战争与和平(上)-第284章

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at　the　unhappy；　interesting　Ellen　was　in　hesitation　which　of　her　two　suitors　to　marry。　The　question　was　no　longer　how　far　any　marriage　was　possible；　but　simply　which　would　be　the　more　suitable　match　for　her；　and　how　the　court　would　look　at　the　question。　There　were；　indeed；　certain　strait…laced　people　who　could　not　rise　to　the　high　level　of　the　subject；　and　saw　in　the　project　a　desecration　of　the　sanctity　of　marriage；　but　such　persons　were　few　in　number；　and　they　held　their　tongues；　while　the　majority　were　interested　in　the　question　of　Ellen’s　happiness；　and　which　would　be　the　better　match　for　her。　As　to　whether　it　were　right　or　wrong　for　a　wife　to　marry　when　her　husband　was　alive；　that　was　not　discussed；　as　the　question　was　evidently　not　a　subject　of　doubt　for　persons　“wiser　than　you　and　me”　（as　was　said）；　and　to　doubt　the　correctness　of　their　decision　would　be　risking　the　betrayal　of　one’s　ignorance　and　absence　of　savoir　faire。
Marya　Dmitryevna　Ahrosimov；　who　had　come　that　summer　to　Petersburg　to　see　one　of　her　sons；　was　the　only　person　who　ventured　on　the　direct　expression　of　a　contrary　opinion。　Meeting　Ellen　at　a　ball；　Marya　Dmitryevna　stopped　her　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　and　in　the　midst　of　a　general　silence　said　to　her；　in　her　harsh　voice：
“So　you　are　going　to　pass　on　from　one　husband　to　another；　I　hear！　You　think；　I　dare　say；　it’s　a　new　fashion　you　are　setting。　But　you　are　not　the　first；　madam。　That’s　a　very　old　idea。　They　do　the　same　in　all　the　…”　And　with　these　words；　Marya　Dmitryevna　tucked　up　her　broad　sleeves　with　her　usual　menacing　action；　and　looking　severely　round　her；　walked　across　the　ballroom。
Though　people　were　afraid　of　Marya　Dmitryevna；　yet　in　Petersburg　they　looked　on　her　as　a　sort　of　buffoon；　and　therefore　of　all　her　words　they　noticed　only　the　last　coarse　one；　and　repeated　it　to　one　another　in　whispers；　supposing　that　the　whole　point　of　her　utterance　lay　in　that。
Prince　Vassily　had　of　late　dropped　into　very　frequently　forgetting　what　he　had　said；　and　repeating　the　same　phrase　a　hundred　times；　and　every　time　he　happened　to　see　his　daughter　he　used　to　say：
“Ellen；　I　have　a　word　to　say　to　you；”　he　would　say；　drawing　her　aside　and　pulling　her　arm　downwards。　“I　have　got　wind　of　certain　projects　relative　to　…　you　know。　Well；　my　dear　child；　you　know　how　my　father’s　heart　rejoices　to　know　you　are　…　You　have　suffered　so　much。　But；　my　dear　child；　consult　only　your　heart。　That’s　all　I　tell　you。”　And　concealing　an　emotion　identical　on　each　occasion；　he　pressed　his　cheek　to　his　daughter’s　cheek　and　left　her。
Bilibin；　who　had　not　lost　his　reputation　as　a　wit；　was　a　disinterested　friend　of　Ellen’s；　one　of　those　friends　always　to　be　seen　in　the　train　of　brilliant　women；　men　friends　who　can　never　pass　into　the　rank　of　lovers。　One　day；　in　a　“small　and　intimate　circle；”　Bilibin　gave　his　friend　Ellen　his　views　on　the　subject。
“écoutez；　Bilibin”　（Ellen　always　called　friends　of　the　category　to　which　Bilibin　belonged　by　their　surnames）；　and　she　touched　his　coat…sleeve　with　her　white；　beringed　fingers。　“Tell　me；　as　you　would　a　sister；　what　ought　I　to　do？　Which　of　the　two？”
Bilibin　wrinkled　up　the　skin　over　his　eyebrows；　and　pondered　with　a　smile　on　his　lips。
“You　do　not　take　me　unawares；　you　know；”　he　said。　“As　a　true　friend；　I　have　thought；　and　thought　again　of　your　affair。　You　see；　if　you　marry　the　prince”—（the　younger　suitor）　he　crooked　his　finger—“you　lose　forever　the　chance　of　marrying　the　other；　and　then　you　displease　the　court。　（There　is　a　sort　of　relationship；　you　know。）　But　if　you　marry　the　old　count；　you　make　the　happiness　of　his　last　days。　And　then　as　widow　of　the　great　…　the　prince　will　not　be　making　a　mésalliance　in　marrying　you　…”　and　Bilibin　let　the　wrinkles　run　out　of　his　face。
“That’s　a　real　friend！”　said　Ellen　beaming；　and　once　more　touching　Bilibin’s　sleeve。　“But　the　fact　is　I　love　them　both；　and　I　don’t　want　to　make　them　unhappy。　I　would　give　my　life　for　the　happiness　of　both；”　she　declared。
Bilibin　shrugged　his　shoulders　to　denote　that　for　such　a　trouble　even　he　could　suggest　no　remedy。
“Une　ma？tresse…femme！　That　is　what’s　called　putting　the　question　squarely。　She　would　like　to　be　married　to　all　three　at　once；”　thought　Bilibin。
“But　do　tell　me　what　is　your　husband’s　view　of　the　question？”　he　said；　the　security　of　his　reputation　saving　him　from　all　fear　of　discrediting　himself　by　so　na？ve　a　question。　“Does　he　consent？”
“Oh；　he　is　so　fond　of　me！”　said　Ellen；　who；　for　some　unknown　reason；　fancied　that　Pierre　too　adored　her。　“Il　fera　tout　pour　moi。”
Bilibin　puckered　up　his　face　in　preparation　of　the　coming　mot。
“Même　le　divorce？”　he　said。
Ellen　laughed。
Among　the　persons　who　ventured　to　question　the　legality　of　the　proposed　marriage　was　Ellen’s　mother；　Princess　Kuragin。　She　had　constantly　suffered　pangs　of　envy　of　her　daughter；　and　now　when　the　ground　for　such　envy　was　the　one　nearest　to　her　own　heart；　she　could　not　reconcile　herself　to　the　idea　of　it。
She　consulted　a　Russian　priest　to　ascertain　how　far　divorce　and　remarriage　was　possible　for　a　woman　in　her　husband’s　lifetime。　The　priest　assured　her　that　this　was　impossible；　and　to　her　delight　referred　her　to　the　text　in　the　Gospel　in　which　（as　it　seemed　to　the　priest）　remarriage　during　the　lifetime　of　the　husband　was　directly　forbidden。
Armed　with　these　arguments；　which　seemed　to　her　irrefutable；　Princess　Kuragin　drove　round　to　her　daughter’s　early　one　morning　in　order　to　find　her　alone。
Ellen　heard　her　mother’s　protests　to　the　end；　and　smiled　with　bland　sarcasm。
“You　see　it　is　plainly　said：　‘He　who　marryeth　her　that　is　divorced…’　”
“O　mamma；　don’t　talk　nonsense。　You　don’t　understand。　In　my　position　I　have　duties…”　Ellen　began；　passing　out　of　Russian　into　French；　for　in　the　former　language　she　always　felt　a　lack　of　clearness　about　her　case。
“But；　my　dear…”
“O　mamma；　how　is　it　you　don’t　understand　that　the　Holy　Father；　who　has　the　right　of　granting　dispensations…”
At　that　moment　the　lady　companion；　who　lived　in　Ellen’s　house；　came　in　to　announce　that　his　highness　was　in　the　drawing…room；　and　wished　to　see　her。
“No；　tell　him　I　don’t　want　to　see　him；　that　I　am　furious　with　him　for　not　keeping　his　word。”
“Countess；　there　is　mercy　for　every　sin；”　said　a　young　man　with　fair　hair　and　a　long　face　and　long　nose。
The　old　princess　rose　respectfully　and　curtsied　at　his　entrance。　The　young　man　took　no　notice　of　her。　Princess　Kuragin　nodded　to　her　daughter；　and　swam　to　the　door。
“Yes；　she　is　right；”　thought　the　old　princess；　all　of　whose　convictions　had　been　dissipated　by　the　appearance　of　his　highness　on　the　scene。　“She　is　right；　but　how　was　it　in　our　youth—gone　now　for　ever—we　knew　nothing　of　this？　And　it　is　so　simple；”　thought　Princess　Kuragin；　as　she　settled　herself　in　her　carriage。
At　the　beginning　of　August　Ellen’s　affairs　were　settled；　and　she　wrote　to　her　husband　（who；　as　she　supposed；　was　deeply　attached　to　her）　a　letter；　in　which　she　made　known　to　him　her　intention　of　marrying　N。　N。　She　informed　him　also　of　her　conversion　to　the　one　true　faith；　and　begged　him　to　go　through　all　the　necessary　formalities　for　obtaining　a　divorce；　of　which　the　bearer　of　the　letter　would　give　him　further　details。　“On　which　I　pray　God　to　have　you　in　His　holy　and　powerful　keeping。　Your　friend；　Ellen。”
This　letter　was　brought　to　Pierre’s　house　at　the　time　when　he　was　on　the　field　of　Borodino。


Chapter　8
AT　THE　END　of　the　day　of　Borodino；　Pierre　ran　for　a　second　time　from　Raevsky’s　battery；　and　with　crowds　of　soldiers　crossed　the　ravine　on　the　way　to　Knyazkovo。　There　he　reached　an　ambulance　tent；　and　seeing　blood　and　hearing　screams　and　groans；　he　hurried　on；　caught　up　in　a　mob　of　soldiers。
The　one　thing　Pierre　desired　now　with　his　whole　soul　was　to　get　away　from　the　terrible　sensations　in　which　he　had　passed　that　day；　to　get　back　into　the　ordinary　conditions　of　life；　and　to　go　to　sleep　quietly　indoors　in　his　own　bed。　He　felt　that　only　in　the　ordinary　conditions　of　life　would　he　be　fit　to　understand　himself　and　all　he　had　seen　and　felt。　But　the　ordinary　conditions　of　life　were　nowhere　to　be　found。
Though　bullets　and　cannon　balls　were　not　whistling　here　on　the　ro