战争与和平(上)-第184章

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toptchin　tell　the　commander…in…chief　of　Moscow；　who　had　invited　him　to　dine　on　St。　Nikolay’s　day；　that　he　could　not　accept　his　invitation。
“On　that　day　I　always　go　to　pay　my　devotions　to　the　relics　of　Prince　Nikolay　Andreitch。”
“Oh　yes；　yes…”　assented　the　commander…in…chief。　“How　is　he？…”
The　little　party　assembled　before　dinner　in　the　old…fashioned；　lofty　drawing…room；　with　its　old　furniture；　was　like　the　solemn　meeting　of　some　legal　council　board。
All　sat　silent；　or　if　they　spoke；　spoke　in　subdued　tones。　Prince　Nikolay　Andreitch　came　in；　serious　and　taciturn。　Princess　Marya　seemed　meeker　and　more　timid　than　usual。　The　guests　showed　no　inclination　to　address　their　conversation　to　her；　for　they　saw　that　she　had　no　thought　for　what　they　were　saying。　Count　Rastoptchin　maintained　the　conversation　alone；　relating　the　latest　news　of　the　town　and　the　political　world。　Lopuhin　and　the　old　general　took　part　in　the　conversation　at　rare　intervals。　Prince　Nikolay　Andreitch　listened　like　a　presiding　judge　receiving　a　report　submitted　to　him；　only　testifying　by　his　silence；　or　from　time　to　time　by　a　brief　word；　that　he　was　taking　cognizance　of　the　facts　laid　before　him。
The　tone　of　the　conversation　was　based　on　the　assumption　that　no　one　approved　of　what　was　being　done　in　the　political　world。　Incidents　were　related　obviously　confirming　the　view　that　everything　was　going　from　bad　to　worse。　But　in　every　story　that　was　told；　and　in　every　criticism　that　was　offered；　what　was　striking　was　the　way　that　the　speaker　checked　himself；　or　was　checked；　every　time　the　line　was　reached　where　a　criticism　might　have　reference　to　the　person　of　the　Tsar　himself。
At　dinner　the　conversation　turned　on　the　last　political　news；　Napoleon’s　seizure　of　the　possessions　of　the　Duke　of　Oldenburg；　and　the　Russian　note；　hostile　to　Napoleon；　which　had　been　despatched　to　all　the　European　courts。
“Bonaparte　treats　all　Europe　as　a　pirate　does　a　captured　vessel；”　said　Rastoptchin；　repeating　a　phrase　he　had　uttered　several　times　before。　“One　only　marvels　at　the　long…suffering　or　the　blindness　of　the　ruling　sovereigns。　Now　it’s　the　Pope’s　turn；　and　Bonaparte　doesn’t　scruple　to　try　and　depose　the　head　of　the　Catholic　Church；　and　no　one　says　a　word。　Our　Emperor　alone　has　protested　against　the　seizure　of　the　possessions　of　the　Duke　of　Oldenburg。　And　even…”　Count　Rastoptchin　broke　off；　feeling　that　he　was　on　the　very　border　line　beyond　which　criticism　was　impossible。
“Other　domains　have　been　offered　him　instead　of　the　duchy　of　Oldenburg；”　said　the　old　prince。　“He　shifts　the　dukes　about；　as　I　might　move　my　serfs　from　Bleak　Hills　to　Bogutcharovo　and　the　Ryazan　estates。”
“The　Duke　of　Oldenburg　supports　his　misfortune　with　admirable　force　of　character　and　resignation；”　said　Boris　putting　in　his　word　respectfully。　He　said　this　because　on　his　journey　from　Petersburg　he　had　had　the　honour　of　being　presented　to　the　duke。　The　old　prince　looked　at　the　young　man　as　though　he　would　have　liked　to　say　something　in　reply；　but　changed　his　mind；　considering　him　too　young。
“I　have　read　our　protest　about　the　Oldenburg　affair；　and　I　was　surprised　at　how　badly　composed　the　note　was；”　said　Count　Rastoptchin　in　the　casual　tone　of　a　man　criticising　something　with　which　he　is　very　familiar。
Pierre　looked　at　Rastoptchin　in　na？ve　wonder；　unable　to　understand　why　he　should　be　troubled　by　the　defective　composition　of　the　note。
“Does　it　matter　how　the　note　is　worded；　count；”　he　said；　“if　the　meaning　is　forcible？”
“My　dear　fellow；　with　our　five　hundred　thousand　troops；　it　should　be　easy　to　have　a　good　style；”　said　Count　Rastoptchin。
Pierre　perceived　the　point　of　Count　Rastoptchin’s　dissatisfaction　with　the　wording　of　the　note。
“I　should　have　thought　there　were　scribblers　enough　to　write　it；”　said　the　old　prince。　“Up　in　Petersburg　they　do　nothing　but　write—not　notes　only；　but　new　laws　they　keep　writing。　My　Andryusha　up　there　has　written　a　whole　volume　of　new　laws　for　Russia。　Nowadays　they’re　always　at　it！”　And　he　laughed　an　unnatural　laugh。
The　conversation　paused　for　a　moment；　the　old　general　cleared　his　throat　to　draw　attention。
“Did　you　hear　of　the　last　incident　at　the　review　in　Petersburg？　Didn’t　the　new　French　ambassadors　expose　themselves！”
“Eh？　Yes；　I　did　hear　something；　he　said　something　awkward　in　the　presence　of　his　majesty。”
“His　majesty　drew　his　attention　to　the　grenadier　division　and　the　parade　march；”　pursued　the　general；　“and　it　seems　the　ambassador　took　no　notice　and　had　the　insolence　to　say　‘We　in　France；’　says　he；　‘don’t　pay　attention　to　such　trivial　matters。’　The　emperor　did　not　vouchsafe　him　a　reply。　At　the　review　that　followed　the　emperor；　they　say；　did　not　once　deign　to　address　him。”
Every　one　was　silent；　upon　this　fact　which　related　to　the　Tsar　personally；　no　criticism　could　be　offered。
“Impudent　rogues！”　said　the　old　prince。　“Do　you　know　Metivier？　I　turned　him　out　of　the　house　to…day。　He　was　here；　he　was　allowed　to　come　in；　in　spite　of　my　begging　no　one　should　be　admitted；”　said　the　old　prince；　glancing　angrily　at　his　daughter。　And　he　told　them　his　whole　conversation　with　the　French　doctor　and　his　reasons　for　believing　Metivier　to　be　a　spy。　Though　his　reasons　were　very　insufficient　and　obscure；　no　one　raised　an　objection。
After　the　meat；　champagne　was　handed　round。　The　guests　rose　from　their　places　to　congratulate　the　old　prince。　Princess　Marya　too　went　up　to　him。　He　glanced　at　her　with　a　cold；　spiteful　glance；　and　offered　her　his　shaven；　wrinkled　cheek。　The　whole　expression　of　his　face　told　her　that　their　morning’s　conversation　was　not　forgotten；　that　his　resolution　still　held　good；　and　that　it　was　only　owing　to　the　presence　of　their　visitors　that　he　did　not　tell　her　so　now。
When　they　went　into　the　drawing…room　to　coffee；　the　old　men　sat　together。
Prince　Nikolay　Andreitch　grew　more　animated；　and　began　to　express　his　views　on　the　impending　war。　He　said　that　our　wars　with　Bonaparte　would　be　unsuccessful　so　long　as　we　sought　alliances　with　the　Germans　and　went　meddling　in　European　affairs；　into　which　we　had　been　drawn　by　the　Peace　of　Tilsit。　We　had　no　business　to　fight　for　Austria　or　against　Austria。　Our　political　interests　all　lay　in　the　East；　and　as　regards　Bonaparte；　the　one　thing　was　an　armed　force　on　the　frontier；　and　a　firm　policy；　and　he　would　never　again　dare　to　cross　the　Russian　frontier；　as　he　had　done　in　1807。
“And　how　should　we；　prince；　fight　against　the　French！”　said　Count　Rastoptchin。　“Can　we　arm　ourselves　against　our　teachers　and　divinities？　Look　at　our　young　men；　look　at　our　ladies。　Our　gods　are　the　French；　and　Paris—our　Paradise。”
He　began　talking　more　loudly；　obviously　with　the　intention　of　being　heard　by　every　one。
“Our　fashions　are　French；　our　ideas　are　French；　our　feelings　are　French！　You　have　sent　Metivier　about　his　business　because　he’s　a　Frenchman　and　a　scoundrel；　but　our　ladies　are　crawling　on　their　hands　and　knees　after　him。　Yesterday　I　was　at　an　evening　party；　and　out　of　five　ladies　three　were　Catholics　and　had　a　papal　indulgence　for　embroidering　on　Sundays。　And　they　sitting　all　but　naked；　like　the　sign…boards　of　some　public　bath…house；　if　you’ll　excuse　my　saying　so。　Ah；　when　one　looks　at　our　young　people；　prince；　one　would　like　to　take　Peter　the　Great’s　old　cudgel　out　of　the　museum　and　break　a　few　ribs　in　the　good　old　Russian　style；　to　knock　the　nonsense　out　of　them！”
All　were　silent。　The　old　prince　looked　at　Rastoptchin　with　a　smile　on　his　face　and　shook　his　head　approvingly。
“Well；　good…bye；　your　excellency；　don’t　you　be　ill；”　said　Rastoptchin；　getting　up　with　the　brisk　movements　characteristic　of　him；　and　holding　out　his　hand　to　the　old　prince。
“Good…bye；　my　dear　fellow。　Your　talk　is　a　music　I’m　always　glad　to　listen　to！”　said　the　old　prince；　keeping　hold　of　his　hand　and　offering　him　his　cheek　for　a　kiss。　The　others；　too；　got　up　when　Rastoptchin　did。


Chapter　4
PRINCESS　MARYA；　sitting　in　the　drawing…room；　and　hearing　the　old　men’s　talk　and　criticisms；　did　not　understand　a　word　of　what　she　was　hearing。　She　thought　of　nothing　but　whether　all　their　guests　were　noticing　her　father’s　hostile　attitude　to　her。　She　did　not　even　notice　the　marked　attention　and　amiabili