战争与和平(上)-第30章

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would　be　to　be　poorer　than　the　poorest　beggar。　A　thousand　thanks；　dear　friend；　for　the　work　you　send　me；　and　which　is　all　the　rage　where　you　are。　As；　however；　you　tell　me　that　amid　many　good　things　there　are　others　to　which　our　weak　human　understanding　cannot　attain；　it　seems　to　me　rather　useless　to　busy　oneself　in　reading　an　unintelligible　book；　since　for　that　very　reason　it　cannot　yield　any　profit。　I　have　never　been　able　to　comprehend　the　passion　which　some　people　have　for　confusing　their　minds　by　giving　themselves　to　the　study　of　mystical　books　which　only　awaken　their　doubts；　inflaming　their　imagination；　and　giving　them　a　disposition　to　exaggeration　altogether　contrary　to　Christian　simplicity。　Let　us　read　the　Apostles　and　the　Gospel。　Do　not　let　us　seek　to　penetrate　what　is　mysterious　in　these；　for　how　can　we　dare　presume；　miserable　sinners　as　we　are；　to　enter　into　the　terrible　and　sacred　secrets　of　Providence；　while　we　wear　this　carnal　husk　that　raises　an　impenetrable　veil　between　us　and　the　Eternal？　Let　us　rather　confine　ourselves　to　studying　those　sublime　principles　which　our　divine　Saviour　has　left　us　as　guides　for　our　conduct　here　below；　let　us　seek　to　conform　ourselves　to　those　and　follow　them；　let　us　persuade　ourselves　that　the　less　range　we　give　to　our　weak　human　understanding；　the　more　agreeable　it　will　be　to　God；　who　rejects　all　knowledge　that　does　not　come　from　Him；　that　the　less　we　seek　to　dive　into　that　which　He　has　pleased　to　hide　from　our　knowledge　the　sooner　will　He　discover　it　to　us　by　means　of　His　divine　Spirit。
“My　father　has　not　spoken　to　me　of　the　suitor；　but　has　only　told　me　that　he　has　received　a　letter；　and　was　expecting　a　visit　from　Prince　Vassily。　In　regard　to　a　marriage…scheme　concerning　myself；　I　will　tell　you；　my　dear　and　excellent　friend；　that　to　my　mind　marriage　is　a　divine　institution　to　which　we　must　conform。　However　painful　it　may　be　to　me；　if　the　Alrnighty　should　ever　impose　upon　me　the　duties　of　a　wife　and　mother；　I　shall　try　to　fulfil　them　as　faithfully　as　I　can　without　disquieting　myself　by　examining　my　feelings　in　regard　to　him　whom　He　may　give　me　for　a　husband。
“I　have　received　a　letter　from　my　brother；　who　announces　his　coming　to　Bleak　Hills　with　his　wife。　It　will　be　a　pleasure　of　brief　duration；　since　he　is　leaving　us　to　take　part　in　this　unhappy　war　into　which　we　have　been　drawn；　God　knows　how　and　why。　It　is　not　only　with　you；　in　the　centre　of　business　and　society；　that　people　talk　of　nothing　except　war；　for　here　also；　amid　those　rustic　labours　and　that　calm　of　nature；　which　townspeople　generally　imagine　in　the　country；　rumours　of　war　are　heard　and　are　felt　painfully。　My　father　talks　of　nothing　but　marches　and　counter…marches；　things　of　which　I　understand　nothing；　and　the　day　before　yesterday；　taking　my　usual　walk　in　the　village　street；　I　witnessed　a　heartrending　scene。…　It　was　a　convoy　of　recruits　that　had　been　enrolled　in　our　district；　and　were　being　sent　away　to　the　army。　You　should　have　seen　the　state　of　the　mothers；　wives　and　children　of　the　men　who　were　going；　and　have　heard　the　sobs　on　both　sides。　It　seems　as　though　humanity　had　forgotten　the　laws　of　its　divine　Saviour；　Who　preached　love　and　the　forgiveness　of　offences；　and　were　making　the　greatest　merit　to　consist　in　the　art　of　killing　one　another。
“Adieu；　dear　and　good　friend：　may　our　divine　Saviour　and　His　most　Holy　Mother　keep　you　in　their　holy　and　powerful　care。
MARIE。”
“Ah；　you　are　sending　off　your　letters；　princess。　I　have　already　finished　mine。　I　have　written　to　my　poor　mother；”　said　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　quickly　in　her　agreeable；　juicy　voice；　with　a　roll　of　the　r’s。　She　came　in；　all　smiles；　bringing　into　the　intense；　melancholy；　gloomy　atmosphere　of　the　Princess　Marya　an　alien　world　of　gay　frivolity　and　self…satisfaction。　“Princess；　I　must　warn　you；”　she　added；　dropping　her　voice；　“the　prince　has　had　an　altercation；”　she　said；　with　a　peculiar　roll　of　the　r；　seeming　to　listen　to　herself　with　pleasure。　“An　altercation　with　Mihail　Ivanov。　He　is　in　a　very　ill　humour；　very　morose。　Be　prepared；　you　know。”
“Ah；　chère　amie；”　answered　Princess　Marya；　“I　have　begged　you　never　to　tell　me　beforehand　in　what　humour　I　shall　find　my　father。　I　do　not　permit　myself　to　judge　him　and　I　would　not　have　others　do　so。”
The　princess　glanced　at　her　watch；　and　seeing　that　it　was　already　five　minutes　later　than　the　hour　fixed　for　her　practice　on　the　clavichord；　she　went　with　a　face　of　alarm　into　the　divan…room。　In　accordance　with　the　rules　by　which　the　day　was　mapped　out；　the　prince　rested　from　twelve　to　two；　while　the　young　princess　practised　on　the　clavichord。


Chapter　23
THE　GREY…HAIRED　VALET　was　sitting　in　the　waiting…room　dozing　and　listening　to　the　prince’s　snoring　in　his　immense　study。　From　a　far…off　part　of　the　house　there　came　through　closed　doors　the　sound　of　difficult　passages　of　a　sonata　of　Dusseck’s　repeated　twenty　times　over。
At　that　moment　a　carriage　and　a　little　cart　drove　up　to　the　steps；　and　Prince　Andrey　got　out　of　the　carriage；　helped　his　little　wife　out　and　let　her　pass　into　the　house　before　him。　Grey　Tihon　in　his　wig；　popping　out　at　the　door　of　the　waiting…room；　informed　him　in　a　whisper　that　the　prince　was　taking　a　nap　and　made　haste　to　close　the　door。　Tihon　knew　that　no　extraordinary　event；　not　even　the　arrival　of　his　son；　would　be　permitted　to　break　through　the　routine　of　the　day。　Prince　Andrey　was　apparently　as　well　aware　of　the　fact　as　Tihon。　He　looked　at　his　watch　as　though　to　ascertain　whether　his　father’s　habits　had　changed　during　the　time　he　had　not　seen　him；　and　satisfying　himself　that　they　were　unchanged；　he　turned　to　his　wife。
“He　will　get　up　in　twenty　minutes。　Let’s　go　to　Marie；”　he　said。
The　little　princess　had　grown　stouter　during　this　time；　but　her　short　upper　lip；　with　a　smile　and　the　faint　moustache　on　it；　rose　as　gaily　and　charmingly　as　ever　when　she　spoke。
“Why；　it　is　a　palace；”　she　said　to　her　husband；　looking　round　her　with　exactly　the　expression　with　which　people　pay　compliments　to　the　host　at　a　ball。　“Come；　quick；　quick！”　As　she　looked　about　her；　she　smiled　at　Tihon　and　at　her　husband；　and　at　the　footman　who　was　showing　them　in。
“It　is　Marie　practising？　Let　us　go　quietly；　we　must　surprise　her。”　Prince　Andrey　followed　her　with　a　courteous　and　depressed　expression。
“You’re　looking　older；　Tihon；”　he　said　as　he　passed　to　the　old　man；　who　was　kissing　his　hand。
Before　they　had　reached　the　room；　from　which　the　sounds　of　the　clavichord　were　coming；　the　pretty；　fair…haired　Frenchwoman　emerged　from　a　side…door。　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　seemed　overwhelmed　with　delight。
“Ah；　what　a　pleasure　for　the　princess！”　she　exclaimed。　“At　last！　I　must　tell　her。”
“No；　no；　please　not”　…　said　the　little　princess；　kissing　her。　“You　are　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　I　know　you　already　through　my　sister…in…law’s　friendship　for　you。　She　does　not　expect　us！”
They　went　up　to　the　door　of　the　divan…room；　from　which　came　the　sound　of　the　same　passage　repeated　over　and　over　again。　Prince　Andrey　stood　still　frowning　as　though　in　expectation　of　something　unpleasant。
The　little　princess　went　in。　The　passage　broke　off　in　the　middle；　he　heard　an　exclamation；　the　heavy　tread　of　Princess　Marya；　and　the　sound　of　kissing。　When　Prince　Andrey　went　in；　the　two　ladies；　who　had　only　seen　each　other　once　for　a　short　time　at　Prince　Andrey’s　wedding；　were　clasped　in　each　other’s　arms；　warmly　pressing　their　lips　to　the　first　place　each　had　chanced　upon。　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　was　standing　near　them；　her　hands　pressed　to　her　heart；　she　was　smiling　devoutly；　apparently　equally　ready　to　weep　and　to　laugh。　Prince　Andrey　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　scowled　as　lovers　of　music　scowl　when　they　hear　a　false　note。　The　two　ladies　let　each　other　go；　then　hastened　again；　as　though　each　afraid　of　being　remiss；　to　hug　each　other；　began　kissing　each　other’s　hands　and　pulling　them　away；　and　then　fell　to　kissing　each　other　on　the　face　again。　Then　they　quite　astonished　Prince　Andrey　by　both　suddenly　bursting　into　tears　and　beginning　the　kissing　over　again。　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　cried　too。　Prince　Andrey　was　unmistakably　ill　at　ease。　But　to　the　two　women　it　seemed　such　a　natural　thing　that　they　should　weep；　it　seemed