战争与和平(上)-第23章

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The　princess；　with　her　spare；　upright　figure；　so　disproportionately　long　in　the　body；　looked　straight　at　the　prince　with　no　sign　of　emotion　in　her　prominent　grey　eyes。　She　shook　her　head；　and　sighing　looked　towards　the　holy　pictures。　Her　gesture　might　have　been　interpreted　as　an　expression　of　grief　and　devotion；　or　as　an　expression　of　weariness　and　the　hope　of　a　speedy　release。　Prince　Vassily　took　it　as　an　expression　of　weariness。
“And　do　you　suppose　it’s　any　easier　for　me？”　he　said。　“I　am　as　worn　out　as　a　post　horse。　I　must　have　a　little　talk　with　you；　Katish；　and　a　very　serious　one。”
Prince　Vassily　paused。　and　his　cheeks　began　twitching　nervously；　first　on　one　side；　then　on　the　other；　giving　his　face　an　unpleasant　expression　such　as　was　never　seen　on　his　countenance　when　he　was　in　drawing…rooms。　His　eyes；　too；　were　different　from　usual：　at　one　moment　they　stared　with　a　sort　of　insolent　jocoseness；　at　the　next　they　looked　round　furtively。
The　princess；　pulling　her　dog　on　her　lap　with　her　thin；　dry　hands；　gazed　intently　at　the　eyes　of　Prince　Vassily；　but　it　was　evident　that　she　would　not　break　the　silence；　if　she　had　to　sit　silent　till　morning。
“You　see；　my　dear　princess　and　cousin；　Katerina　Semyonovna；”　pursued　Prince　Vassily；　obviously　with　some　inner　conflict　bracing　himself　to　go　on　with　what　he　wanted　to　say；　“at　such　moments　as　the　present；　one　has　to　think　of　everything。　One　must　think　of　the　future；　of　you　…　I　care　for　all　of　you　as　if　you　were　my　own　children；　you　know　that。”
The　princess　looked　at　him　with　the　same　dull　immovable　gaze。
“Finally；　we　have　to　think　of　my　family　too；”　continued　Prince　Vassily；　angrily　pushing　away　a　little　table　and　not　looking　at　her：　“you　know；　Katish；　that　you　three　Mamontov　sisters　and　my　wife；—we　are　the　only　direct　heirs　of　the　count。　I　know；　I　know　how　painful　it　is　for　you　to　speak　and　think　of　such　things。　And　it’s　as　hard　for　me；　but；　my　dear；　I　am　a　man　over　fifty；　I　must　be　ready　for　anything。　Do　you　know　that　I　have　sent　for　Pierre；　and　that　the　count；　pointing　straight　at　his　portrait；　has　asked　for　him？”
Prince　Vassily　looked　inquiringly　at　the　princess；　but　he　could　not　make　out　whether　she　was　considering　what　he　had　said；　or　was　simply　staring　at　him。
“I　pray　to　God　for　one　thing　only　continually；　mon　cousin；”　she　replied；　“that　He　may　have　mercy　upon　him；　and　allow　his　noble　soul　to　leave　this　…”
“Yes；　quite　so；”　Prince　Vassily　continued　impatiently；　rubbing　his　bald　head　and　again　wrathfully　moving　the　table　towards　him　that　he　had　just　moved　away；　“but　in　fact　…　in　fact　the　point　is；　as　you　are　yourself　aware；　that　last　winter　the　count　made　a　will　by　which；　passing　over　his　direct　heirs　and　us；　he　bequeathed　all　his　property　to　Pierre。”
“He　may　have　made　ever　so　many　wills！”　the　princess　said　placidly；　“but　he　can’t　leave　it　to　Pierre。　Pierre　is　illegitimate。”
“Ma　chère；”　said　Prince　Vassily　suddenly；　pushing　the　table　against　him；　growing　more　earnest　and　beginning　to　speak　more　rapidly：　“but　what　if　a　letter　has　been　written　to　the　Emperor；　and　the　count　has　petitioned　him　to　legitimise　Pierre？　You　understand；　that　the　count’s　services　would　make　his　petition　carry　weight　…”
The　princess　smiled；　as　people　smile　who　believe　that　they　know　much　more　about　the　subject　than　those　with　whom　they　are　talking。
“I　can　say　more；”　Prince　Vassily　went　on；　clasping　her　hand；　“that　letter　has　been　written；　though　it　has　not　been　sent　off；　and　the　Emperor　has　heard　about　it。　The　question　only　is　whether　it　has　been　destroyed　or　not。　If　not；　as　soon　as　all　is　over；”　Prince　Vassily　sighed；　giving　her　thereby　to　understand　what　he　meant　precisely　by　the　words　“all　is　over；”　“and　they　open　the　count’s　papers；　the　will　with　the　letter　will　be　given　to　the　Emperor；　and　his　petition　will　certainly　be　granted。　Pierre；　as　the　legitimate　son；　will　receive　everything。”
“What　about　our　share？”　the　princess　inquired；　smiling　ironically　as　though　anything　but　that　might　happen。
“Why；　my　poor　Katish；　it　is　as　clear　as　daylight。　He　will　then　be　the　only　legal　heir　of　all；　and　you　won’t　receive　as　much　as　this；　see。　You　ought　to　know；　my　dear；　whether　the　will　and　the　petition　were　written；　and　whether　they　have　been　destroyed；　and　if　they　have　somehow　been　overlooked；　then　you　ought　to　know　where　they　are　and　to　find　them；　because　…”
“That　would　be　rather　too　much！”　the　princess　interrupted　him；　smiling　sardonically；　with　no　change　in　the　expression　of　her　eyes。　“I　am　a　woman；　and　you　think　we　are　all　silly；　but　I　do　know　so　much；　that　an　illegitimate　son　can’t　inherit　…　Un　batard；”　she　added；　supposing　that　by　this　translation　of　the　word　she　was　conclusively　proving　to　the　prince　the　groundlessness　of　his　contention。
“How　can　you　not　understand；　Katish；　really！　You　are　so　intelligent；　how　is　it　you　don’t　understand　that　if　the　count　has　written　a　letter　to　the　Emperor；　begging　him　to　recognise　his　son　as　legitimate；　then　Pierre　will　not　be　Pierre　but　Count　Bezuhov；　and　then　he　will　inherit　everything　under　the　will？　And　if　the　will　and　the　letter　have　not　been　destroyed；　then　except　the　consolation　of　having　been　dutiful　and　of　all　that　results　from　having　done　your　duty；　nothing　is　left　for　you。　That’s　the　fact。”
“I　know　that　the　will　was　made；　but　I　know；　too；　that　it　is　invalid；　and　you　seem　to　take　me　for　a　perfect　fool；　mon　cousin；”　said　the　princess；　with　the　air　with　which　women　speak　when　they　imagine　they　are　saying　something　witty　and　biting。
“My　dear　princess；　Katerina　Semyonovna！”　Prince　Vassily　began　impatiently；　“I　have　come　to　you　not　to　provoke　you；　but　to　talk　to　you　as　a　kinswoman；　a　good；　kind…hearted；　true　kinswoman；　of　your　own　interests。　I　tell　you　for　the　tenth　time　that　if　the　letter　to　the　Emperor　and　the　will　in　Pierre’s　favour　are　among　the　count’s　papers；　you；　my　dear　girl；　and　your　sisters　are　not　heiresses。　If　you　don’t　believe　me；　believe　people　who　know；　I　have　just　been　talking　to　Dmitry　Onufritch”　（this　was　the　family　solicitor）；　“he　said　the　same。”
There　was　obviously　some　sudden　change　in　the　princess’s　ideas；　her　thin　lips　turned　white　（her　eyes　did　not　change）；　and　when　she　began　to　speak；　her　voice　passed　through　transitions；　which　she　clearly　did　not　herself　anticipate。
“That　would　be　a　pretty　thing；”　she　said。　“I　wanted　nothing；　and　I　want　nothing。”　She　flung　her　dog　off　her　lap　and　smoothed　out　the　folds　of　her　skirt。
“That’s　the　gratitude；　that’s　the　recognition　people　get　who　have　sacrificed　everything　for　him；”　she　said。　“Very　nice！　Excellent！　I　don’t　want　anything；　prince。”
“Yes；　but　you　are　not　alone；　you　have　sisters；”　answered　Prince　Vassily。　But　the　princess　did　not　heed　him。
“Yes；　I　knew　it　long　ago；　but　I’d　forgotten　that　I　could　expect　nothing　in　this　house　but　baseness；　deceit；　envy；　scheming；　nothing　but　ingratitude；　the　blackest　ingratitude　…”
“Do　you　or　do　you　not　know　where　that　will　is？”　asked　Prince　Vassily；　the　twitching　of　his　cheeks　more　marked　than　ever。
“Yes；　I　have　been　foolish；　I　still　kept　faith　in　people；　and　cared　for　them　and　sacrificed　myself。　But　no　one　succeeds　except　those　who　are　base　and　vile。　I　know　whose　plotting　this　is。”
The　princess　would　have　risen；　but　the　prince　held　her　by　the　arm。　The　princess　had　the　air　of　a　person　who　has　suddenly　lost　faith　in　the　whole　human　race。　She　looked　viciously　at　her　companion。
“There　is　still　time；　my　dear。　Remember；　Katish；　that　all　this　was　done　heedlessly；　in　a　moment　of　anger；　of　illness；　and　then　forgotten。　Our　duty；　my　dear　girl；　is　to　correct　his　mistake；　to　soften　his　last　moments　by　not　letting　him　commit　this　injustice；　not　letting　him　die　with　the　thought　that　he　has　made　miserable　those　…”
“Those　who　have　sacrificed　everything　for　him；”　the　princess　caught　him　up；　and　she　made　an　impulsive　effort　again　to　stand　up；　but　the　prince　would　not　let　her；　“a　sacrifice　he　has　never　known　how　to　appreciate。　No；　mon　cousin；”　she　added；　with　a　sigh；　“I　will　remember　that　one　can　expect　no　reward　in　this　world；　that　in　this　world　there　is　no　honour；　no　justice。　Cunning　and　wickedness　is　what　one　wants　in　this　world。”
“Come；　voyons；　calm　yourself；　I　k