战争与和平(上)-第247章

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there　was　a　“seignorial　store”　at　Bogutcharovo。
“I　suppose　we　have　a　store　of　wheat　of　my　brother’s？”　she　asked。
“The　wheat　is　all　untouched；”　Dron　declared　with　pride。　“The　prince　gave　me　no　orders　about　selling　it。”
“Give　it　to　the　peasants；　give　them　all　they　need；　I　give　you　leave　in　my　brother’s　name；”　said　Princess　Marya。
Dron　heaved　a　deep　sigh　and　made　no　answer。
“You　distribute　the　corn　among　them；　if　it　will　be　enough　for　them。　Distribute　it　all。　I　give　you　the　order　in　my　brother’s　name；　and　tell　them；　what’s　ours　is　theirs。　We　would　grudge　nothing　for　them。　Tell　them　so。”
Dron　watched　the　princess　intently　all　the　while　she　was　speaking。
“Discharge　me；　ma’am；　for　God’s　sake；　bid　them　take　the　keys　from　me；”　said　he。　“I　have　served　twenty…three　years；　and　done　no　wrong；　discharge　me；　for　God’s　sake。”
Princess　Marya　had　no　notion　what　he　wanted　of　her　and　why　he　asked　her　to　discharge　him。　She　answered　that　she　had　never　doubted　his　fidelity；　and　that　she　was　ready　to　do　everything　for　him　and　for　the　peasants。


Chapter　11
AN　HOUR　LATER　Dunyasha　came　in　to　the　princess　with　the　news　that　Dron　had　come；　and　all　the　peasants　by　the　princess’s　orders　were　assembled　at　the　granary　and　desirous　of　speaking　with　their　mistress。
“But　I　did　not　send　for　them；”　said　Princess　Marya。　“I　merely　told　Dronushka　to　give　them　the　corn。”
“Only；　for　God’s　sake；　your　excellency；　order　them　to　be　sent　away　and　don’t　go　to　them。　It’s　all　a　plot；”　said　Dunyasha；　“and　Yakov　Alpatitch　will　come　and　we　will　start　…　and　pray　…”
“How　a　plot？”　asked　the　princess　in　surprise。
“Why；　I　know　all　about　it；　only　do　listen　to　me；　for　God’s　sake。　Ask　old　nurse　too。　They　say　they　won’t　agree　to　move　away　at　your　orders。”
“You　are　making　some　mistake。　Why；　I　have　never　given　them　orders　to　go　away　…”　said　Princess　Marya。　“Call　Dronushka。”
Dron　on　coming　in　confirmed　Dunyasha’s　words；　the　peasants　had　come　by　the　princess’s　instructions。
“But　I　have　never　sent　for　them；”　said　the　princess。　“You　must　have　given　them　my　message　wrong。　I　only　said　that　you　were　to　give　them　the　corn。”
Dron　sighed　without　replying。
“If　so　you　command；　they　will　go　away；”　he　said。
“No；　no；　I’ll　go　out　to　them；”　said　Princess　Marya。
In　spite　of　Dunyasha’s　and　the　old　nurse’s　attempts　to　dissuade　her；　Princess　Marya　went　out　on　to　the　steps。　Dronushka；　Dunyasha；　the　old　nurse；　and　Mihail　Ivanitch　followed　her。
“They　probably　imagine　I　am　offering　them　the　corn　to　keep　them　here　while　I　go　away　myself；　leaving　them　at　the　mercy　of　the　French；”　thought　Princess　Marya。　“I　will　promise　them　monthly　rations　and　lodgings　on　the　Moscow　estate。　I　am　sure　Andrey　would　do　more　for　them　in　my　place；”　she　thought；　as　she　went　out　in　the　twilight　towards　the　crowd；　waiting　on　the　pasture　near　the　granary。
The　crowd　stirred；　huddling　closer；　and　rapidly　took　off　their　hats。　Princess　Marya　came　closer　to　them；　her　eyes　cast　down　and　her　feet　tripping　over　her　gown。　So　many　different　eyes；　old　and　young；　were　fixed　upon　her；　there　were　so　many　different　faces　that　Princess　Marya　did　not　see　a　single　one　of　them；　and　feeling　it　necessary　to　address　all　at　once；　did　not　know　how　to　set　about　it。　But　again　the　sense　that　she　was　the　representative　of　her　father　and　brother　gave　her　strength；　and　she　boldly　began　her　speech。
“I　am　very　glad　you　have　come；”　she　began；　not　raising　her　eyes　and　feeling　the　rapid　and　violent　beating　of　her　heart。　“Dronushka　has　told　me　that　the　war　has　ruined　you。　That　is　our　common　trouble；　and　I　will　grudge　nothing　to　aid　you。　I　am　going　away　myself　because　it　is　dangerous　here　…　and　the　enemy　is　near　…　because　…　I　give　you　everything；　my　friends；　and　I　beg　you　to　take　everything；　all　our　corn；　that　you　may　not　suffer　want。　But　if　you　have　been　told　that　I　am　giving　you　corn　to　keep　you　here；　it　is　false。　On　the　contrary；　I　beg　you　to　move　away　with　all　your　belongings　to　our　Moscow　estate；　and　there　I　undertake　and　promise　you　that　you　shall　not　be　in　want。　You　shall　be　given　houses　and　bread。”　The　princess　stopped。　Nothing　was　to　be　heard　from　the　crowd　but　sighs。
“I　don’t　do　this　on　my　own　account；”　the　princess　went　on；　“I　do　it　in　the　name　of　my　dead　father；　who　was　a　good　master　to　you；　and　for　my　brother　and　his　son。”
She　paused　again。　No　one　broke　the　silence。
“We　have　trouble　in　common；　and　we　will　share　it　all　equally。　All　that　is　mine　is　yours；”　she　said；　looking　up　at　the　faces　before　her。　All　the　eyes　were　gazing　at　her　with　the　same　expression；　the　meaning　of　which　she　could　not　fathom。　Whether　it　were　curiosity；　devotion；　gratitude；　or　apprehension；　and　distrust；　the　expression　on　all　the　faces　was　alike。
“Very　thankful　for　your　kindness；　only　it’s　not　for　us　to　take　the　master’s　corn；”　said　a　voice　from　the　back。
“But　why　not？”　said　the　princess。　No　one　answered；　and　Princess　Marya；　looking　up　at　the　crowd；　noticed　that　now　all　the　eyes　dropped　at　once　on　meeting　hers。
“Why　don’t　you　want　to？”　she　asked　again。
No　one　replied。
Princess　Marya　was　oppressed　by　the　silence；　she　tried　to　catch　somebody’s　eye。
“Why　don’t　you　speak！”　she　said；　addressing　a　very　old　man　who　was　standing　near　her；　his　arms　propped　on　his　stick。　“Tell　me　if　you　think　something　more　is　needed。　I　will　do　anything；”　she　said；　catching　his　eye。　But　as　though　angered　by　her　doing　so；　he　bent　his　head；　and　said：
“Why　should　we　agree？　We　don’t　want　your　corn。”
“Why　are　we　to　give　up　everything？　We’re　not　willing　…　Not　willing。　It’s　not　with　our　consent。　We　are　sorry　for　you；　but　we　are　not　willing。　You　go　away　by　yourself；　alone　…”　was　protested　from　different　parts　of　the　crowd。　And　again　all　the　faces　in　the　crowd　wore　the　same　expression；　and　now　it　was　unmistakably　not　an　expression　of　curiosity　and　gratitude；　but　an　expression　of　exasperated　determination。
“But　you　misunderstand　me；”　said　Princess　Marya；　with　a　melancholy　smile。　“Why　don’t　you　want　to　move　away？　I　promise　to　settle　you；　to　provide　for　you。　And　here　the　enemy　will　plunder　you　…”　But　her　voice　was　drowned　by　the　voices　of　the　crowd。
“We’re　not　willing；　let　him　plunder　us！　We　won’t　take　your　corn；　we　won’t　agree！”
Princess　Marya　tried　again　to　catch　some　one’s　eye　in　the　crowd；　but　no　one　was　looking　at　her；　their　eyes　unmistakably　avoided　hers。　She　felt　strange　and　awkward。
“To　be　sure；　she　would　school　us；　…　a　good　dodge；　…　follow　her　into　slavery。　Pull　down　your　house　and　go　into　bondage。　I　dare　say！　I’ll　give　you　corn；　says　she！”　voices　were　saying　in　the　crowd。
Princess　Marya　moved　out　of　the　ring；　and　went　to　the　house　with　a　dejected　countenance。　Repeating　her　command　to　Dron　that　horses　were　to　be　ready　next　day　for　her　to　start；　she　went　away　to　her　own　room　and　remained　alone　with　her　own　thoughts。


Chapter　12
FOR　A　LONG　WHILE　Princess　Marya　sat　at　the　open　window　of　her　room　listening　to　the　sound　of　the　peasants’　voices　floating　across　from　the　village；　but　she　was　not　thinking　of　them。　She　felt　that　she　could　not　understand　them　however　long　she　thought　of　them。　She　thought　all　the　while　of　one　thing—of　her　sorrow；　which　now；　after　the　break　made　by　anxiety　about　the　present；　already　seemed　to　belong　to　the　past。　Now　she　could　remember；　could　weep；　and　could　pray。　With　the　setting　of　the　sun　the　wind　sank。　The　night　was　still　and　fresh。　At　midnight　the　voices　in　the　village　began　to　die　down；　a　cock　crowed；　the　full　moon　rose　from　behind　a　lime…tree；　there　rose　a　fresh；　white；　dewy　mist；　and　stillness　reigned　over　the　village　and　the　house。
One　after　another　pictures　of　the　immediate　past—her　father’s　illness　and　last　moments—rose　before　her　imagination。　And　with　mournful　gladness　she　let　her　mind　now　rest　on　those　images；　only　shunning　with　horror　the　one　last　scene　which　she　felt　she　had　not　the　strength　to　contemplate　even　in　fancy　at　that　still　and　mysterious　hour　of　the　night。　And　those　images　rose　with　such　clearness　and　in　such　detail　before　her；　that　they　seemed　to　her　now　in　the　actual　present；　now　in　the　past；　and　now　in　the　future。
She　had　a　vivid　picture　of　the　moment　when　he　was　first　stricken　down　and　was　being　dragged　in　fro