战争与和平(上)-第290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！


shown　not　the　slightest　sign　of　alarm；　she　declared　she　should　die　of　terror　if　they　did　not　get　away　that　very　night。　She　was　indeed　without　feigning　afraid　now　of　everything。


Chapter　14
MADAME　SCHOSS；　who　had　gone　out　to　visit　her　daughter；　increased　the　countess’s　terrors　by　describing　the　scenes　she　had　witnessed　at　a　spirit　dealer’s　in　Myasnitsky　Street。　She　entered　that　street　on　her　way　home；　but　could　not　pass　through　it　owing　to　the　drunken　mob　raging　round　the　spirit　dealer’s。　She　had　taken　a　cab　and　driven　home　by　a　circuitous　route；　and　the　driver　had　told　her　that　the　mob　had　broken　open　the　casks　of　spirit；　that　orders　had　been　given　to　that　effect。
After　dinner　all　the　Rostov　household　set　to　work　packing　and　preparing　for　their　departure　with　eager　haste。　The　old　count；　suddenly　rousing　himself　to　the　task；　spent　the　rest　of　the　day　continually　trotting　from　the　courtyard　into　the　house　and　back　again；　shouting　confused　instructions　to　the　hurrying　servants；　and　trying　to　spur　them　on　to　even　greater　haste。　Petya　looked　after　things　in　the　yard。　Sonya　was　quite　bewildered　by　the　count’s　contradictory　orders；　and　did　not　know　what　to　do。　The　servants　raced　about　the　rooms；　shouting；　quarrelling；　and　making　a　noise。　Natasha；　too；　suddenly　set　to　work　with　the　ardour　that　was　characteristic　of　her　in　all　she　did。　At　first　her　intervention　was　sceptically　received。　No　one　expected　anything　serious　from　her　or　would　obey　her　instructions。　But　with　heat　and　perseverance　she　insisted　on　being　obeyed；　got　angry　and　almost　shed　tears　that　they　did　not　heed　her；　and　did　at　last　succeed　in　impressing　them。　Her　first　achievement；　which　cost　her　immense　effort；　and　established　her　authority；　was　the　packing　of　the　rugs。　There　were　a　number　of　costly　Gobelin　tapestries　and　Persian　rugs　in　the　house。　When　Natasha　set　to　work；　she　found　two　boxes　standing　open　in　the　hall：　one　packed　almost　full　of　china；　the　other　full　of　rugs。　There　was　a　great　deal　more　china　left　standing　on　the　tables　and　there　was　more　still　to　come　from　the　storeroom。　Another　third　box　was　needed；　and　the　men　had　gone　to　get　one。
“Sonya；　wait　a　little；　and　we’ll　pack　it　all　without　that；”　said　Natasha。
“You　cannot；　miss；　we　have　tried　already；”　said　the　footman。
“No；　wait　a　minute；　please。”　And　Natasha　began　taking　out　the　plates　and　dishes；　packed　up　in　paper
“The　dishes　would　go　better　in　here　with　the　rugs；”　she　said。
“Why；　there　are　rugs　enough　left　that　we　shall　hardly　get　into　three　boxes；”　said　the　footman。
“But　do　wait　a　little；　please。”　And　Natasha　began　rapidly　and　deftly　sorting　out　the　things。　“These　we　don’t　want；”　she　said　of　the　plates　of　Kiev　ware；　“this　and　this　we　can　pack　in　the　rugs；”　she　decided；　fishing　out　the　Saxony　dishes。
“Come；　let　it　alone；　Natasha；　come；　that’s　enough；　we’ll　pack　them；”　said　Sonya　reproachfully。
“What　a　young　lady！”　protested　the　footman。
But　Natasha　would　not　give　in。　She　pulled　everything　out；　and　began　rapidly　packing　them　again；　deciding　that　the　commoner　rugs　and　crockery　should　not　be　taken　at　all。　When　she　had　taken　everything　out；　she　began　repacking　what　was　to　go；　and　by　sorting　out　almost　all　the　cheaper　goods　which　were　not　worth　taking；　all　that　was　of　value　was　got　into　two　boxes。　Only　the　lid　of　the　box　full　of　rugs　would　not　shut。　A　few　things　might　have　been　taken　out；　but　Natasha　wanted　to　manage　it　in　her　own　way。　She　unpacked；　repacked；　squeezed　the　things　in；　made　the　footman　and　Petya；　whom　she　had　drawn　into　assisting　in　the　work；　press　on　the　lid；　and　herself　tried　desperately　to　do　the　same。
“That　will　do；　Natasha；”　Sonya　said　to　her。　“I　see　you　are　quite　right；　but　take　out　just　the　top　one。”
“I　won’t；”　cried　Natasha；　with　one　hand　holding　her　disordered　hair　off　her　perspiring　face；　while　with　the　other　she　squeezed　down　the　rugs。　“Press　it；　Petya；　press　it！　Vassilitch；　press　hard！”　she　cried。　The　rugs　yielded；　and　the　lid　closed。　Natasha；　clapping　her　hands；　shrieked　with　delight；　and　tears　started　into　her　eyes。　But　that　lasted　only　a　second。　She　set　to　work　at　once　on　a　fresh　job；　and　now　the　servants　put　complete　faith　in　her；　and　the　count　did　not　take　it　amiss　when　they　told　him　that　Natalya　Ilyinitshna　had　given　some　direction　superseding　his　orders；　and　the　servants　came　to　Natasha　to　ask　whether　a　cart　was　packed　full　enough　and　whether　the　loads　were　to　be　tied　on。　The　packing　went　on　fast　now；　thanks　to　Natasha’s　supervision；　everything　useless　was　left　behind；　and　the　most　valuable　goods　were　packed　as　compactly　as　possible。
But　with　all　their　exertions；　even　late　at　night　everything　was　not　ready。　The　countess　had　fallen　asleep；　and　the　count　put　off　their　departure　till　morning　and　went　to　bed。
Sonya　and　Natasha　slept　in　the　divan…room；　without　undressing。
That　night　another　wounded　officer　was　driven　along　Povarsky　Street；　and　Mavra　Kuzminishna；　who　was　standing　at　the　gate；　had　him　brought　into　the　Rostovs’　yard。　The　wounded　officer　must；　Mavra　Kuzminishna　thought；　be　a　man　of　very　great　consequence。　He　was　in　a　coach　with　the　hood　let　down　and　a　carriage　apron　completely　covering　it。　An　old　man；　a　most　respectable…looking　valet；　was　sitting　on　the　box　with　the　driver。　A　doctor　and　two　soldiers　followed　the　carriage　in　another　conveyance。
“Come　into　our　house；　come　in。　The　masters　are　going　away；　the　whole　house　is　empty；”　said　the　old　woman；　addressing　the　old　servant。
“Well；”　answered　the　valet；　sighing；　“and　indeed　we　have　no　hope　of　getting　him　home　alive！　We　have　a　house　of　our　own　in　Moscow；　but　it　is　a　long　way　further；　and　there’s　no　one　living　in　it　either。”
“Pray　come　in；　our　masters　have　plenty　of　everything；　and　you　are　welcome；”　said　Mavra　Kuzminishna。　“Is　the　gentleman　very　bad；　then？”　she　asked。
“There’s　no　hope！　I　must　ask　the　doctor。”　And　the　valet　got　down　and　went　to　the　vehicle　behind。
“Very　good；”　said　the　doctor。
The　valet　went　up　to　the　coach　again；　peeped　into　it；　shook　his　head；　told　the　coachman　to　turn　into　the　yard；　and　stood　still　beside　Mavra　Kuzminishna。
“Lord　Jesus　Christ；　have　mercy！”　she　murmured。
Mavra　Kuzminishna　suggested　the　wounded　man　being　carried　into　the　house。
“The　masters　won’t　say　anything　…”　said　she。
But　they　had　to　avoid　lifting　him　up　the　steps；　and　so　they　carried　the　wounded　man　to　the　lodge；　and　put　him　in　the　room　that　had　been　Madame　Schoss’s。　This　wounded　officer　was　Prince　Andrey　Bolkonsky。


Chapter　15
THE　LAST　DAY　of　Moscow　had　come。　It　was　a　bright；　clear　autumn　day。　It　was　Sunday。　The　bells　were　ringing　for　service　in　all　the　churches；　just　as　on　all　other　Sundays。　No　one　seemed　yet　able　to　grasp　what　was　awaiting　Moscow。
There　were　only　two　indications　in　the　condition　of　society　that　betrayed　the　position　of　Moscow；　those　were　the　rabble；　that　is；　the　poorer　class；　and　the　prices　of　different　objects。　Factory　hands；　house…　serfs；and　peasants　came　out　early　that　morning　on　to　Three　Hills　in　immense　crowds；　which　were　swelled　by　clerks；　divinity　students；　and　gentlemen。　After　staying　there　a　while　waiting　for　Rastoptchin；　who　did　not　come；　and　gaining　the　conviction　that　Moscow　would　be　surrendered；　this　mob　dispersed　about　the　taverns　and　drinkshops　of　Moscow。　Prices；　too；　on　that　day　indicated　the　position　of　affairs。　The　prices　of　weapons；　of　carts　and　horses；　and　the　value　of　gold　rose　higher　and　higher；　while　the　value　of　paper…money　and　the　prices　of　things　useful　in　town　were　continually　falling；　so　that　by　the　middle　of　the　day　there　were　instances　of　cab…drivers　carrying　off　at　half…price　expensive　goods；　like　cloth；　and　while　five　hundred　roubles　was　paid　for　a　peasant’s　horse；　furniture；　mirrors；　and　bronzes　were　given　away　for　nothing。
In　the　old…fashioned　and　decorous　house　of　the　Rostovs　the　collapse　of　all　the　usual　conditions　of　life　was　very　slightly　perceptible。　In　the　night　three　out　of　the　immense　retinue　of　servants；　did　indeed　disappear；　but　nothing　was　stolen；　and　the　Rostovs　were　only　aware　of　the　change　in　the　relative　value　of　things　from　finding　that　the　thirty　carts　from　the　country　were　of　enormous　value；　for　which　they　were　envied　by　many；　and　offered　enormous　sums。　Besides　these　would…