战争与和平(上)-第229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！


nzy；　and　resolved　that　to…morrow；　come　what　might　of　it；　he　would　join　the　army。　The　crowd　ran　after　the　Tsar；　accompanied　him　to　the　palace；　and　began　to　disperse。　It　was　late；　and　Petya　had　had　nothing　to　eat；　and　the　sweat　was　dripping　from　his　face。　But　he　did　not　go　home。　He　remained　with　a　smaller；　though　still　considerable；　crowd　before　the　palace　during　the　Tsar’s　dinner…time。　He　gazed　up　at　the　palace　windows；　expecting　something　to　happen；　and　envying　equally　the　grand　personages　who　drove　up　to　the　entrance　to　dine　with　the　Tsar；　and　the　footmen　waiting　at　table；　of　whom　he　caught　glimpses　at　the　window。
At　the　Tsar’s　dinner；　Valuev　said；　looking　out　of　the　window：
“The　people　are　still　hoping　to　get　a　sight　of　your　majesty。”
The　dinner　was　almost　over；　the　Tsar　got　up；　and　still　munching　a　biscuit；　came　out　on　the　balcony。　The　crowd；　with　Petya　in　the　midst；　rushed　towards　the　balcony。
“Angel；　father！　Hurrah！”　…shouted　the　crowd；　and　with　it　Petya。　And　again　women；　and；　in　a　less　degree　some　men—among　them　Petya—shed　tears　of　happiness。
A　good　sized　piece　of　the　biscuit　in　the　Tsar’s　hand　broke　off；　fell　on　the　balcony　railing；　and　from　the　railing　to　the　ground。　A　coachman　in　a　jerkin；　who　stood　nearest；　pounced　on　the　piece　of　biscuit　and　snatched　it　up。　Several　persons　rushed　at　the　coachman。　Noticing　this　the　Tsar　asked　for　a　plate　of　biscuits；　and　began　dropping　them　from　the　balcony。　Petya’s　eyes　almost　started　out　of　his　head；　the　danger　of　being　crushed　excited　him　more　than　ever；　and　he　rushed　at　the　biscuits。　He　did　not　know　why；　but　he　felt　he　must　have　a　biscuit　from　the　Tsar’s　hands；　and　he　must　not　give　in。　He　made　a　dash　and　upset　an　old　woman；　who　was　just　about　to　seize　a　biscuit。　But　the　old　woman　refused　to　consider　herself　beaten；　though　she　was　on　the　ground；　she　snatched　at　the　biscuits　on　her　hands　and　knees。　Petya　pushed　her　hand　away　with　his　knee；　snatched　up　a　biscuit；　and　as　though　afraid　of　being　late；　hastily　shouted　again；　“Hurrah！”　in　a　hoarse　voice。
The　Tsar　went　in；　and　after　that　the　greater　part　of　the　crowd　dispersed。
“There；　I　said　if　only　we　waited—and　so　it　was；”　was　the　delighted　comment　on　various　sides　in　the　crowd。
Happy　as　Petya　was；　he　felt　sad　to　go　home；　and　to　feel　that　all　the　enjoyment　of　that　day　was　over。　From　the　Kremlin；　Petya　went　not　home；　but　to　his　comrade　Obolensky’s。　He　was　fifteen；　and　he；　too；　was　going　into　the　army。　On　getting　home；　Petya　announced　with　decision　and　firmness　that　if　they　would　not　let　him　do　so　too；　he　would　run　away。　And　next　day；　though　Count　Ilya　Andreitch　had　not　quite　yielded；　he　went　to　inquire　if　a　commission　could　be　obtained　for　Petya　somewhere　where　there　would　be　little　danger。


Chapter　22
ON　THE　MORNING　of　the　15th；　the　next　day　but　one；　a　great　number　of　carriages　stood　outside　the　Slobodsky　palace。
The　great　halls　were　full。　In　the　first　were　the　noblemen　in　their　uniforms；　in　the　second　there　were　merchants　with　medals　and　long　beards；　wearing　blue；　full…skirted　coats。　The　first　room　was　full　of　noise　and　movement。　The　more　important　personages　were　sitting　on　high…backed　chairs　at　a　big　table　under　the　Tsar’s　portrait；　but　the　greater　number　of　the　noblemen　were　walking　about　the　hall。
The　noblemen；　whom　Pierre　saw　every　day　either　at　the　club　or　at　their　houses；　were　all　in　uniforms；　some　in　those　of　Catherine’s　court；　some　in　those　of　the　Emperor　Pavel；　and　some　in　the　new　uniforms　of　Alexander’s　reign；　others　in　the　common　uniforms　of　the　nobility；　and　the　general　character　of　their　dress　gave　a　strange　and　fantastic　look　to　these　old　and　young；　most　diverse　and　familiar　faces。　Particularly　striking　were　the　older　men；　dim…eyed；　toothless；　bald；　and　thin；　with　faces　wrinkled　or　lost　in　yellow　fat。　They　sat　still　for　the　most　part　and　were　silent；　or　if　they　walked　and　talked；　attached　themselves　to　some　one　younger。　Just　like　the　faces　Petya　had　seen　in　the　crowd；　all　these　faces；　in　their　universal　expectation　of　something　solemn；　presented　a　striking　contrast　with　their　everyday；　yesterday’s　aspect；　when　talking　over　their　game　of　boston；　Petrushka　the　cook；　the　health　of　Zinaida　Dmitryevna；　etc。；　etc。
Pierre；　who　had　been　since　early　morning　in　an　uncomfortable　uniform；　that　had　become　too　tight　for　him；　was　in　the　room。　He　was　in　a　state　of　excitement；　this　extraordinary　assembly；　not　only　of　the　nobility；　but　of　the　merchant　class　too—the　estates；　états　généraux—called　up　in　him　a　whole　series　of　ideas　of　the　Contrat　Social　and　the　French　Revolution；　ideas　imprinted　deeply　on　his　soul；　though　they　had　long　been　laid　aside。　The　words　he　had　noticed　in　the　manifesto；　that　the　Tsar　was　coming　to　the　capital　for　deliberation　with　his　people；　confirmed　him　in　this　chain　of　thought。　And　supposing　that　something　of　importance　in　that　direction　was　near　at　hand；　that　what　he　had　long　been　looking　for　was　coming；　he　looked　and　listened　attentively；　but　he　saw　nowhere　any　expression　of　the　ideas　that　engrossed　him。
The　Tsar’s　manifesto　was　read；　and　evoked　enthusiasm；　and　then　all　moved　about；　talking。　Apart　from　their　everyday　interests；　Pierre　heard　discussion　as　to　where　the　marshals　were　to　stand　when　the　Tsar　should　come　in；　when　the　ball　was　to　be　given　for　the　Tsar；　whether　they　were　to　be　divided　according　to　districts　or　the　whole　province　together…　and　so　on。　But　as　soon　as　the　war　and　the　whole　object　of　their　meeting　together　was　touched　upon；　the　talk　was　uncertain　and　hesitating。　Every　one　seemed　to　prefer　listening　to　speaking。
A　manly…looking；　handsome；　middle…aged　man；　wearing　the　uniform　of　a　retired　naval　officer；　was　speaking；　and　a　little　crowd　was　gathered　about　him　in　one　of　the　rooms。　Pierre　went　up　to　the　circle　that　had　formed　round　him；　and　began　to　listen。　Count　Ilya　Andreitch；　in　his　uniform　of　Catherine’s　time；　was　walking　about　with　a　pleasant　smile　among　the　crowd；　with　all　of　whom　he　was　acquainted。　He　too　approached　this　group；　and　began　to　listen　with　a　good…humoured　smile；　as　he　always　did　listen；　nodding　his　head　approvingly　in　token　of　his　agreeing　with　the　speaker。　The　retired　naval　officer　was　speaking　very　boldly　（that　could　be　seen　from　the　expression　on　the　faces　of　the　listeners　and　from　the　fact　that　some　persons；　known　to　Pierre　as　particularly　submissive　and　timid；　drew　back　from　him　in　disapprobation　or　expressed　dissent）。　Pierre　pushed　his　way　into　the　middle　of　the　circle；　listened；　and　gained　the　conviction　that　the　speaker　certainly　was　a　liberal；　but　in　quite　a　different　sense　from　what　Pierre　was　looking　for。　The　naval　officer　spoke　in　the　peculiarly　mellow；　sing…song　baritone　of　a　Russian　nobleman；　with　peculiar　burring　of　the　r’s　and　suppression　of　the　consonants；　in　the　voice　in　which　men　shout：　“Waiter；　pipe！”　and　such　phrases。　He　talked　with　the　habit　of　riotous　living　and　of　authority　in　his　voice。
“What　if　the　Smolensk　people　have　offered　the　Emperor　a　levy　of　militia。　Are　the　Smolensk　people　any　rule　for　us？　If　the　nobility　of　the　Moscow　province　thinks　fit；　it　can　show　its　devotion　to　our　sovereign　the　Emperor　by　other　means。　Have　we　forgotten　the　militia　in　the　year　1807？　It　was　only　the　beggarly　priests’　sons　and　thieves　made　a　good　thing　of　it。…”
Count　Ilya　Andreitch；　smiling　blandly；　nodded　his　head　in　approval。
“And　were　our　militiamen　of　any　service　to　the　state？　Not　the　slightest！　They　only　ruined　our　agriculture。　Even　conscription　is　better。…　As　it　is；　a　man　comes　back　to　you　neither　soldier　nor　peasant；　nothing；　but　only　demoralised。　The　nobility　don’t　grudge　their　lives。　We　will　go　ourselves　to　a　man；　take　recruits；　too；　and　the　Tsar　has　but　to　say　the　word；　and　we　will　all　die　for　him；”　added　the　orator；　warming　up。
Ilya　Andreitch’s　mouth　was　watering　with　satisfaction；　and　he　nudged　Pierre；　but　Pierre　wanted　to　speak　too。　He　moved　forward；　feeling　stirred；　though　he　did　not　yet　know　why　nor　what　he　would　say。　He　was　just　opening　his　mouth　to　speak　when　he　was　interrupted　by　a　perfectly　toothless　senator　with　a　shrewd　and　wrathful　face；　who　was　standing　close　by　the　last　orator。　Evidently　accustomed　to　lead　debates　and　bring　forward　motions；　he　began　speaking　in　a　low　but　audible　voice：
“I　i