战争与和平(上)-第235章

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rs　and　the　degree　of　danger　they　were　running　at　Bleak　Hills。　Dessalle　wrote　the　letter　to　the　governor　for　Princess　Marya　and　she　signed　it；　and　the　letter　was　given　to　Alpatitch　with　instructions　to　give　it　to　the　governor；　and　in　case　there　was　danger；　to　come　back　as　quickly　as　possible。
When　he　had　received　all　his　orders；　Alpatitch　put　on　his　white　beaver　hat　—　a　gift　from　the　prince　—　and　carrying　a　stick　in　his　hand；　like　the　prince；　went　out；　accompanied　by　all　his　household；　to　get　into　the　leather　gig　harnessed　to　three　sleek；　roan　horses。
The　bells　were　tied　up　and　stuffed　with　paper。　The　prince　allowed　no　one　at　Bleak　Hills　to　drive　with　bells。　But　Alpatitch　loved　to　have　bells　ringing　when　he　went　a　long　journey。　All　Alpatitch’s　satellites；　the　counting…house　clerk；　the　servants’　cook　and　the　head　cook；　two　old　women；　a　foot…boy；　a　coachman；　and　various　other　servants　saw　him　off。
His　daughter　put　chintz…covered；　down　pillows　under　him　and　behind　his　back。　His　old　sister…in…law　slyly　popped　in　a　kerchief　full　of　things。　One　of　the　coachmen　helped　him　to　get　in。
“There；　there；　women’s　fuss！　Women　folk；　women　folk！”　said　Alpatitch；　puffing　and　talking　rapidly；　just　as　the　old　prince　used　to　talk。　He　sat　down　in　the　gig；　giving　the　counting…house　clerk　his　last　directions　about　the　work　to　be　done　in　the　fields；　and　then　dropping　his　imitation　of　the　prince；　Alpatitch　took　his　hat　off　his　bald　head　and　crossed　himself　three　times。
“If　there’s　anything　…　you　turn　back；　Yakov　Alpatitch；　for　Christ’s　sake；　think　of　us；”　his　wife　called　to　him；　alluding　to　the　rumours　of　war　and　of　the　enemy　near。
“Ah；　these　women　and　their　fuss！”　Alpatitch　muttered　to　himself　as　he　drove　off；　looking　about　him　at　the　fields。　He　saw　rye　turning　yellow；　thick　oats　still　green；　and　here　and　there　patches　still　black；　where　they　were　only　just　beginning　the　second　ploughing。　Alpatitch　drove　on；　admiring　the　crop　of　corn；　singularly　fine　that　season；　staring　at　the　rye　fields；　in　some　of　which　reaping　was　already　beginning；　meditating　like　a　true　husbandman　on　the　sowing　and　the　harvest；　and　wondering　whether　he　had　forgotten　any　of　the　prince’s　instructions。　He　stopped　twice　to　feed　his　horses　on　the　way；　and　towards　the　evening　of　the　4th　of　August　reached　the　town。
All　the　way　Alpatitch　had　met　and　overtaken　waggons　and　troops；　and　as　he　drove　into　Smolensk　he　heard　firing　in　the　distance；　but　he　scarcely　heeded　the　sound。　What　struck　him　more　than　anything　was　that　close　to　Smolensk　he　saw　a　splendid　field　of　oats　being　mown　down　by　some　soldiers　evidently　for　forage；　there　was　a　camp；　too；　pitched　in　the　middle　of　it。　This　did　make　an　impression　upon　Alpatitch；　but　he　soon　forgot　it　in　thinking　over　his　own　affairs。
All　the　interests　of　Alpatitch’s　life　had　been　for　over　thirty　years　bounded　by　the　will　of　the　prince；　and　he　never　stepped　outside　that　limit。　Anything　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　carrying　out　the　prince’s　orders　had　no　interest；　had　in　fact　no　existence　for　Alpatitch。
On　reaching　Smolensk　on　the　evening　of　the　4th　of　August；　Alpatitch　put　up　where　he　had　been　in　the　habit　of　putting　up　for　the　last　thirty　years；　at　a　tavern　kept　by　a　former　house…porter；　Ferapontov；　beyond　the　Dnieper　in　the　Gatchensky　quarter。　Twelve　years　before；　Ferapontov　had　profited　by　Alpatitch’s　good　offices　to　buy　timber　from　the　old　prince；　and　had　begun　going　into　trade；　and　by　now　he　had　a　house；　an　inn　and　a　corn…dealer’s　shop　in　the　town。　Ferapontov　was　a　stout；　dark；　ruddy　peasant　of　forty；　with　thick　lips；　a　thick；　knobby　nose；　similar　knobby　bumps　over　his　black；　knitted　brows；　and　a　round　belly。
He　was　standing　in　his　print　shirt　and　his　waistcoat　in　front　of　his　shop；　which　looked　into　the　street。　He　saw　Alpatitch；　and　went　up　to　him。
“You’re　kindly　welcome；　Yakov　Alpatitch。　Folk　are　going　out　of　the　town；　while　you　come　into　it；”　said　he。
“How’s　that？　Out　of　town？”　said　Alpatitch。
“To　be　sure；　I　always　say　folks　are　fools。　Always　frightened　of　the　French。”
“Women’s　nonsense；　women’s　nonsense！”　replied　Alpatitch。
“That’s　just　what　I　think；　Yakov　Alpatitch。　I　say　there’s　a　notice　put　up　that　they　won’t　let　them　come　in；　so　to　be　sure　that’s　right。　But　the　peasants　are　asking　as　much　as　three　roubles　for　a　cart　and　horse—they’ve　no　conscience！”
Yakov　Alpatitch　heard　without　heeding。　He　asked　for　a　samovar；　and　for　hay　for　his　horses；　and　after　drinking　tea　lay　down　to　sleep。
All　night　long　the　troops　were　moving　along　the　street　by　the　tavern。　Next　day　Alpatitch　put　on　a　tunic；　which　he　kept　for　wearing　in　town；　and　went　out　to　execute　his　commissions。　It　was　a　sunny　morning；　and　by　eight　o’clock　it　was　hot。　“A　precious　day　for　the　harvest；”　as　Alpatitch　thought。　From　early　morning　firing　could　be　heard　from　beyond　the　town。
At　eight　o’clock　the　boom　of　cannon　mingled　with　the　rattle　of　musketry。　The　streets　were　thronged　with　people；　hurrying　about；　and　also　with　soldiers；　but　drivers　plied　for　hire；　the　shopkeepers　stood　at　their　shops；　and　services　were　being　held　in　the　churches　just　as　usual。　Alpatitch　went　to　the　shops；　to　the　government　offices；　to　the　post　and　to　the　governor’s。　Everywhere　that　he　went　every　one　was　talking　of　the　war；　and　of　the　enemy　who　was　attacking　the　town。　All　were　asking　one　another　what　was　to　be　done；　and　trying　to　calm　each　other’s　fears。
At　the　governor’s　house；　Alpatitch　found　a　great　number　of　people；　and　saw　Cossacks；　and　a　travelling　carriage　belonging　to　the　governor　at　the　entrance。　On　the　steps　Yakov　Alpatitch　met　two　gentlemen；　one　of　whom　he　knew。　This　gentleman；　a　former　police…captain；　was　speaking　with　great　heat。
“Well；　this　is　no　jesting　matter；”　he　said。　“Good　luck　for　him　who　has　only　himself　to　think　of。　It’s　bad　enough　for　one　alone；　but　when　one　has　a　family　of　thirteen　and　a　whole　property。…Things　have　come　to　such　a　pass　that　we　shall　all　be　ruined；　what’s　one　to　say　of　the　government　after　that？…Ugh；　I’d　hang　the　brigands。…”
“Come；　come；　hush！”　said　the　other。
“What　do　I　care！　let　him　hear！　Why；　we’re　not　dogs！”　said　the　former　police…captain；　and　looking　round；　he　caught　sight　of　Alpatitch。
“Ah；　Yakov　Alpatitch；　how　do　you　come　here？”
“By　command　of　his　excellency　to　his　honour　the　governor；”　answered　Alpatitch；　lifting　his　head　proudly　and　putting　his　hand　into　his　bosom；　as　he　always　did　when　he　mentioned　the　old　prince。…“His　honour　was　pleased　to　bid　me　inquire　into　the　position　of　affairs；”　he　said。
“Well；　you　may　as　well　know　then；”　cried　the　gentleman；　“they　have　brought　matters　to　such　a　pass　that　there　are　no　carts　to　be　got；　nothing！…That’s　it　again；　do　you　hear？”　he　said；　pointing　in　the　direction　from　which　the　sounds　of　firing　came。
“They　have　brought　us　all　to　ruin…the　brigands！”　he　declared　again；　and　he　went　down　the　steps。
Alpatitch　shook　his　head　and　went　up。　The　waiting…room　was　full　of　merchants；　women；　and　clerks；　looking　dumbly　at　one　another。　The　door　of　the　governor’s　room　opened；　all　of　them　got　up　and　made　a　forward　movement。　A　clerk　ran　out　of　the　room；　said　something　to　a　merchant；　called　a　stout　official　with　a　cross　on　his　neck　to　follow　him；　and　vanished　again；　obviously　trying　to　avoid　all　the　looks　and　the　questions　addressed　to　him。　Alpatitch　moved　forward；　and　the　next　time　the　same　clerk　emerged；　he　put　his　hand　into　his　buttoned　coat；　and　addressed　him；　handing　him　the　two　letters。
“To　his　honour　the　Baron　Ash　from　the　general…in…chief　Prince　Bolkonsky；”　he　boomed　out　with　so　much　pomposity　and　significance　that　the　clerk　turned　to　him　and　took　the　letters。　A　few　minutes　afterwards　Alpatitch　was　shown　into　the　presence　of　the　governor；　who　said　to　him　hurriedly；　“Inform　the　prince　and　the　princess　that　I　knew　nothing　about　it。　I　acted　on　the　highest　instructions—here。…”
He　gave　Alpatitch　a　document。
“Still；　as　the　prince　is　not　well　my　advice　to　him　is　to　go　to　Moscow。　I’m　setting　off　myself　immediately。　Tell　them…”But　the　governor　did　not　finish；　a　dusty　and　perspiring　officer　ran　into　the　room　and　began　saying　something　in　French。　A　look　of　horror　came　into　the　governor’s　face。
“You　can　go；”　he　said；　nodding　to　Alpatitch；　and　he