战争与和平(上)-第263章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


rection　Prince　Andrey　recognised　Woltzogen　and　Klausewitz；　accompanied　by　a　Cossack。　They　rode　close　by　them；　still　talking；　and　Pierre　and　Prince　Andrey　could　not　help　overhearing　the　following　phrases　in　German：
“The　war　ought　to　be　carried　on　over　a　wide　extent　of　country。　I　cannot　sufficiently　strongly　express　that　view　of　the　matter；”　one　said　in　German。
“Oh　yes；”　said　another　voice；　“since　the　object　is　to　wear　out　the　enemy；　one　must　not　consider　the　losses　of　private　persons。”
“Certainly　not；”　acquiesced　the　first　voice。
“Carried　into　a　wide　extent　of　country；”　Prince　Andrey　repeated　with　a　wrathful　snort；　when　they　had　ridden　by。　“In　that　open　country　I　had　a　father　and　son　and　sister　at　Bleak　Hills。　He　doesn’t　care　about　that。　That’s　just　what　I　was　saying　to　you：　these　excellent　Germans　won’t　win　the　battle　to…morrow；　they　will　only　make　a　mess　of　it；　so　far　as　they　are　able；　because　they　have　nothing　in　their　German　noddles　but　calculations　that　are　not　worth　a　rotten　egg；　and　they　haven’t　in　their　hearts　the　one　thing　that’s　wanted　for　to…morrow；　that　Timohin　has。　They　have　given　all　Europe　up　to　him；　and　now　they　have　come　to　teach　us—fine　teachers！”　he　added；　his　voice　growing　shrill　again
“So　you　think　the　battle　to…morrow　will　be　a　victory；”　said　Pierre。
“Yes；　yes；”　said　Prince　Andrey　absently。　“There’s　one　thing　I　would　do；　if　I　were　in　power；”　he　began　again。　“I　wouldn’t　take　prisoners。　What　sense　is　there　in　taking　prisoners？　That’s　chivalry。　The　French　have　destroyed　my　home　and　are　coming　to　destroy　Moscow；　they　have　outraged　and　are　outraging　me　at　every　second。　They　are　my　enemies；　they　are　all　criminals　to　my　way　of　thinking。　And　so　thinks　Timohin；　and　all　the　army　with　him。　They　must　be　put　to　death。　Since　they　are　my　enemies；　they　can’t　be　my　friends；　whatever　they　may　have　said　at　Tilsit。”
“Yes；　yes；”　said　Pierre；　looking　with　shining　eyes　at　Prince　Andrey。　“I　entirely　agree　with　you！”
The　question　that　had　been　disturbing　Pierre　all　that　day；　since　the　Mozhaisk　hill；　now　struck　him　as　perfectly　clear　and　fully　solved。　He　saw　now　all　the　import　and　all　the　gravity　of　the　war　and　the　impending　battle。　All　he　had　seen　that　day；　all　the　stern；　grave　faces　of　which　he　had　had　glimpses；　appeared　to　him　in　a　new　light　now。　He　saw；　to　borrow　a　term　from　physics；　the　latent　heat　of　patriotism　in　all　those　men　he　had　seen；　and　saw　in　it　the　explanation　of　the　composure　and　apparent　levity　with　which　they　were　all　preparing　for　death。　“We　ought　not　to　take　prisoners；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“That　change　alone　would　transform　the　whole　aspect　of　war　and　would　make　it　less　cruel。　But　playing　at　war；　that’s　what’s　vile；　and　playing　at　magnanimity　and　all　the　rest　of　it。　That　magnanimity　and　sensibility　is　like　the　magnanimity　and　sensibility　of　the　lady　who　turns　sick　at　the　sight　of　a　slaughtered　calf—she　is　so　kind…hearted　she　can’t　see　blood—but　eats　fricasseed　veal　with　a　very　good　appetite。　They　talk　of　the　laws　of　warfare；　of　chivalry；　of　flags　of　truce；　and　humanity　to　the　wounded；　and　so　on。　That’s　all　rubbish。　I　saw　enough　in　1805　of　chivalry　and　flags　of　truce：　they　duped　us；　and　we　duped　them。　They　plunder　other　people’s　homes；　issue　false　money；　and；　worse　than　all；　kill　my　children；　my　father；　and　then　talk　of　the　laws　of　warfare；　and　generosity　to　a　fallen　foe。　No　prisoners；　and　go　to　give　and　to　meet　death！　Any　one　who　has　come　to　think　this　as　I　have；　through　the　same　sufferings　…”
Prince　Andrey；　who　had　thought　that　he　did　not　care　whether　they　took　Moscow　as　they　had　taken　Smolensk；　was　suddenly　pulled　up　in　his　speech　by　a　nervous　catch　in　his　throat。　He　walked　to　and　fro　several　times　in　silence；　but　his　eyes　blazed　with　feverish　brilliance　and　his　lips　quivered；　as　he　began　to　speak　again。
“If　there　were　none　of　this　playing　at　generosity　in　warfare；　we　should　never　go　to　war；　except　for　something　worth　facing　certain　death　for；　as　now。　Then　there　would　not　be　wars　because　Pavel　Ivanitch　had　insulted　Mihail　Ivanitch。　But　if　there　is　war　as　now；　let　it　be　really　war。　And　then　the　intensity　of　warfare　would　be　something　quite　different。　All　these　Westphalians　and　Hessians　Napoleon　is　leading　against　us　would　not　have　come　to　fight　us　in　Russia；　and　we　should　not　have　gone　to　war　in　Austria　and　in　Prussia　without　knowing　what　for。　War　is　not　a　polite　recreation；　but　the　vilest　thing　in　life；　and　we　ought　to　understand　that　and　not　play　at　war。　We　ought　to　accept　it　sternly　and　solemnly　as　a　fearful　necessity。　It　all　comes　to　this：　have　done　with　lying；　and　if　it’s　war；　then　it’s　war　and　not　a　game；　or　else　warfare　is　simply　the　favourite　pastime　of　the　idle　and　frivolous。　…　The　military　is　the　most　honoured　calling。　And　what　is　war；　what　is　needed　for　success　in　war；　what　are　the　morals　of　the　military　world？　The　object　of　warfare　is　murder；　the　means　employed　in　warfare—spying；　treachery；　and　the　encouragement　of　it；　the　ruin　of　a　country；　the　plundering　of　its　inhabitants　and　robbery　for　the　maintenance　of　the　army；　trickery　and　lying；　which　are　called　military　strategy；　the　morals　of　the　military　class—absence　of　all　independence；　that　is；　discipline；　idleness；　ignorance；　cruelty；　debauchery；　and　drunkenness。　And　in　spite　of　all　that；　it　is　the　highest　class；　respected　by　every　one。　All　sovereigns；　except　the　Chinese；　wear　a　military　uniform；　and　give　the　greatest　rewards　to　the　man　who　succeeds　in　killing　most　people。　…　They　meet　together　to　murder　one　another；　as　we　shall　do　to…morrow；　they　slaughter　and　mutilate　tens　of　thousands　of　men；　and　then　offer　up　thanksgiving　services　for　the　number　of　men　they　have　killed　（and　even　add　to　it　in　the　telling）；　and　glorify　the　victory；　supposing　that　the　more　men　have　been　slaughtered　the　greater　the　achievement。　How　God　can　look　down　from　above　and　hear　them！”　shrieked　Prince　Andrey　in　a　shrill；　piercing　voice。　“Ah；　my　dear　boy；　life　has　been　a　bitter　thing　for　me　of　late。　I　see　that　I　have　come　to　understand　too　much。　And　it　is　not　good　for　man　to　taste　of　the　tree　of　the　knowledge　of　good　and　evil。　…　Ah；　well；　it’s　not　for　long！”　he　added。　“But　you　are　getting　sleepy　and　it’s　time　I　was　in　bed　too。　Go　back　to　Gorky；”　said　Prince　Andrey　suddenly。
“Oh　no！”　answered　Pierre；　gazing　with　eyes　full　of　scared　sympathy　at　Prince　Andrey。
“You　must　be　off；　before　a　battle　one　needs　to　get　a　good　sleep；”　repeated　Prince　Andrey。　He　went　quickly　up　to　Pierre；　embraced　and　kissed　him。　“Good…bye；　be　off；”　he　cried；　“whether　we　see　each　other　again　or　not　…”　and　turning　hurriedly；　he　went　off　into　the　barn。
It　was　already　dark；　and　Pierre　could　not　distinguish　whether　the　expression　of　his　face　was　exasperated　or　affectionate。
Pierre　stood　for　some　time　in　silence；　hesitating　whether　to　go　after　him　or　to　return　to　Gorky。　“No；　he　does　not　want　me！”　Pierre　made　up　his　mind；　“and　I　know　this　is　our　last　meeting！”　He　heaved　a　deep　sigh　and　rode　back　to　Gorky。
Prince　Andrey　lay　down　on　a　rug　in　the　barn；　but　he　could　not　sleep。
He　closed　his　eyes。　One　set　of　images　followed　another　in　his　mind。　On　one　mental　picture　he　dwelt　long　and　joyfully。　He　vividly　recalled　one　evening　in　Petersburg。　Natasha　with　an　eager；　excited　face　had　been　telling　him　how　in　looking　for　mushrooms　the　previous　summer　she　had　lost　her　way　in　a　great　forest。　She　described　incoherently　the　dark　depths　of　the　forest；　and　her　feelings；　and　her　talk　with　a　bee…keeper　she　met；　and　every　minute　she　broke　off　in　her　story；　saying：　“No；　I　can’t；　I’m　not　describing　it　properly；　no；　you　won’t　understand　me；”　although　Prince　Andrey　tried　to　assure　her　that　he　understood　and　did　really　understand　all　she　wanted　to　convey　to　him。　Natasha　was　dissatisfied　with　her　own　words；　she　felt　that　they　did　not　convey　the　passionately　poetical　feeling　she　had　known　that　day　and　tried　to　give　expression　to。　“It　was　all　so　exquisite；　that　old　man；　and　it　was　so　dark　in　the　forest　…　and　such　a　kind　look　in　his　…　no；　I　can’t　describe　it；”　she　had　said；　flushed　and　moved。
Prince　Andrey　smiled　now　the　same　happy　smile　he　had　smiled　then；　gazing　into　her　eyes。　“I　understood　her；”　thought　Prince　Andrey；　“and　more　than　understood　h