战争与和平(上)-第197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！


To　tell　Marya　Dmitryevna；　who　had　such　faith　in　Natasha；　seemed　to　Sonya　a　fearful　step　to　take。
“But　one　way　or　another；”　thought　Sonya；　standing　in　the　dark　corridor；　“now　or　never　the　time　has　come　for　me　to　show　that　I　am　mindful　of　all　the　benefits　I　have　received　from　their　family　and　that　I　love　Nikolay。　No；　if　I　have　to　go　three　nights　together　without　sleep；　I　won’t　leave　this　corridor；　and　I　will　prevent　her　passing　by　force；　and　not　let　disgrace　come　upon　their　family；”　she　thought。


Chapter　16
ANATOLE　had　lately　moved　into　Dolohov’s　quarters。　The　plan　for　the　abduction　of　Natasha　Rostov　had　been　all　planned　out　and　prepared　several　days　before　by　Dolohov；　and　on　the　day　when　Sonya　had　listened　at　Natasha’s　door　and　resolved　to　protect　her；　that　plan　was　to　be　put　into　execution。　Natasha　had　promised　to　come　out　to　Kuragin　at　the　back　entrance　at　ten　o’clock　in　the　evening。　Kuragin　was　to　get　her　into　a　sledge　that　was　to　be　all　ready　with　three　horses　in　it；　and　to　drive　her　off　sixty　versts　from　Moscow　to　the　village　of　Kamenka；　where　an　unfrocked　priest　was　in　readiness　to　perform　a　marriage　ceremony　over　them。　At　Kamenka　a　relay　of　horses　was　to　be　in　readiness；　which　was　to　take　them　as　far　as　the　Warsaw　road；　and　thence　they　were　to　hasten　abroad　by　means　of　post…horses。
Anatole　had　a　passport　and　an　order　for　post…horses　and　ten　thousand　roubles　borrowed　from　his　sister；　and　ten　thousand　more　raised　by　the　assistance　of　Dolohov。
The　two　witnesses　of　the　mock　marriage　ceremony—Hvostikov；　once　a　petty　official；　a　man　of　whom　Dolohov　made　use　at　cards；　and　Makarin；　a　retired　hussar；　a　weak　and　good…natured　man；　whose　devotion　to　Kuragin　was　unbounded—were　sitting　over　their　tea　in　the　outer　room。
In　Dolohov’s　big　study；　decorated　from　the　walls　to　the　ceiling　with　Persian　rugs；　bearskins；　and　weapons；　Dolohov　was　sitting　in　a　travelling　tunic　and　high　boots　in　front　of　an　open　bureau　on　which　lay　accounts　and　bundles　of　bank　notes。　Anatole；　in　an　unbuttoned　uniform；　was　walking　to　and　fro　from　the　room　where　the　witnesses　were　sitting　through　the　study　into　a　room　behind；　where　his　French　valet　with　some　other　servants　was　packing　up　the　last　of　his　belongings。　Dolohov　was　reckoning　up　money　and　noting　down　sums。
“Well；”　he　said；　“you　will　have　to　give　Hvostikov　two　thousand。”
“Well；　give　it　him　then；”　said　Anatole。
“Makarka　now”　（their　name　for　Makarin）；　“he　would　go　through　fire　and　water　for　you　with　nothing　to　gain　by　it。　Well；　here　then；　our　accounts　are　finished；”　said　Dolohov；　showing　him　the　paper。　“That’s　all　right？”
“Yes；　of　course；　it’s　all　right；”　said　Anatole；　evidently　not　attending　to　Dolohov；　and　looking　straight　before　him　with　a　smile　that　never　left　his　face。
Dolohov　shut　the　bureau　with　a　slam；　and　turned　to　Anatole　with　a　ironical　smile。
“But　I　say；　you　drop　it　all；　there’s　still　time！”　he　said。
“Idiot！”　said　Anatole。　“Leave　off　talking　rubbish。　If　only　you　knew。…　Devil　only　knows　what　this　means　to　me！”
“You’d　really　better　drop　it；”　said　Dolohov。　“I’m　speaking　in　earnest。　It’s　no　joking　matter　this　scheme　of　yours。”
“Why；　teasing　again；　again？　Go　to　the　devil！　Eh。…”　said　Anatole；　frowning。　“Really；　I’m　in　no　humour　for　your　stupid　jokes。”　And　he　went　out　of　the　room。
Dolohov　smiled　a　contemptuous　and　supercilious　smile　when　Anatole　had　gone。
“Wait　a　bit；”　he　called　after　Anatole。　“I’m　not　joking。　I’m　in　earnest。　Come　here；　come　here！”
Anatole　came　back　into　the　room；　and　trying　to　concentrate　his　attention；　looked　at　Dolohov；　obviously　obeying　him　unwillingly。
“Listen　to　me。　I’m　speaking　to　you　for　the　last　time。　What　should　I　want　to　joke　with　you　for？　Have　I　ever　thwarted　you？　Who　was　it　arranged　it　all　for　you？　Who　found　your　priest？　Who　took　your　passport？　Who　got　you　your　money？　It　has　all　been　my　doing。”
“Well；　and　thank　you　for　it。　Do　you　suppose　I’m　not　grateful？”　Anatole　sighed　and　embraced　Dolohov。
“I　have　helped　you；　but　still　I　ought　to　tell　you　the　truth：　it’s　a　dangerous　business；　and　if　you　come　to　think　of　it；　it’s　stupid。　Come；　you　carry　her　off；　well　and　good。　Do　you　suppose　they’ll　let　it　rest？　It　will　come　out　that　you　are　married。　Why；　they　will　have　you　up　on　a　criminal　charge；　you　know　…”
“Oh；　nonsense；　nonsense！”　said　Anatole；　frowning　again。　“Why；　didn’t　I　explain　to　you？　Eh？”　and　Anatole；　with　that　peculiar　partiality　（common　in　persons　of　dull　brain）；　for　any　conclusion　to　which　they　have　been　led　by　their　own　mental　processes；　repeated　the　argument　he　had　repeated　a　hundred　times　over　to　Dolohov　already。　“Why；　I　explained　it；　I　settled　that。　If　this　marriage　is　invalid；”　he　said；　crooking　his　finger；　“then　it　follows　I’m　not　answerable　for　it。　Well；　and　if　it　is　valid；　it　won’t　matter。　No　one　will　ever　know　of　it　abroad；　so；　you　see；　it’s　all　right；　isn’t　it？　And　don’t　talk　to　me；　don’t　talk　to　me；　don’t　talk　to　me！”
“Really；　you　drop　it。　You’ll　get　yourself　into　a　mess　…”
“You　go　to　the　devil！”　said　Anatole；　and　clutching　at　his　hair　he　went　off　into　the　next　room；　but　at　once　returning　he　sat　with　his　legs　up　on　an　arm…chair　close　to　Dolohov　and　facing　him。　“Devil　only　knows　what’s　the　matter　with　me！　Eh？　See　how　it　beats。”　He　took　Dolohov’s　hand　and　put　it　on　his　heart。　“Ah；　what　a　foot；　my　dear　boy；　what　a　glance！　A　goddess！”　he　said　in　French。　“Eh？”
Dolohov；　with　a　cold　smile　and　a　gleam　in　his　handsome　impudent　eyes；　looked　at　him；　obviously　disposed　to　get　a　little　more　amusement　out　of　him。
“Well；　your　money　will　be　gone；　what　then？”
“What　then？　Eh？”　repeated　Anatole；　with　genuine　perplexity　at　the　thought　of　the　future。　“What　then？　I　don’t　know　what　then　…　Come；　why　talk　nonsense？”　He　looked　at　his　watch。　“It’s　time！”
Anatole　went　into　the　back　room。
“Well；　will　you　soon　have　done？　You’re　dawdling　there；”　he　shouted　at　the　servants。
Dolohov　put　away　the　money；　and　calling　a　servant　to　give　him　orders　about　getting　something　to　eat　and　drink　before　the　journey；　he　went　into　the　room　where　Hvostikov　and　Makarin　were　sitting。
Anatole　lay　down　on　the　sofa　in　the　study；　and；　propped　on　his　elbows；　smiled　pensively　and　murmured　something　fervently　to　himself。
“Come　and　have　something　to　eat。　Here；　have　a　drink！”　Dolohov　shouted　to　him　from　the　other　room。
“I　don’t　want　to；”　answered　Anatole；　still　smiling。
“Come；　Balaga　is　here。”
Anatole　got　up；　and　went　into　the　dining…room。　Balaga　was　a　well…known　driver；　who　had　known　Dolohov　and　Anatole　for　the　last　six　years；　and　driven　them　in　his　three…horse　sledges。　More　than　once；　when　Anatole’s　regiment　had　been　stationed　at　Tver；　he　had　driven　him　out　of　Tver　in　the　evening；　reached　Moscow　by　dawn；　and　driven　him　back　the　next　night。　More　than　once　he　had　driven　Dolohov　safe　away　when　he　was　being　pursued。　Many　a　time　he　had　driven　them　about　the　town　with　gypsies　and　“gay　ladies；”　as　he　called　them。　More　than　one　horse　had　he　ruined　in　driving　them。　More　than　once　he　had　driven　over　people　and　upset　vehicles　in　Moscow；　and　always　his　“gentlemen；”　as　he　called　them；　had　got　him　out　of　trouble。　Many　a　time　had　they　beaten　him；　many　a　time　made　him　drunk　with　champagne　and　madeira；　a　wine　he　loved；　and　more　than　one　exploit　he　knew　of　each　of　them；　which　would　long　ago　have　sent　any　ordinary　man　to　Siberia。　They　often　called　Balaga　in　to　their　carousals；　made　him　drink　and　dance　with　the　gypsies；　and　many　a　thousand　roubles　of　their　money　had　passed　through　his　hands。　In　their　service；　twenty　times　a　year；　he　risked　his　life　and　his　skin；　and　wore　out　more　horses　than　they　repaid　him　for　in　money。　But　he　liked　them；　liked　their　furious　driving；　eighteen　versts　an　hour；　liked　upsetting　coachmen；　and　running　down　people　on　foot　in　Moscow；　and　always　flew　full　gallop　along　the　Moscow　streets。　He　liked　to　hear　behind　him　the　wild　shout　of　drunken　voices；　“Get　on；　get　on！”　when　it　was　impossible　to　drive　faster；　liked　to　give　a　lash　on　the　neck　to　a　passing　peasant　who　was　already　hastening　out　of　his　way　more　dead　than　alive。　“Real　gentlemen！”　he　thought。
Anatole　and　Dolohov　liked　Balaga；　too；　for　his　spirited　driving；　and　because　he　liked　the　same　things　that　they　l