战争与和平(上)-第212章

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ized　so　highly。　He　could　not　now　think　the　thoughts　that　had　come　to　him　for　the　first　time　on　the　field　of　Austerlitz；　that　he　had　loved　to　develop　with　Pierre；　and　that　had　enriched　his　solitude　at　Bogutcharovo；　and　later　on　in　Switzerland　and　in　Rome。　Now　he　dreaded　indeed　those　ideas　that　had　then　opened　to　him　boundless　vistas　of　light。　Now　he　was　occupied　only　with　the　most　practical　interests　lying　close　at　hand；　and　in　no　way　associated　with　those　old　ideals。　He　clutched　at　these　new　interests　the　more　eagerly　the　more　the　old　ideals　were　hidden　from　him。　It　was　as　though　the　infinite；　fathomless　arch　of　heaven　that　had　once　stood　over　him　had　been　suddenly　transformed　into　a　low；　limited　vault　weighing　upon　him；　with　everything　in　it　clear；　but　nothing　eternal　and　mysterious。
Of　the　pursuits　that　presented　themselves；　military　service　was　the　simplest　and　the　most　familiar　to　him。　He　performed　the　duties　of　a　general　on　duty　on　Kutuzov’s　staff　with　zeal　and　perseverance；　surprising　Kutuzov　by　his　eagerness　for　work　and　his　conscientiousness。　When　he　missed　Kuragin　in　Turkey；　Prince　Andrey　did　not　feel　it　necessary　to　gallop　back　to　Russia　in　search　of　him。　Yet　in　spite　of　all　his　contempt　for　Kuragin；　in　spite　of　all　the　arguments　by　which　he　sought　to　persuade　himself　that　Kuragin　was　not　worth　his　stooping　to　quarrel　with　him；　he　knew　that　whatever　length　of　time　might　elapse；　when　he　did　meet　him；　he　would　be　unable　to　help　challenging　him　as　a　starving　man　cannot　help　rushing　upon　food。　And　the　consciousness　that　the　insult　was　not　yet　avenged；　that　his　wrath　had　not　been　expended；　but　was　still　stored　up　in　his　heart；　poisoned　the　artificial　composure；　which　Prince　Andrey　succeeded　in　obtaining　in　Turkey　in　the　guise　of　studiously　busy　and　somewhat　ambitious　and　vain　energy。
In　1812；　when　the　news　of　the　war　with　Napoleon　reached　Bucharest　（where　Kutuzov　had　been　fourteen　months；　spending　days　and　nights　together　with　his　Wallachian　mistress）；　Prince　Andrey　asked　to　be　transferred　to　the　western　army。　Kutuzov；　who　was　by　now　sick　of　Bolkonsky’s　energy；　and　felt　it　a　standing　reproach　to　his　sloth；　was　very　ready　to　let　him　go；　and　gave　him　a　commission　for　Barclay　de　Tolly。
Before　joining　the　army　of　the　west；　which　was　in　May　encamped　at　Drissa；　Prince　Andrey　went　to　Bleak　Hills；　which　was　directly　in　his　road；　only　three　versts　from　the　Smolensk　high…road。　The　last　three　years　of　Prince　Andrey’s　life　had　been　so　full　of　vicissitudes；　he　had　passed　through　such　changes　of　thought　and　feeling；　and　seen　such　varied　life　（he　had　travelled　both　in　the　east　and　the　west）；　that　it　struck　him　as　strange　and　amazing　to　find　at　Bleak　Hills　life　going　on　in　precisely　the　same　routine　as　ever。　He　rode　up　the　avenue　to　the　stone　gates　of　the　house；　feeling　as　though　it　were　the　enchanted；　sleeping　castle。　The　same　sedateness；　the　same　cleanliness；　the　same　silence　reigned　in　the　house；　there　was　the　same　furniture；　the　same　walls；　the　same　sounds；　the　same　smell；　and　the　same　timid　faces；　only　a　little　older。　Princess　Marya　was　just　the　same　timid；　plain　girl；　no　longer　in　her　first　youth；　wasting　the　best　years　of　her　life　in　continual　dread　and　suffering；　and　getting　no　benefit　or　happiness　out　of　her　existence。　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　was　just　the　same　self…satisfied；　coquettish　girl；　enjoying　every　moment　of　her　life；　and　filled　with　the　most　joyous　hopes　for　the　future。　She　seemed　only　to　have　gained　boldness；　so　Prince　Andrey　thought。　The　tutor　he　had　brought　back　from　Switzerland；　Dessalle；　was　wearing　a　coat　of　Russian　cut；　and　talked　broken　Russian　to　the　servants；　but　he　was　just　the　same　narrow…minded；　cultivated；　conscientious；　pedantic　preceptor。　The　only　physical　change　apparent　in　the　old　prince　was　the　loss　of　a　tooth；　that　left　a　gap　at　the　side　of　his　mouth。　In　character　he　was　the　same　as　ever；　only　showing　even　more　irritability　and　scepticism　as　to　everything　that　happened　in　the　world。　Nikolushka　was　the　only　one　who　had　changed：　he　had　grown　taller；　and　rosy；　and　had　curly　dark　hair。　When　he　was　merry　and　laughing；　he　unconsciously　lifted　the　upper　lip　of　his　pretty　little　mouth；　just　as　his　dead　mother；　the　little　princess；　used　to　do。　He　was　the　only　one　not　in　bondage　to　the　law　of　sameness　that　reigned　in　that　spellbound　sleeping　castle。　But　though　externally　all　was　exactly　as　of　old；　the　inner　relations　of　all　the　persons　concerned　had　changed　since　Prince　Andrey　had　seen　them　last。　The　household　was　split　up　into　two　hostile　camps；　which　held　aloof　from　one　another；　and　only　now　came　together　in　his　presence；　abandoning　their　ordinary　habits　on　his　account。　To　one　camp　belonged　the　old　prince；　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　and　the　architect；　to　the　other—Princess　Marya；　Dessalle；　Nikolushka；　and　all　the　nurses。
During　his　stay　at　Bleak　Hills　all　the　family　dined　together；　but　every　one　was　ill　at　ease；　and　Prince　Andrey　felt　that　he　was　being　treated　as　a　guest　for　whom　an　exception　was　being　made；　and　that　his　presence　made　all　of　them　feel　awkward。　The　first　day　Prince　Andrey　could　not　help　being　aware　of　this　at　dinner；　and　sat　in　silence。　The　old　prince　noticed　his　unnatural　dumbness；　and　he；　too；　preserved　a　sullen　silence；　and　immediately　after　dinner　withdrew　to　his　own　room。　Later　in　the　evening　when　Prince　Andrey　went　in　to　him；　and　began　telling　him　about　the　campaign　of　the　young　Prince　Kamensky　to　try　and　rouse　him；　the　old　prince；　to　his　surprise；　began　talking　about　Princess　Marya；　grumbling　at　her　superstitiousness；　and　her　dislike　of　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　who　was；　he　said；　the　only　person　really　attached　to　him。
The　old　prince　declared　that　it　was　all　Princess　Marya’s　doing　if　he　were　ill；　that　she　plagued　and　worried　him　on　purpose；　and　that　she　was　spoiling　little　Prince　Nikolay　by　the　way　she　petted　him；　and　the　silly　tales　she　told　him。　The　old　prince　knew　very　well　that　he　tormented　his　daughter；　and　that　her　life　was　a　very　hard　one。　But　he　knew；　too；　that　he　could　not　help　tormenting　her；　and　considered　that　she　deserved　it。　“Why　is　it　Andrey；　who　sees　it；　says　nothing　about　his　sister？”　the　old　prince　wondered。　“Why；　does　he　suppose　I’m　a　scoundrel　or　an　old　fool　to　be　alienated　from　my　daughter　and　friendly　with　this　Frenchwoman　for　no　good　reason？　He　doesn’t　understand；　and　so　I　must　explain　it　to　him；　he　must　hear　what　I　have　to　say　about　it；”　thought　the　old　prince；　and　so　he　began　to　explain　the　reason　why　he　could　not　put　up　with　his　daughter’s　unreasonable　character。
“If　you　ask　me；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　not　looking　at　his　father　（it　was　the　first　time　in　his　life　that　he　had　blamed　his　father）；　“I　did　not　wish　to　speak　of　it—but；　if　you　ask　me；　I’ll　tell　you　my　opinion　frankly　in　regard　to　the　whole　matter。　If　there　is　any　misunderstanding　and　estrangement　between　you　and　Masha；　I　can’t　blame　her　for　it—I　know　how　she　loves　and　respects　you。　If　you　ask　me；”　Prince　Andrey　continued；　losing　his　temper；　as　he　very　readily　did　in　these　latter　days；　“I　can　only　say　one　thing；　if　there　are　misunderstandings；　the　cause　of　them　is　that　worthless　woman；　who　is　not　fit　to　be　my　sister’s　companion。”
The　old　man　stared　for　a　moment　at　his　son；　and　a　forced　smile　revealed　the　loss　of　a　tooth；　to　which　Prince　Andrey　could　not　get　accustomed；　in　his　face。
“What　companion；　my　dear　fellow？　Eh！　So　you’ve　talked　it　over　already！　Eh？”
“Father；　I　had　no　wish　to　judge　you；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　in　a　hard　and　spiteful　tone；　“but　you　have　provoked　me；　and　I　have　said；　and　shall　always　say；　that　Marie　is　not　to　blame；　but　the　people　to　blame—the　person　to　blame—is　that　Frenchwoman　…”
“Ah；　he　has　passed　judgment！　…　he　has　passed　judgment！”　said　the　old　man；　in　a　low　voice；　and　Prince　Andrey　fancied；　with　embarrassment。　But　immediately　after　he　leapt　up　and　screamed；　“Go　away；　go　away！　Let　me　never　set　eyes　on　you　again！　…”
Prince　Andrey　would　have　set　off　at　once；　but　Princess　Marya　begged　him　to　stay　one　day　more。　During　that　day　Prince　Andrey　did　not　see　his　father；　who　never　left　his　room；　and　admitted　no　one　to　see　him　but　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　and　Tihon；　from　which　he　inquired　several　times　whether　his　son　had　gone。　The　following　day　before　startin