战争与和平(上)-第226章

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；　and　the　last　news　from　the　army。　On　going　to　Count　Rastoptchin’s　in　the　morning；　Pierre　found　there　a　special　courier；　who　had　only　just　arrived　from　the　army。　The　courier　was　a　man　whom　Pierre　knew；　and　often　saw　at　the　Moscow　balls。
“For　mercy’s　sake；　couldn’t　you　relieve　me　of　some　of　my　burden；”　said　the　courier；　“I　have　a　sack　full　of　letters　to　parents。”
Among　these　letters　was　a　letter　from　Nikolay　Rostov　to　his　father。　Pierre　took　that；　and　Count　Rastoptchin　gave　him　a　copy　of　the　Tsar’s　appeal　to　Moscow；　which　had　just　been　printed；　the　last　announcements　in　the　army；　and　his　own　last　placard。　Looking　through　the　army　announcements；　Pierre　found　in　one　of　them；　among　lists　of　wounded；　killed　and　promoted；　the　name　of　Nikolay　Rostov；　rewarded　with　the　order　of　St。　George；　of　the　fourth　degree；　for　distinguished　bravery　in　the　Ostrovna　affair；　and　in　the　same　announcement　the　appointment　of　Prince　Andrey　Bolkonsky　to　the　command　of　a　regiment　of　light　cavalry。　Though　he　did　not　want　to　remind　the　Rostovs　of　Bolkonsky’s　existence；　Pierre　could　not　resist　the　inclination　to　rejoice　their　hearts　with　the　news　of　their　son’s　decoration。　Keeping　the　Tsar’s　appeal；　Rastoptchin’s　placard；　and　the　other　announcement　to　bring　with　him　at　dinner…time；　Pierre　sent　the　printed　announcement　and　Nikolay’s　letter　to　the　Rostovs。
The　conversation　with　Rastoptchin；　and　his　tone　of　anxiety　and　hurry；　the　meeting　with　the　courier；　who　had　casually　alluded　to　the　disastrous　state　of　affairs　in　the　army；　the　rumours　of　spies　being　caught　in　Moscow；　of　a　sheet　circulating　in　the　town　stating　that　Napoleon　had　sworn　to　be　in　both　capitals　before　autumn；　of　the　Tsar’s　expected　arrival　next　day—all　combined　to　revive　in　Pierre　with　fresh　intensity　that　feeling　of　excitement　and　expectation；　that　he　had　been　conscious　of　ever　since　the　appearance　of　the　comet；　and　with　even　greater　force　since　the　beginning　of　the　war。
The　idea　of　entering　the　army　had　long　before　occurred　to　Pierre；　and　he　would　have　acted　upon　it；　but　that；　in　the　first　place；　he　was　pledged　by　his　vow　to　the　Masonic　brotherhood；　which　preached　universal　peace　and　the　abolition　of　war；　and　secondly；　when　he　looked　at　the　great　mass　of　Moscow　gentlemen；　who　put　on　uniforms；　and　professed　themselves　patriots；　he　felt　somehow　ashamed　to　take　the　same　step。　A　cause　that　weighed　with　him　even　more　in　not　entering　the　army　was　the　obscure　conception　that　he；　l’russe　Besuhof；　had　somehow　the　mystic　value　of　the　number　of　the　beast；　666；　that　his　share　in　putting　a　limit　to　the　power　of　the　beast；　“speaking　great　things　and　blasphemies；”　had　been　ordained　from　all　eternity；　and　that　therefore　it　was　not　for　him　to　take　any　step　whatever；　it　was　for　him　to　wait　for　what　was　bound　to　come　to　pass。


Chapter　20
A　FEW　INTIMATE　FRIENDS　were；　as　usual　on　Sundays；　dining　with　the　Rostovs。
Pierre　came　early；　hoping　to　find　them　alone。
Pierre　had　that　year　grown　so　stout；　that　he　would　have　been　grotesque；　had　not　he　been　so　tall；　so　broad…shouldered；　and　so　powerfully　built　that　he　carried　off　his　bulky　proportions　with　evident　ease。
Puffing；　and　muttering　something　to　himself；　he　went　up　the　stairs。　His　coachman　did　not　even　ask　whether　he　should　wait。　He　knew　that　when　the　count　was　at　the　Rostovs’；　it　was　till　midnight。　The　Rostovs’　footmen　ran　with　eager　welcome　to　take　off　his　cloak；　and　take　his　stick　and　hat。　From　the　habit　of　the　club；　Pierre　always　left　his　stick　and　hat　in　the　vestibule。
The　first　person　he　saw　at　the　Rostovs’　was　Natasha。　Before　he　saw　her；　while　taking　off　his　cloak；　he　heard　her。　She　was　practising　her　solfa　exercises　in　the　hall。　He　knew　she　had　given　up　singing　since　her　illness；　and　so　he　was　surprised　and　delighted　at　the　sound　of　her　voice。　He　opened　the　door　softly；　and　saw　Natasha；　in　the　lilac　dress　she　had　worn　at　the　service；　walking　up　and　down　the　room　singing。　She　had　her　back　turned　to　him　as　he　opened　the　door；　but　when　she　turned　sharply　round　and　saw　his　broad；　surprised　face；　she　flushed　and　ran　quickly　up　to　him。
“I　want　to　try　and　sing　again；”　she　said。　“It’s　something　to　do；　any　way；”　she　added　as　though　in　excuse。
“Quite　right　too！”
“How　glad　I　am　you　have　come！　I’m　so　happy　to…day；”　she　said　with　the　old　eagerness　that　Pierre　had　not　seen　for　so　long。　“You　know；　Nikolenka　has　got　the　St。　George’s　Cross。　I’m　so　proud　of　him。”
“Of　course；　I　sent　you　the　announcement。　Well；　I　won’t　interrupt　you；”　he　added；　and　would　have　gone　on　to　the　drawing…room。
Natasha　stopped　him。
“Count；　is　it　wrong　of　me　to　sing？”　she　said；　blushing；　but　still　keeping　her　eyes　fixed　inquiringly　on　Pierre。
“No。…　Why　should　it　be？　On　the　contrary。…　But　why　do　you　ask　me？”
“I　don’t　know　myself；”　Natasha　answered　quickly；　“but　I　shouldn’t　like　to　do　anything　you　wouldn’t　like。　I　trust　you　in　everything。　You　don’t　know　how　much　you　are　to　me；　and　what　a　great　deal　you　have　done　for　me！”　…She　spoke　quickly；　and　did　not　notice　how　Pierre　flushed　at　these　words。　“I　saw　in　that　announcement；　he；　Bolkonsky”　（she　uttered　the　word　in　a　rapid　whisper）；　“he　is　in　Russia；　and　in　the　army　again。　What　do　you　think；”　she　said　hurriedly；　evidently　in　haste　to　speak　because　she　was　afraid　her　strength　would　fail　her；　“will　he　ever　forgive　me？　Will　he　not　always　have　an　evil　feeling　for　me？　What　do　you　think？　What　do　you　think？”
“I　think…”　said　Pierre。　“He　has　nothing　to　forgive…　If　I　were　in　his　place…”　From　association　of　ideas；　Pierre　was　instantly　carried　back　in　imagination　to　the　time　when　he　had　comforted　her　by　saying　that　if　he　were　not　himself；　but　the　best　man　in　the　world　and　free；　he　would　beg　on　his　knees　for　her　hand；　and　the　same　feeling　of　pity；　tenderness；　and　love　took　possession　of　him；　and　the　same　words　rose　to　his　lips。　But　she　did　not　give　him　time　to　utter　them。
“Yes；　you—you；”　she　said；　uttering　that　word　you　with　enthusiasm；　“that’s　a　different　matter。　Any　one　kinder；　more　generous　than　you；　I　have　never　known—no　one　could　be。　If　it　had　not　been　for　you　then；　and　now　too…　I　don’t　know　what　would　have　become　of　me；　because…”　Tears　suddenly　came　into　her　eyes：　she　turned　away；　held　her　music　before　her　eyes；　and　began　again　singing　and　walking　up　and　down　the　room。
At　that　moment　Petya　ran　in　from　the　drawing…room。
Petya　was　by　now　a　handsome；　rosy　lad　of　fifteen；　with　full　red　lips；　very　like　Natasha。　He　was　being　prepared　for　the　university；　but　had　lately　resolved　in　secret　with　his　comrade；　Obolensky；　to　go　into　the　hussars。
Petya　rushed　up　to　his　namesake；　Pierre；　to　talk　to　him　of　this　scheme。
He　had　begged　him　to　find　out　whether　he　would　be　accepted　in　the　hussars。
Pierre　walked　about　the　drawing…room；　not　heeding　Petya。
The　boy　pulled　him　by　the　arm　to　attract　his　attention。
“Come；　tell　me　about　my　plan；　Pyotr　Kirillitch；　for　mercy’s　sake！　You’re　my　only　hope；”　said　Petya。
“Oh　yes；　your　plan。　To　be　an　hussar？　I’ll　speak　about　it；　to…day　I’ll　tell　them　all　about　it。”
“Well；　my　dear　fellow；　have　you　got　the　manifesto？”　asked　the　old　count。　“My　little　countess　was　at　the　service　in　the　Razumovskys’　chapel；　she　heard　the　new　prayer　there。　Very　fine　it　was；　she　tells　me。”
“Yes；　I　have　got　it；”　answered　Pierre。　“The　Tsar　will　be　here　tomorrow。…　There’s　to　be　an　extraordinary　meeting　of　the　nobility　and　a　levy　they　say　of　ten　per　thousand。　Oh；　I　congratulate　you。”
“Yes；　yes；　thank　God。　Well；　and　what　news　from　the　army？”
“Our　soldiers　have　retreated　again。　They　are　before　Smolensk；　they　say；”　answered　Pierre。
“Mercy　on　us；　mercy　on　us！”　said　the　count。　“Where’s　the　manifesto？”
“The　Tsar’s　appeal？　Ah；　yes！”　Pierre　began　looking　for　the　papers　in　his　pockets；　and　could　not　find　them。　Still　slapping　his　pockets；　he　kissed　the　countess’s　hand　as　she　came　in；　and　looked　round　uneasily；　evidently　expecting　Natasha；　who　had　left　off　singing　now；　but　had　not　come　into　the　drawing…room。　“Good　Heavens；　I　don’t　know　where　I　have　put　it；”　he　said。
“To　be　sure；　he　always　mislays　everything；”　said　the　countess。
Natasha　came　in　with　a　softened　and　agitated　face　and　sat　down；　looking　mutely　at　Pierre。　As　soon　as　she　came　into　the　room；