the　bare　old　lime…trees。　The　wall　and　roof　of　the　granary　glittered　in　the　moonlight；　as　though　hewn　out　of　some　precious　stone。　There　was　the　sound　of　the　snapping　of　wood　in　the　garden；　and　all　was　perfect　stillness　again。　The　lungs　seemed　breathing　in；　not　air；　but　a　sort　of　ever…youthful　power　and　joy。
From　the　maid…servants’　entrance　came　the　tap　of　feet　on　the　steps；　there　was　a　ringing　crunch　on　the　last　step　where　the　snow　was　heaped；　and　the　voice　of　the　old　maid　said：
“Straight　on；　along　this　path；　miss。　Only　don’t　look　round！”
“I’m　not　afraid；”　answered　Sonya’s　voice；　and　Sonya’s　little　feet　in　their　dancing…shoes　came　with　a　ringing；　crunching　sound　along　the　path　towards　Nikolay。
Sonya　was　muffled　up　in　the　cloak。　She　was　two　paces　away　when　she　saw　him。　She　saw　him；　too；　not　as　she　knew　him；　and　as　she　was　always　a　little　afraid　of　him。　He　was　in　a　woman’s　dress；　with　towzled　hair；　and　a　blissful　smile　that　was　new　to　Sonya。　She　ran　quickly　to　him。
“Quite　different；　and　still　the　same；”　thought　Nikolay；　looking　at　her　face；　all　lighted　up　by　the　moon。　He　slipped　his　hands　under　the　cloak　that　covered　her　head；　embraced　her；　drew　her　to　him；　and　kissed　the　lips　that　wore　a　moustache　and　smelt　of　burnt　cork。　Sonya　kissed　him　full　on　the　lips；　and　putting　out　her　little　hands　held　them　against　his　cheeks　on　both　sides。
“Sonya！…Nikolenka！…”　was　all　they　said。　They　ran　to　the　granary　and　went　back　to　the　house；　each　at　their　separate　door。


Chapter　12
WHEN　THEY　WERE　ALL　DRIVING　BACK　from　Pelagea　Danilovna’s；　Natasha；　who　always　saw　and　noticed　everything；　managed　a　change　of　places；　so　that　Luisa　Ivanovna　and　she　got　into　the　sledge　with　Dimmler；　while　Sonya　was　with　Nikolay　and　the　maids。
Nikolay　drove　smoothly　along　the　way　back；　making　no　effort　now　to　get　in　front。　He　kept　gazing　in　the　fantastic　moonlight　at　Sonya；　and　seeking；　in　the　continually　shifting　light　behind　those　eyebrows　and　moustaches；　his　own　Sonya；　the　old　Sonya；　and　the　Sonya　of　to…day；　from　whom　he　had　resolved　now　never　to　be　parted。　He　watched　her　intently；　and　when　he　recognised　the　old　Sonya　and　the　new　Sonya；　and　recalled；　as　he　smelt　it；　that　smell　of　burnt　cork　that　mingled　with　the　thrill　of　the　kiss；　he　drew　in　a　deep　breath　of　the　frosty　air；　and　as　he　saw　the　earth　flying　by　them；　and　the　sky　shining　above；　he　felt　himself　again　in　fairyland。
“Sonya；　is　it　well　with　thee？”　he　asked　her　now　and　then。
“Yes；”　answered　Sonya。　“And　thee？”
Half…way　home；　Nikolay　let　the　coachman　hold　the　horses；　ran　for　a　moment　to　Natasha’s　sledge；　and　stood　on　the　edge　of　it。
“Natasha；”　he　whispered　in　French；　“do　you　know　I　have　made　up　my　mind　about　Sonya？”
“Have　you　told　her？”　asked　Natasha；　beaming　all　over　at　once　with　pleasure。
“Ah；　how　strange　you　look　with　that　moustache　and　those　eyebrows；　Natasha！　Are　you　glad？”
“I’m　so　glad；　so　glad！　I　was　beginning　to　get　cross　with　you。　I　never　told　you　so；　but　you　have　not　been　treating　her　nicely。　Such　a　heart　as　she　has；　Nikolenka。　I　am　so　glad！　I’m　horrid　sometimes；　but　I　felt　ashamed　of　being　happy　without　Sonya；”　Natasha　went　on。　“Now；　I’m　so　glad；　there；　run　back　to　her。”
“No；　wait　a　moment。　Oh；　how　funny　you　look！”　said　Nikolay；　still　gazing　intently　at　her；　and　in　his　sister；　too；　finding　something　new；　extraordinary；　and　tenderly　bewitching　that　he　had　never　seen　in　her　before。　“Natasha；　isn’t　it　fairylike？　Eh？”
“Yes；”　she　answered；　“you　have　done　quite　rightly。”
“If　I　had　seen　her　before　as　she　is　now；”　Nikolay　was　thinking；　“I　should　have　asked　her　long　ago　what　to　do；　and　should　have　done　anything　she　told　me；　and　it　would　have　been　all　right。”
“So　you’re　glad；”　he　said；　“and　I　have　done　right？”
“Oh；　quite　right！　I　had　a　quarrel　with　mamma　about　it　a　little　while　age。　Mamma　said　she　was　trying　to　catch　you。　How　could　she　say　such　a　thing！　I　almost　stormed　at　mamma。　I　will　never　let　any　one　say　or　think　any　harm　of　her；　for　there’s　nothing　but　good　in　her。”
“So　it’s　all　right？”　said　Nikolay；　once　more　gazing　intently　at　his　sister’s　expression　to　find　out　whether　that　were　the　truth。　Then　he　jumped　off　the　sledge　and　ran；　his　boots　crunching　over　the　wet　snow；　to　his　sledge。　The　same　happy；　smiling　Circassian；　with　a　moustache　and　sparkling　eyes；　peeping　from　under　the　sable　hood；　was　still　sitting　there；　and　that　Circassian　was　Sonya；　and　that　Sonya　was　for　certain　now　his　happy　and　loving　future　wife。
On　reaching　home；　the　young　ladies　told　the　countess　how　they　had　spent　the　time　at　the　Melyukov’s；　and　then　went　to　their　room。　They　changed　their　dresses；　but　without　washing　off　their　moustaches；　sat　for　a　long　while　talking　of　their　happiness。　They　talked　of　how　they　would　live　when　they　were　married；　how　their　husbands　would　be　friends；　and　they　would　be　happy。　Looking…glasses　were　standing　on　Natasha’s　table；　set　there　earlier　in　the　evening　by　Dunyasha；　and　arranged　in　the　traditional　way　for　looking　into　the　future。
“Only　when　will　that　be？　I’m　so　afraid　it　never　will　be。…It　would　be　too　happy！”　said　Natasha；　getting　up　and　going　to　the　looking…glasses。
“Sit　down；　Natasha；　perhaps　you　will　see　him；”　said　Sonya。
Natasha　lighted　the　candles　and　sat　down。　“I　do　see　some　one　with　a　moustache；”　said　Natasha；　seeing　her　own　face。
“You　mustn’t　laugh；　miss；”　said　Dunyasha。
With　the　assistance　of　Sonya　and　the　maid；　Natasha　got　the　mirrors　into　the　correct　position。　Her　face　took　a　serious　expression；　and　she　was　silent。　For　a　long　while　she　went　on　sitting；　watching　the　series　of　retreating　candles　reflected　in　the　looking…glasses；　and　expecting　（in　accordance　with　the　tales　she　had　heard）　at　one　minute　to　see　a　coffin；　at　the　next　to　see　him；　Prince　Andrey；　in　the　furthest；　dimmest；　indistinct　square。　But　ready　as　she　was　to　accept　the　slightest　blur　as　the　form　of　a　man　or　of　a　coffin；　she　saw　nothing。　She　began　to　blink；　and　moved　away　from　the　looking…glass。
“Why　is　it　other　people　see　things　and　I　never　see　anything？”　she　said。　“Come；　you　sit　down；　Sonya；　to…day　you　really　must。　Only　look　for　me　…　I　feel　so　full　of　dread　to…day！”
Sonya　sat　down　to　the　looking…glass；　got　the　correct　position；　and　began　looking。
“You　will　see；　Sonya　Alexandrovna　will　be　sure　to　see　something；”　whispered　Dunyasha；　“you　always　laugh。”
Sonya　heard　these　words；　and　heard　Natasha　say　in　a　whisper：　“Yes；　I　know　she’ll　see　something；　she　saw　something　last　year　too。”　For　three　minutes　all　were　mute。
“Sure　to！”　whispered　Natasha；　and　did　not　finish。…　All　at　once　Sonya　drew　back　from　the　glass　she　was　holding　and　put　her　hand　over　her　eyes。　“O　Natasha！”　she　said。　“Seen　something？　Seen　something？　What　did　you　see？”　cried　Natasha；　supporting　the　looking…glass。　Sonya　had　seen　nothing。　She　was　just　meaning　to　blink　and　to　get　up；　when　she　heard　Natasha’s　voice　say：　“Sure　to！”　…　She　did　not　want　to　deceive　either　Dunyasha　or　Natasha；　and　was　weary　of　sitting　there。　She　did　not　know　herself　how　and　why　that　exclamation　had　broken　from　her　as　she　covered　her　eyes。
“Did　you　see　him？”　asked　Natasha；　clutching　her　by　the　hand。
“Yes。　Wait　a　bit。…　I　…　did　see　him；”　Sonya　could　not　help　saying；　not　yet　sure　whether　by　him　Natasha　meant　Nikolay　or　Andrey。　“Why　not　say　I　saw　something？　Other　people　see　things！　And　who　can　tell　whether　I　have　or　have　not？”　flashed　through　Sonya’s　mind。
“Yes；　I　saw　him；”　she　said。
“How　was　it？　How？　Standing　or　lying　down？”
“No；　I　saw　…　At　first　there　was　nothing；　then　I　saw　him　lying　down。”
“Andrey　lying　down？　Is　he　ill？”　Natasha　asked；　fixing　eyes　of　terror　on　her　friend。
“No；　on　the　contrary—on　the　contrary；　his　face　was　cheerful；　and　he　turned　to　me”；　and　at　the　moment　she　was　saying　this；　it　seemed　to　herself　that　she　really　had　seen　what　she　described。
“Well；　and　then；　Sonya？　…”
“Then　I　could　make　out　more；　something　blue　and　red。…”
“Sonya；　when　will　he　come　back？　When　shall　I　see　him？　My　God！　I　feel　so　frightened　for　him；　and　for　me；　and　frightened　for　everything　…”　cried　Natasha；　and　answering　not　a　word　to　Sonya’s　attempts　to　comfort　her；　she　g