战争与和平(上)-第248章
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She had a vivid picture of the moment when he was first stricken down and was being dragged in from the garden at Bleak Hills; and he had muttered something; twitching his grey eyebrows; and looking timidly and uneasily at her。 “Even then he wanted to tell me what he told me on the day of his death;” she thought。 “He always thought what he told me then。”
And then she recalled with every detail the night at Bleak Hills before his stroke; when; with a presentiment of trouble; she had remained with him against his will。 She had not slept; and at night she had stolen down on tip…toe; and going to the door of the conservatory room where her father was spending that night; she had listened to his voice。 He was talking in a weary; harassed voice to Tihon。 He was saying something about the Crimea; about the warm nights; about the Empress。 Evidently he wanted to talk to some one。 “And why didn’t he send for me? Why didn’t he let me be there in Tihon’s place?” Princess Marya had thought then and thought again now。 “Now he will never tell any one all that was in his heart。 Now the moment will never return when he might have told me all he longed to express; and I and not Tihon might have heard and understood。 Why didn’t I go into his room then?” she thought。 “Perhaps he would have said to me then what he said on the day of his death。 Even then talking to Tihon he asked about me twice。 He was longing to see me while I was standing there behind the door。 He was sad and weary talking to Tihon; who did not understand him。 I remember how he spoke to him of Liza as though she were living—he forgot that she was dead; and Tihon reminded him that she was no more; and he cried; ‘Fool!’ He was miserable。 I heard from the door how he lay down groaning on the bed and cried out aloud; ‘My God!’ Why didn’t I go in then? What could he have done to me? What could I have lost? And; perhaps; then he would have been comforted; he would have said that word to me。” And Princess Marya uttered aloud that caressing word he had said to her on the day of his death。 “Da…ar…ling!” Princess Marya repeated the word and broke into sobs that relieved her heart。 She could see his face before her now。 And not the face she had known ever since she could remember and had always seen at a distance; but the weak and timid face she had seen on the last day when; bending to his lips to catch what he said; she had; for the first time; looked at it quite close with all its wrinkles。
“Darling;” she repeated。
“What was he thinking when he uttered that word? What is he thinking now?” was the question that rose suddenly to her mind; and in answer to it she saw him with the expression she had seen on the face bound up with a white handkerchief in the coffin。 And the horror that had overcome her at the moment when she had touched him; and felt that it was not he but something mysterious and horrible; came over her now。 She tried to think of something else; tried to pray; and could do nothing。 With wide eyes she gazed at the moonlight and the shadows; every instant expecting to see his dead face; and feeling as though she were held spellbound in the stillness that reigned without and within the house。
“Dunyasha!” she whispered。 “Dunyasha!” she shrieked wildly; and tearing herself out of the stillness; she ran towards the maids’ room; meeting the old nurse and the maids running out to meet her。
Chapter 13
ON THE 17TH of August Rostov and Ilyin; accompanied by Lavrushka; who had just come back from being taken prisoner by the French; and an hussar on orderly duty; rode out from Yankovo; fifteen versts from Bogutcharovo。 They meant to try a new horse that Ilyin had bought; and to find out whether there was hay to be had in the village。
Bogutcharovo had been for the last three days between the two hostile armies; so that the Russian rearguard could reach the village as easily as the French vanguard; and therefore Rostov; like a careful officer; was anxious to anticipate the French in securing any provisions that might be left there。
Rostov and Ilyin were in the liveliest spirits。 On the way to Bogutcharovo; which they knew to be an estate belonging to a prince; with a manor…house; where they hoped to find a large household; and; perhaps; pretty servant…girls; they questioned Lavrushka about Napoleon; and laughed at his stories; then raced their horses to test Ilyin’s new purchase。 Rostov had no notion that the village to which he was going was the property of the very Prince Bolkonsky who had been betrothed to his sister。
Rostov and Ilyin had just let their horses race till they were weary for the last time before Bogutcharovo; and Rostov; outstripping Ilyin was the first to gallop into the village street。
“You started in front;” said Ilyin; flushed。
“Yes; always in front; in the meadow and here too;” answered Rostov; patting his foaming Don horse。
“And on my Frenchy; your excellency;” said Lavrushka from behind; meaning the wretched cart…horse he was riding; “I could have overtaken you; only I didn’t want to put you to shame。”
They rode at a walking pace towards the granary; where there was a great crowd of peasants standing。 Several of the peasants took off their caps; others stared at them without taking off their caps。 Two old peasants; with wrinkled faces and scanty beards; came out of the tavern; reeling and singing a tuneless song; and advanced with smiles towards the officers。 “They’re fine fellows!” said Rostov; laughing。 “Well; have you any hay?”
“And so alike; somehow …” said Ilyin。
“Ma … a … aking mer … ry in my sum … sum … mer …” chanted the peasant; with a blissful smile。
A peasant came out of the crowd and went up to Rostov。
“Which part will you be from?” asked the peasant。
“We’re French;” answered Ilyin; laughing。 “And this is Napoleon himself;” he said; pointing to Lavrushka。
“I suppose you are Russians then?” the peasant inquired。
“And have you many troops here?” asked another short peasant; approaching。
“A great many;” answered Rostov。 “But why are you all assembled here?” he added。 “Is it a holiday or what?”
“The old men are met about the village business;” answered the peasant; moving away from him。
At that moment there came into sight two women and a man in a white hat running from the prince’s house towards the officers。
“The one in pink’s mine; hands off; beware!” said Ilyin; noticing Dunyasha running resolutely towards them。
“She’ll be the girl for us!” said Lavrushka; winking to Ilyin。
“What is it you want; my pretty?” said Ilyin; smiling。
“The princess sent me to ask of what regiment are you; and what is your name?”
“This is Count Rostov; the commander of the squadron; and I am your humble servant。”
“Mer … mer … mer … arbour!” chanted the drunken peasant; smiling blissfully; and gazing at Ilyin as he talked to the girl。 Alpatitch followed Dunyasha; taking off his hat to Rostov as he approached。
“I make bold to trouble your honour;” he said; putting one hand in his bosom; and speaking with a respectfulness in which there was a shade of contempt for the officer’s youth。 “My mistress; the daughter of general…in…chief Prince Nikolay Andreitch Bolkonsky; who died on the 15th of this month; being in difficulties owing to the coarse ignorance of those people”—he pointed to the peasants—“begs you to come … Would you not be pleased;” said Alpatitch; with a melancholy smile; “to move a little away; as it is not so convenient before …” Alpatitch indicated two peasants; who were hovering about him; like gadflies about a horse。
“Ay! … Alpatitch! … Ay! Yakov Alpatitch! first…rate job! Eh? … for Christ’s sake; forgive us。 First…rate! ay?” cried the peasants; smiling gleefully at him。
Rostov looked at the drunken peasants; and smiled。
“Or possibly this entertains your excellency?” said Yakov Alpatitch; with a sober air; pointing with his other hand to the old peasants。
“No; there’s nothing very entertaining in that;” said Rostov; and he moved away。 “What is the matter?” he inquired。
“I make bold to submit to your excellency that the rude peasants here will not let their lady leave the estate; and threaten to take the horses out