战争与和平(上)-第254章

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by　speaking　French　had　to　pay　a　forfeit　for　the　benefit　of　the　committee　of　voluntary　subscriptions。
“Another　forfeit　for　a　Gallicism；”　said　a　Russian　writer　who　happened　to　be　present。　“　‘Take　pleasure！’　is　not　Russian。”
“You　have　no　mercy　on　any　one；”　Julie　went　on　to　the　volunteer；　paying　no　attention　to　the　remark　of　the　author。
“Caustique；　I　admit；”　she　said；　“and　I’ll　pay　for　the　pleasure　of　telling　you　the　truth。　I　am　ready　to　pay　even　more；　but　I　am　not　responsible　for　Gallicisms；”　she　said　to　the　writer。　“I　have　neither　the　time　nor　the　money　to　engage　a　teacher　and　learn　Russian　like　Prince　Galitzin。　Ah；　here　he　is！”　added　Julie。　“Quand　on　…　No；　no；”　she　protested　to　the　volunteer；　“you’re　not　going　to　catch　me。　When　one　speaks　of　the　sun；　one　sees　its　rays。　We　were　just　talking　of　you；”　she　said；　smiling　affably　to　Pierre；　and　adding；　with　the　easy　lying　characteristic　of　society　women；　“We　were　saying　your　regiment　was　certain　to　be　a　finer　one　than　Mamonov’s。”
“Oh；　don’t　talk　to　me　about　my　regiment；”　answered　Pierre；　kissing　his　hostess’s　hand；　and　sitting　down　beside　her。　“I　am　so　heartily　sick　of　it！”
“You　will　take　the　command　of　it　yourself；　of　course？”　said　Julie　with　a　sly　and　sarcastic　look　towards　the　volunteer。
The　latter　was　by　no　means　so　ready　to　be　caustic　in　Pierre’s　presence；　and　his　countenance　betokened　perplexity　as　to　what　Julie’s　smile　could　signify。　In　spite　of　his　absent…mindedness　and　good　nature；　Pierre’s　presence　never　failed　to　cut　short　any　attempt　at　ridicule　at　his　expense。
“No；”　answered　Pierre；　laughing　and　looking　at　his　huge；　bulky　figure；　“I　should　make　too　good　a　target　for　the　French；　and　indeed　I’m　afraid　I　could　hardly　scramble　on　to　a　horse’s　back。”
Among　the　people　picked　out　as　subjects　for　gossip；　Julie’s　friends　happened　to　pitch　on　the　Rostovs。　“Their　pecuniary　position　is　very　serious；　I　am　told；”　said　Julie。　“And　the　count　is　so　unreasonable。　The　Razumovskys　wanted　to　buy　his　house　and　his　estate　in　the　environs；　and　the　matter　is　still　dragging　on。　He　will　ask　too　much。”
“No；　I　fancy　purchase　will　be　concluded　in　a　few　days；”　said　some　one。　“Though　it’s　madness　to　buy　anything　in　Moscow　just　now。”
“Why　so？”　said　Julie。　“Surely　you　don’t　suppose　that　Moscow　is　in　any　danger。”
“Why　are　you　leaving　it　then？”
“I？　That’s　a　strange　question。　I　am　going　because　…　well；　because　everybody’s　going；　and　I　am　not　a　Jeanne　d’Arc　nor　an　Amazon。”
“Oh；　oh！　Give　me　another　strip　of　linen　to　scrape。”
“He　ought　to　be　able　to　pay　off　all　his　debts；　if　he　sets　about　it　properly；”　the　volunteer　observed　of　Count　Rostov。
“He’s　a　good…hearted　old　fellow；　but　very　foolish。”
“And　why　are　they　staying　on　here　so　long？　They　were　meaning　to　leave　for　the　country　long　ago。　Natalie　is　quite　well　again　now；　I　suppose？”　Julie　asked　Pierre；　with　a　sly　smile。
“They　are　waiting　for　their　younger　son；”　said　Pierre。　“He　went　into　Obolensky’s　Cossacks；　and　was　sent　off　to　Byela　Tserkov。　The　regiment　is　being　formed　there。　But　now　they　have　transferred　him　to　my　regiment；　and　he　is　expected　every　day。　The　count　wanted　to　get　away　long　ago；　but　nothing　would　induce　the　countess　to　leave　Moscow　till　her　son’s　return。”
“I　saw　them　the　day　before　yesterday　at　the　Arharovs’。　Natalie　has　quite　recovered　her　looks　and　her　spirits。　She　sang　a　song。　How　easily　some　people　get　over　everything！”
“Get　over　what？”　Pierre　asked；　looking　displeased。
Julie　smiled。
“O　count；　you　know；　such　chivalrous　knights　as　you　are　only　to　be　found　in　Madame　Suza’s　novels。”
“Knights！　What　do　you　mean？”　Pierre　asked　blushing。
“Come　now；　my　dear　count。　C’est　la　fable　de　tout　Moscou。　Je　vous　admire；　ma　parole　d’honneur。”
“Forfeit！　forfeit！”　said　the　volunteer。
“Oh；　very　well。　One　cannot　talk；　what　a　bore　it　is！”
“What　is　the　talk　of　all　Moscow？”　said　Pierre　angrily；　rising　to　his　feet。
“Nonsense；　count；　you　know！”
“I　know　nothing　about　it；”　said　Pierre。
“I　know　what　great　friends　you　have　always　been　with　Natalie；　and　so　…　But；　I　was　always　more　friendly　with　Vera。　That　darling　Vera。”
“No；　madam；”　Pierre　persisted　in　a　tone　of　annoyance。　“I　have　by　no　means　taken　upon　myself　the　r？le　of　Countess　Rostov’s　knight；　indeed；　it’s　almost　a　month　since　I　have　been　near　them。　But　I　cannot　understand　the　cruelty　…”
“Qui　s’excuse　s’accuse；”　cried　Julie；　smiling；　and　waving　the　lint　triumphantly；　and　that　she　might　have　the　last　word；　she　promptly　changed　the　subject。　“By　the　way；　I　have　heard　poor　Marie　Bolkonsky　arrived　in　Moscow　yesterday。　Have　you　heard　she　has　lost　her　father？”
“Really？　Where　is　she？　I　should　like　to　see　her；”　said　Pierre。
“I　spent　the　evening　with　her　yesterday。　She　is　going　on　to…day　or　to…morrow　morning　to　their　estate　in　the　province　with　her　nephew。”
“Well；　how　is　she？　Tell　me；”　said　Pierre。
“Oh；　she　is　well；　but　very　sad。　But　do　you　know　who　rescued　her？　It　is　quite　a　romance。　Nikolay　Rostov。　She　was　surrounded；　they　tried　to　kill　her　and　wounded　her　servants。　He　rushed　in　and　saved　her。…”
“Another　romance；”　said　the　volunteer。　“This　general　flight　is　evidently　intended　to　marry　off　all　the　old　maids。　Katish　is　one；　Princess　Bolkonsky　another。”
“You　know；　I　really　do　believe　she’s　un　petit　peu　amoureuse　du　jeune　bomme。”
“Forfeit！　forfeit！　forfeit！”
“But　how　is　one　to　say　that　in　Russian？”


Chapter　18
WHEN　PIERRE　returned　home；　he　was　handed　two　new　placards　of　Rastoptchin’s　that　had　just　appeared。
The　first　declared　that　the　rumour；　that　it　was　forbidden　to　leave　Moscow　by　Count　Rastoptchin’s　order；　was　false；　and　that；　on　the　contrary；　he　was　glad　that　ladies　and　merchants’　wives　were　leaving　the　town。　“There　will　be　less　panic　and　less　false　news；”　said　the　notice；　“but　I　will　stake　my　life　on　it　that　the　miscreant　will　never　enter　Moscow。”
These　words　first　showed　Pierre　clearly　that　the　French　certainly　would　enter　Moscow。　In　the　second　placard　it　was　announced　that　our　headquarters　were　at　Vyazma；　that　Count　Wittgenstein　had　defeated　the　French；　but　that　since　many　of　the　inhabitants　of　Moscow　were　desirous　of　arming　themselves；　weapons　had　been　provided　to　meet　their　wishes　in　the　arsenal；　swords；　pistols；　and　guns　could　all　be　procured　there　at　a　low　rate。
The　tone　of　this　notice　was　not　as　jocose　as　the　former　supposed　discourses　of　Tchigirin。　The　two　placards　made　Pierre　ponder。　It　was　evident　to　him　that　the　menacing　storm　cloud；　for　the　advent　of　which　his　whole　soul　longed；　though　it　roused　an　involuntary　thrill　of　horror；　it　was　evident　that　that　cloud　was　coming　closer。
“Shall　I　enter　the　service　and　join　the　army　or　wait　here？”　Pierre　thought；　a　question　he　had　put　to　himself　a　hundred　times　already。　He　took　up　a　pack　of　cards　that　lay　on　the　table　to　deal　them　for　a　game　of　patience。
“If　I　succeed　in　this　game　of　patience；”　he　said　to　himself；　shuffling　the　pack　as　he　held　it　in　his　hand　and　looked　upwards；　“if　I　succeed；　it　means　…　what　does　it　mean？”　…　He　had　not　time　to　decide　this　question　when　he　heard　at　the　door　of　his　study　the　voice　of　the　eldest　princess；　asking　whether　she　might　come　in。　“Then　it　will　mean　that　I　must　set　off　to　join　the　army；”　Pierre　told　himself。　“Come；　come　in；”　he　said　to　the　princess。
The　eldest　of　his　cousins；　the　one　with　the　long　waist　and　the　stony　face；　was　the　only　one　still　living　in　Pierre’s　house；　the　two　younger　sisters　had　both　married。
“Excuse　my　coming　to　you；　cousin；”　she　said　in　a　tone　of　reproach　and　excitement。　“Some　decision　really　must　be　come　to；　you　know。　What　is　going　to　happen？　Every　one　has　left　Moscow；　and　the　populace　are　becoming　unruly。　Why　are　we　staying　on？”
“On　the　contrary；　everything　seems　going　on　satisfactorily；　ma　cousine；”　said　Pierre　in　the　habitually　playful　tone　he　had　adopted　with　his　cousin；　to　carry　off　the　embarrassment　he　always　felt　at　being　in　the　position　of　a　benefactor　to　her。
“Oh；　yes；　satisfactorily　…　highly　satisfactory；　I　dare　say。　Varvara　Ivanovna　told　me　to…day　how　our　troops　are　distinguishing　themselves。　It　is　certainly　a　credit　to　them。　And　the　populace；　too；　is　in　complete　revolt；　they　won’t　obey　any　one　n