战争与和平(上)-第302章

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　once　been　begun；　the　men　who　beat　and　strangled　Vereshtchagin　and　tore　him　to　pieces　could　not　kill　him。　The　crowd　pressed　on　them　on　all　sides；　heaved　from　side　to　side　like　one　man　with　them　in　the　middle；　and　would　not　let　them　kill　him　outright　or　let　him　go。
“Hit　him　with　an　axe；　eh？　…　they　have　crushed　him　…　Traitor；　he　sold　Christ！　…　living　…　alive　…　serve　the　thief　right。　With　a　bar！　…　Is　he　alive？　…”
Only　when　the　victim　ceased　to　struggle；　and　his　shrieks　had　passed　into　a　long…drawn；　rhythmic　death…rattle；　the　mob　began　hurriedly　to　change　places　about　the　bleeding　corpse　on　the　ground。　Every　one　went　up　to　it；　gazed　at　what　had　been　done；　and　pressed　back　horror…stricken；　surprised；　and　reproachful。
“O　Lord；　the　people’s　like　a　wild　beast；　how　could　he　be　alive！”　was　heard　in　the　crowd。　“And　a　young　fellow　too　…　must　have　been　a　merchant’s　son；　to　be　sure；　the　people　…　they　do　say　it’s　not　the　right　man　…　not　the　right　man！　…　O　Lord！　…　They　have　nearly　murdered　another　man；　they　say　he’s　almost　dead　…　Ah；　the　people　…　who　wouldn’t　be　afraid　of　sin　…”　were　saying　now　the　same　people；　looking　with　rueful　pity　at　the　dead　body；　with　the　blue　face　fouled　with　dust　and　blood；　and　the　long；　slender；　broken　neck。
A　punctilious　police　official；　feeling　the　presence　of　the　body　unseemly　in　the　courtyard　of　his　excellency；　bade　the　dragoons　drag　the　body　away　into　the　street。　Two　dragoons　took　hold　of　the　mutilated　legs；　and　drew　the　body　away。　The　dead；　shaven　head；　stained　with　blood　and　grimed　with　dust；　was　trailed　along　the　ground；　rolling　from　side　to　side　on　the　long　neck。　The　crowd　shrank　away　from　the　corpse。
When　Vereshtchagin　fell；　and　the　crowd　with　a　savage　yell　closed　in　and　heaved　about　him；　Rastoptchin　suddenly　turned　white；　and　instead　of　going　to　the　back　entrance；　where　horses　were　in　waiting　for　him；　he　strode　rapidly　along　the　corridor　leading　to　the　rooms　of　the　lower　story；　looking　on　the　floor　and　not　knowing　where　or　why　he　was　going。　The　count’s　face　was　white；　and　he　could　not　check　the　feverish　twitching　of　his　lower　jaw。
“Your　excellency；　this　way　…　where　are　you　going？　…　this　way；”　said　a　trembling；　frightened　voice　behind　him。　Count　Rastoptchin　was　incapable　of　making　any　reply。　Obediently　turning；　he　went　in　the　direction　indicated。　At　the　back　entrance　stood　a　carriage。　The　distant　roar　of　the　howling　mob　could　be　heard　even　there。　Count　Rastoptchin　hurriedly　got　into　the　carriage；　and　bade　them　drive　him　to　his　house　at　Sokolniky　beyond　the　town。　As　he　drove　out　into　Myasnitsky　Street　and　lost　the　sound　of　the　shouts　of　the　mob；　the　count　began　to　repent。　He　thought　with　dissatisfaction　now　of　the　excitement　and　terror　he　had　betrayed　before　his　subordinates。　“The　populace　is　terrible；　it　is　hideous。　They　are　like　wolves　that　can　only　be　appeased　with　flesh；”　he　thought。　“Count！　there　is　one　God　over　us！”　Vereshtchagin’s　words　suddenly　recurred　to　him；　and　a　disagreeable　chill　ran　down　his　back。　But　that　feeling　was　momentary；　and　Count　Rastoptchin　smiled　contemptuously　at　himself。　“I　had　other　duties。　The　people　had　to　be　appeased。　Many　other　victims　have　perished　and　are　perishing　for　the　public　good；”　he　thought；　and　he　began　to　reflect　on　the　social　duties　he　had　towards　his　family　and　towards　the　city　intrusted　to　his　care；　and　on　himself—not　as　Fyodor　Vassilyevitch　Rastoptchin　（he　assumed　that　Fyodor　Vassilyevitch　Rastoptchin　was　sacrificing　himself　for　le　bien　publique）—but　as　governor　of　Moscow；　as　the　representative　of　authority　intrusted　with　full　powers　by　the　Tsar。　“If　I　had　been　simply　Fyodor　Vassilyevitch；　my　course　of　action　might　have　been　quite　different；　but　I　was　bound　to　preserve　both　the　life　and　the　dignity　of　the　governor。”
Lightly　swayed　on　the　soft　springs　of　the　carriage；　and　hearing　no　more　of　the　fearful　sounds　of　the　mob；　Rastoptchin　was　physically　soothed；　and　as　is　always　the　case　simultaneously　with　physical　relief；　his　intellect　supplied　him　with　grounds　for　moral　comfort。　The　thought　that　reassured　Rastoptchin　was　not　a　new　one。　Ever　since　the　world　has　existed　and　men　have　killed　one　another；　a　man　has　never　committed　such　a　crime　against　his　fellow　without　consoling　himself　with　the　same　idea。　That　idea　is　le　bien　publique；　the　supposed　public　good　of　others。
To　a　man　not　swayed　by　passion　this　good　never　seems　certain；　but　a　man　who　has　committed　such　a　crime　always　knows　positively　where　that　public　good　lies。　And　Rastoptchin　now　knew　this。
Far　from　reproaching　himself　in　his　meditations　on　the　act　he　had　just　committed；　he　found　grounds　for　self…complacency　in　having　so　successfully　made　use　of　an　occasion　so　à　propos　for　executing　a　criminal；　and　at　the　same　time　satisfying　the　crowd。　“Vereshtchagin　had　been　tried　and　condemned　to　the　death　penalty；”　Rastoptchin　reflected　（though　Vereshtchagin　had　only　been　condemned　by　the　senate　to　hard　labour）。　“He　was　a　spy　and　a　traitor；　I　could　not　let　him　go　unpunished；　and　so　I　hit　two　birds　with　one　stone。　I　appeased　the　mob　by　giving　them　a　victim；　and　I　punished　a　miscreant。”
Reaching　his　house　in　the　suburbs；　the　count　completely　regained　his　composure　in　arranging　his　domestic　affairs。
Within　half　an　hour　the　count　was　driving　with　rapid　horses　across　the　Sokolniky　plain；　thinking　no　more　now　of　the　past；　but　absorbed　in　thought　and　plans　for　what　was　to　come。　He　was　approaching　now　the　Yauzsky　bridge；　where　he　had　been　told　that　Kutuzov　was。　In　his　own　mind　he　was　preparing　the　biting　and　angry　speeches　he　would　make；　upbraiding　Kutuzov　for　his　deception。　He　would　make　that　old　court　fox　feel　that　the　responsibility　for　all　the　disasters　bound　to　follow　the　abandonment　of　Moscow；　and　the　ruin　of　Russia　（as　Rastoptchin　considered　it）；　lay　upon　his　old；　doting　head。　Going　over　in　anticipation　what　he　would　say　to　him；　Rastoptchin　wrathfully　turned　from　side　to　side　in　the　carriage；　and　angrily　looked　about　him。
The　Sokolniky　plain　was　deserted。　Only　at　one　end　of　it；　by　the　alms…house　and　lunatic　asylum；　there　were　groups　of　people　in　white　garments；　and　similar　persons　were　wandering　about　the　plain；　shouting　and　gesticulating。
One　of　them　was　running　right　across　in　front　of　Count　Rastoptchin’s　carriage。　And　Count　Rastoptchin　himself　and　his　coachman；　and　the　dragoons；　all　gazed　with　a　vague　feeling　of　horror　and　curiosity　at　these　released　lunatics；　and　especially　at　the　one　who　was　running　towards　them。
Tottering　on　his　long；　thin　legs　in　his　fluttering　dressing…gown；　this　madman　ran　at　headlong　speed；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　Rastoptchin；　shouting　something　to　him　in　a　husky　voice；　and　making　signs　to　him　to　stop。　The　gloomy　and　triumphant　face　of　the　madman　was　thin　and　yellow；　with　irregular　tufts　of　beard　growing　on　it。　The　black；　agate…like　pupils　of　his　eyes　moved　restlessly；　showing　the　saffron…yellow　whites　above。　“Stay！　stop；　I　tell　you！”　he　shouted　shrilly；　and　again　breathlessly　fell　to　shouting　something　with　emphatic　gestures　and　intonations。
He　reached　the　carriage　and　ran　alongside　it。
“Three　times　they　slew　me；　three　times　I　rose　again　from　the　dead。　They　stoned　me；　they　crucified　me　…　I　shall　rise　again　…　I　shall　rise　again　…　I　shall　rise　again。　My　body　they　tore　to　pieces。　The　kingdom　of　heaven　will　be　overthrown　…　Three　times　I　will　overthrow　it；　and　three　times　I　will　set　it　up　again；”　he　screamed；　his　voice　growing　shriller　and　shriller。　Count　Rastoptchin　suddenly　turned　white；　as　he　had　turned　white　when　the　crowd　fell　upon　Vereshtchagin。　He　turned　away。　“G　…　go　on；　faster！”　he　cried　in　a　trembling　voice　to　his　coachman。
The　carriage　dashed　on　at　the　horses’　topmost　speed。　But　for　a　long　while　yet　Count　Rastoptchin　heard　behind　him　the　frantic；　desperate　scream　getting　further　away；　while　before　his　eyes　he　saw　nothing　but　the　wondering；　frightened；　bleeding　face　of　the　traitor　in　the　fur…lined　coat。　Fresh　as　that　image　was；　Rastoptchin　felt　now　that　it　was　deeply　for　ever　imprinted　on　his　heart。　He　felt　clearly　now　that　the　bloody　print　of　that　memory　would　never　leave　him；　that　the　further　he　went　the　more　cruelly；　the　more　vindictively；　would　that　fearful　memory　rankle　in　his　heart　to　the　end　of　his　life。　He　see