战争与和平(上)-第289章

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（the　adoration　of　others　was　like　the　grease　on　the　wheels；　without　which　her　mechanism　never　worked　quite　smoothly）；　and　Petya　did　adore　her。　And　above　all；　they　were　both　gay；　because　there　was　war　at　the　very　gates　of　Moscow；　because　there　would　be　fighting　at　the　barriers；　because　arms　were　being　given　out；　and　everybody　was　rushing　about；　and　altogether　something　extraordinary　was　happening；　which　is　always　inspiriting；　especially　for　the　young。


Chapter　13
ON　SATURDAY；　the　31st　of　August；　the　whole　household　of　the　Rostovs　seemed　turned　upside　down。　All　the　doors　stood　wide　open；　all　the　furniture　had　been　moved　about　or　carried　out；　looking…glasses　and　pictures　had　been　taken　down。　The　rooms　were　littered　up　with　boxes；　with　hay　and　packing　paper　and　cord。　Peasants　and　house…serfs　were　tramping　about　the　parquet　floors　carrying　out　the　baggage。　The　courtyard　was　crowded　with　peasants’　carts；　some　piled　high　with　goods　and　corded　up；　others　still　standing　empty。
The　voices　and　steps　of　the　immense　multitude　of　servants　and　of　peasants；　who　had　come　with　the　carts；　resounded　through　the　courtyard　and　the　house。　The　count　had　been　out　since　early　morning。　The　countess　had　a　headache　from　the　noise　and　bustle；　and　was　lying　down　in　the　new　divan…room　with　compresses　steeped　in　vinegar　on　her　head。　Petya　was　not　at　home；　he　had　gone　off　to　see　a　comrade；　with　whom　he　was　planning　to　get　transferred　from　the　militia　to　a　regiment　at　the　front。　Sonya　was　in　the　great　hall；　superintending　the　packing　of　the　china　and　glass。　Natasha　was　sitting　on　the　floor　in　her　dismantled　room　among　heaps　of　dresses；　ribbons；　and　scarfs。　She　sat　gazing　immovably　at　the　floor；　holding　in　her　hands　an　old　ball…dress；　the　very　dress；　now　out　of　fashion；　in　which　she　had　been　to　her　first　Petersburg　ball。
Natasha　was　ashamed　of　doing　nothing　when　every　one　in　the　house　was　so　busy；　and　several　times　that　morning　she　had　tried　to　set　to　work；　but　her　soul　was　not　in　it；　and　she　was　utterly　unable　to　do　anything　unless　all　her　heart　and　soul　were　in　it。　She　stood　over　Sonya　while　she　packed　the　china；　and　tried　to　help；　but　soon　threw　it　up；　and　went　to　her　room　to　pack　her　own　things。　At　first　she　had　found　it　amusing　to　give　away　her　dresses　and　ribbons　to　the　maids；　but　afterwards　when　it　came　to　packing　what　was　left；　it　seemed　a　wearisome　task。
“Dunyasha；　you’ll　pack　it　all；　dear？　Yes？　yes？”
And　when　Dunyasha　readily　undertook　to　do　it　all　for　her；　Natasha　sat　down　on　the　floor　with　the　old　ball…dress　in　her　hands；　and　fell　to　dreaming　on　subjects　far　removed　from　what　should　have　been　occupying　her　mind　then。　From　the　reverie　she　had　fallen　into；　Natasha　was　aroused　by　the　talk　of　the　maids　in　the　next　room　and　their　hurried　footsteps　from　their　room　to　the　backstairs。　Natasha　got　up　and　looked　out　of　the　window。　A　huge　train　of　carts　full　of　wounded　men　had　stopped　in　the　street。
The　maids；　the　footmen；　the　housekeeper；　the　old　nurse；　the　cooks；　the　coachmen；　the　grooms；　and　the　scullion…boys　were　all　at　the　gates；　staring　at　the　wounded　men。
Natasha　flung　a　white　pocket…handkerchief　over　her　hair；　and　holding　the　corners　in　both　hands；　went　out　into　the　street。
The　old　housekeeper；　Mavra　Kuzminishna；　had　left　the　crowd　standing　at　the　gate；　and　gone　up　to　a　cart　with　a　tilt　of　bast…mats　thrown　over　it。　She　was　talking　to　a　pale　young　officer　who　was　lying　in　this　cart。　Natasha　took　a　few　steps　forward　and　stood　still　timidly；　holding　her　kerchief　on　and　listening　to　what　the　housekeeper　was　saying。
“So　you　have　no　one　then　in　Moscow？”　Mavra　Kuzminishna　was　saying。　“You’d　be　more　comfortable　in　some　apartment。…　In　our　house　even。　The　masters　are　all　leaving。”
“I　don’t　know　if　it　would　be　allowed；”　said　the　officer　in　a　feeble　voice。　“There’s　our　chief　officer　…　ask　him；”　and　he　pointed　to　a　stout　major　who　had　turned　back　and　was　walking　along　the　row　of　carts　down　the　street。
Natasha　glanced　with　frightened　eyes　into　the　face　of　the　wounded　officer；　and　at　once　went　to　meet　the　major。
“May　the　wounded　men　stay　in　our　house？”　she　asked。
The　major　with　a　smile　put　his　hand　to　his　cap。
“What　is　your　pleasure；　ma’mselle？”　he　said；　screwing　up　his　eyes　and　smiling。
Natasha　quietly　repeated　her　question；　and　her　face　and　her　whole　manner；　though　she　still　kept　hold　of　the　corners　of　the　pocket…handkerchief；　was　so　serious；　that　the　major　left　off　smiling；　and　after　a　moment’s　pondering—as　though　asking　himself　how　far　it　were　possible—he　gave　her　an　affirmative　answer。
“Oh　yes；　why　not；　they　may；”　he　said。
Natasha　gave　a　slight　nod；　and　went　back　with　rapid　steps　to　Mavra　Kuzminishna；　who　was　still　talking　with　commiserating　sympathy　to　the　young　officer。
“They　may；　he　said　they　might！”　whispered　Natasha。
The　officer　in　the　covered　cart　turned　into　the　Rostovs’　courtyard；　and　dozens　of　carts　of　wounded　men　began　at　the　invitation　of　the　inhabitants　to　drive　up　to　the　entries　of　the　houses　in　Povarsky　Street。　Natasha　was　evidently　delighted　at　having　to　do　with　new　people　in　conditions　quite　outside　the　ordinary　routine　of　life。　She　joined　Mavra　Kuzminishna　in　trying　to　get　as　many　as　possible　driven　into　their　yard。
“We　must　ask　your　papa　though；”　said　Mavra　Kuzminishna。
“Nonsense；　nonsense。　What　does　it　matter？　For　one　day；　we’ll　move　into　the　drawing…room。　We　can　give　them　all　our　half　of　the　house。”
“What　an　idea！　what　next？　The　lodge；　may　be；　the　men’s　room；　and　old　nurse’s　room；　and　you　must　ask　leave　for　that。”
“Well；　I　will　ask。”
Natasha　ran　indoors；　and　went　on　tiptoe　to　the　half…open　door　of　the　divan…room；　where　there　was　a　strong　smell　of　vinegar　and　Hoffmann’s　drops。
“Are　you　asleep；　mamma？”
“Oh；　what　chance　is　there　of　sleep！”　said　the　countess；　who　had　just　dropped　into　a　doze。
“Mamma；　darling！”　said　Natasha；　kneeling　before　her　mother　and　leaning　her　face　against　her　mother’s。　“I　am　sorry；　forgive　me；　I’ll　never　do　it　again；　I　waked　you。　Mavra　Kuzminishna　sent　me；　they　have　brought　some　wounded　men　in；　officers；　will　you　allow　it？　They　have　nowhere　to　go；　I　know　you　will　allow　it；　…”　she　said　rapidly；　not　taking　breath。
“Officers？　Who　have　been　brought　in？　I　don’t　understand；”　said　the　countess。
Natasha　laughed；　the　countess　too　smiled　faintly。
“I　knew　you　would　let　me　…　so　I　will　tell　them　so。”　And　Natasha；　kissing　her　mother；　got　up　and　went　to　the　door。
In　the　hall　she　met　her　father；　who　had　come　home　with　bad　news。
“We　have　lingered　on　too　long！”　said　the　count；　with　unconscious　anger　in　his　voice；　“the　club’s　shut　up　and　the　police　are　leaving。”
“Papa；　you　don’t　mind　my　having　invited　some　of　the　wounded　into　the　house？”　said　Natasha。
“Of　course　not；”　said　the　count　absently。　“But　that’s　not　to　the　point。　I　beg　you　now　not　to　let　yourself　be　taken　up　with　any　nonsense；　but　to　help　to　pack　and　get　off—to　get　off　to…morrow　…”
And　the　count　gave　his　butler　and　servants　the　same　orders。　Petya　came　back　at　dinner…time；　and　he　too　had　news　to　tell　them。
He　said　that　the　mob　was　taking　up　arms　to…day　in　the　Kremlin；　that　though　Rastoptchin’s　placard　said　he　would　give　the　word　two　days　later；　it　had　really　been　arranged　that　all　the　people　should　go　next　day　in　arms　to　the　Three　Hills；　and　there　a　great　battle　was　to　be　fought。
The　countess　looked　in　timid　horror　at　her　son’s　eager；　excited　face；　as　he　told　them　this。　She　knew　that　if　she　said　a　word　to　try　and　dissuade　Petya　from　going　to　this　battle　（she　knew　how　he　was　enjoying　the　prospect　of　it）；　he　would　say　something　about　the　duty　of　a　man；　about　honour；　and　the　fatherland—something　irrational；　masculine；　and　perverse—which　it　would　be　useless　to　oppose；　and　all　hope　of　preventing　him　would　be　gone。　And；　therefore；　hoping　to　succeed　in　setting　off　before　this　battle；　and　in　taking　Petya　with　her；　to　guard　and　protect　them　on　the　road；　she　said　nothing　to　her　son；　but　after　dinner　called　her　husband　aside；　and　with　tears　besought　him　to　take　her　away　as　soon　as　could　be；　that　night　if　possible。　With　the　instinctive；　feminine　duplicity　of　love；　though　she　had　till　then　shown　not　the　slightest　sign　of　alarm；　she　declared　she　should　die　of　terror　if　they　did　not　get　awa