战争与和平(上)-第309章

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oved　one　woman；　and　still　loved　her；　and　that　that　woman　could　never　be　his。
“Tiens！”　said　the　captain。
Then　Pierre　explained　that　he　had　loved　this　woman　from　his　earliest　youth；　but　had　not　dared　to　think　of　her　because　she　was　too　young；　and　he　had　been　an　illegitimate　son；　with　no　name　of　his　own。　Then　when　he　had　received　a　name　and　wealth；　he　had　not　dared　think　of　her　because　he　loved　her　too　much；　because　he　set　her　too　high　above　all　the　world；　and　so　even　more　above　himself。　On　reaching　this　point；　Pierre　asked　the　captain；　did　he　understand　that。
The　captain　made　a　gesture　expressing　that　whether　he　understood　it　or　not；　he　begged　him　to　proceed。
“Platonic　love；　moonshine…”　he　muttered。　The　wine　he　had　drunk；　or　an　impulse　of　frankness；　or　the　thought　that　this　man　did　not　know　and　never　would　know；　any　of　the　persons　concerned　in　his　story；　or　all　together　loosened　Pierre’s　tongue。　With　faltering　lips　and　with　a　faraway　look　in　his　moist　eye；　he　told　all　his　story；　his　marriage　and　the　story　of　Natasha’s　love　for　his　dearest　friend　and　her　betrayal　of　him；　and　all　his　own　simple　relations　with　her。　In　response　to　questions　from　Ramballe；　he　told　him；　too；　what　he　had　at　first　concealed—his　position　in　society—and　even　disclosed　his　name。
What　impressed　the　captain　more　than　anything　else　in　Pierre’s　story　was　the　fact　that　Pierre　was　very　wealthy；　that　he　had　two　palatial　houses　in　Moscow；　and　that　he　had　abandoned　everything；　and　yet　had　not　left　Moscow；　but　was　staying　in　the　town　concealing　his　name　and　station。
Late　in　the　night　they　went　out　together　into　the　street。　The　night　was　warm　and　clear。　On　the　left　there　was　the　glow　of　the　first　fire　that　broke　out　in　Moscow；　in　Petrovka。　On　the　right　a　young　crescent　moon　stood　high　in　the　sky；　and　in　the　opposite　quarter　of　the　heavens　hung　the　brilliant　comet　which　was　connected　in　Pierre’s　heart　with　his　love。　At　the　gates　of　the　yard　stood　Gerasim；　the　cook；　and　two　Frenchmen。　Pierre　could　hear　their　laughter　and　talk；　incomprehensible　to　one　another。　They　were　looking　at　the　glow　of　the　fire　burning　in　the　town。
There　was　nothing　alarming　in　a　small　remote　fire　in　the　immense　city。
Gazing　at　the　lofty；　starlit　sky；　at　the　moon；　at　the　comet　and　the　glow　of　the　fire；　Pierre　felt　a　thrill　of　joyous　and　tender　emotion。　“How　fair　it　all　is！　what　more　does　one　want？”　he　thought。　And　all　at　once；　when　he　recalled　his　design；　his　head　seemed　going　round；　he　felt　so　giddy　that　he　leaned　against　the　fence　so　as　not　to　fall。
Without　taking　leave　of　his　new　friend；　Pierre　left　the　gate　with　unsteady　steps；　and　going　back　to　his　room　lay　down　on　the　sofa　and　at　once　fell　asleep。


Chapter　30
FROM　VARIOUS　ROADS；　and　with　various　feelings；　the　inhabitants　running　and　driving　away　from　Moscow；　and　the　retreating　troops；　gazed　at　the　glow　of　the　first　fire　that　broke　out　in　the　city　on　the　2nd　of　September。
The　Rostovs’　party　stopped　for　that　night　at　Mytishtchy；　twenty　versts　from　Moscow。　They　had　started　so　late　on　the　1st　of　September；　the　road　had　been　so　blocked　by　waggons　and　troops；　so　many　things　had　been　forgotten；　and　servants　sent　back　to　get　them；　that　they　had　decided　to　halt　for　the　first　night　five　versts　from　Moscow。　The　next　morning　they　walked　late；　and　there　were　again　so　many　delays　that　they　only　reached　Great　Mytishtchy。　At　ten　o’clock　the　Rostov　family；　and　the　wounded　soldiers　travelling　with　them；　had　all　found　places　for　the　night　in　the　yards　and　huts　of　the　greater　village。　The　servants；　the　Rostovs’　coachmen；　and　the　orderlies　of　the　wounded　officers；　after　settling　their　masters　for　the　night；　supped；　fed　their　horses；　and　came　out　into　the　porch　of　a　hut。
In　the　next　hut　lay　Raevsky’s　adjutant　with　a　broken　wrist；　and　the　terrible　pain　made　him　moan　incessantly；　and　these　moans　had　a　grue…some　sound　in　the　autumn　darkness　of　the　night。　On　the　first　night　this　adjutant　had　spent　the　night　in　a　building　in　the　same　yard　as　the　hut　in　which　the　Rostovs　slept。　The　countess　declared　that　she　had　not　closed　her　eyes　all　night　from　that　moaning；　and　at　Mytishtchy　she　had　moved　into　a　less　comfortable　hut　simply　to　get　further　away　from　the　wounded　man。　One　of　the　servants　noticed　in　the　dark　night　sky；　above　the　high　carriage　standing　at　the　entry；　another　small　glow　of　fire。　One　such　glow　had　been　seen　long　before；　and　every　one　knew　it　was　Little　Mytishtchy；　which　had　been　set　on　fire　by　Mamonov’s　Cossacks。
“I　say；　mates；　there’s　another　fire；”　said　the　man。　All　of　them　looked　towards　the　glow。
“Why；　they　told　us　Mamonov’s　Cossacks　had　fired　Little　Mytishtchy。”　“Nay！　that’s　not　Mytishtchy；　it’s　further。”　“Look’ee；　it’s　in　Moscow　seemingly。”　Two　of　the　men　left　the　porch；　went　to　a　carriage　and　squatted　on　the　step。　“It’s　more　to　the　left！　Why；　Mytishtchy　is　away　yonder；　and　that’s　quite　the　other　side。”
Several　more　men　joined　the　first　group。
“I　say　it　is　flaring；”　said　one；　“that’s　a　fire　in　Moscow；　my　friends；　either　in　Sushtchovsky　or　in　Rogozhsky。”
No　one　answered　this　remark。　And　for　a　good　while　all　these　men　gazed　in　silence　at　the　flames　of　this　new　conflagration　glowing　far　away。　An　old　man；　the　count’s　valet　（as　he　was　called）；　Danilo　Terentyitch；　came　up　to　the　crowd　and　called　Mishka。
“What　are　you　gaping　at？　…　The　count　may　ask　for　you　and　nobody　to　be　found；　go　and　put　the　clothes　together。”
“Oh；　I　only　ran　out　for　some　water；”　said　Mishka。
“And　what　do　you　say；　Danilo　Terentyitch？　that’s　a　fire　in　Moscow；　isn’t　it？”　said　one　of　the　footmen。
Danilo　Terentyitch　made　no　reply；　and　for　a　long　while　all　were　mute　again。　The　glow　spread　wider；　and　flickered　further　and　further　away。
“God　have　mercy！　…　a　wind　and　the　drought　…”　said　a　voice　again。
“Look’ee；　how　it’s　spreading。　O　Lord！　why；　one　can　see　the　jackdaws！　Lord；　have　mercy　on　us　poor　sinners！”
“They’ll　put　it　out；　never　fear。”
“Who’s　to　put　it　out？”　cried　the　voice　of　Danilo　Terentyitch；　silent　till　that　moment。　His　voice　was　quiet　and　deliberate。　“Moscow　it　is；　mates；”　he　said；　“it’s　she；　our　mother；　the　white　city　…”　his　voice　broke；　and　he　suddenly　burst　into　the　sobs　of　old　age。　And　it　seemed　as　though　all　had　been　waiting　for　that　to　grasp　the　import　for　all　of　that　glow　they　were　watching。　Sighs　were　heard　and　muttered　prayers；　and　the　sobs　of　the　old　valet。


Chapter　31
THE　VALET　on　going　in　informed　the　count　that　Moscow　was　on　fire。　The　count　put　on　his　dressing…gown　and　went　out　to　look。　With　him　went　Sonya；　who　had　not　yet　undressed；　and　Madame　Schoss；　Natasha　and　the　countess　were　left　alone　within。　Petya　was　no　longer　with　the　family；　he　had　gone　on　ahead　with　his　regiment　marching　to　Troitsa。
The　countess　wept　on　hearing　that　Moscow　was　in　flames。　Natasha；　pale；　with　staring　eyes；　sat　on　the　bench　under　the　holy　images；　the　spot　where　she　had　first　thrown　herself　down　on　entering；　and　took　no　notice　of　her　father’s　words。　She　was　listening　to　the　never…ceasing　moan　of　the　adjutant；　audible　three　huts　away。
“Oh！　how　awful！”　cried　Sonya；　coming　in　chilled　and　frightened　from　the　yard。　“I　do　believe　all　Moscow　is　burning：　there’s　an　awful　fire！　Natasha；　do　look；　you　can　see　now　from　the　window　here；”　she　said；　obviously　trying　to　distract　her　friend’s　mind。　But　Natasha　stared　at　her；　as　though　she　did　not　understand　what　was　asked　of　her；　and　fixed　her　eyes　again　on　the　corner　of　the　stove。　Natasha　had　been　in　this　petrified　condition　ever　since　morning；　when　Sonya；　to　the　amazement　and　anger　of　the　countess；　had　for　some　incomprehensible　reason　thought　fit　to　inform　Natasha　of　Prince　Andrey’s　wound；　and　his　presence　among　their　train。　The　countess　had　been　angry　with　Sonya；　as　she　waited　all　the　while　on　her　friend；　as　though　trying　to　atone　for　her　fault。
“Look；　Natasha；　how　frightfully　it’s　burning；”　said　Sonya。
“What’s　burning？”　asked　Natasha。　“Oh　yes；　Moscow。”
And　to　get　rid　of　Sonya；　and　not　hurt　her　by　a　refusal；　she　moved　her　head　towards　the　window；　looking　in　such　a　way　that　it　was　evident　she　could　see　nothing；　and　sat　again　in　the　same　attitude　as　before。
“But　didn’t　you　see？”
“Yes；　I　really　did　see；”　she　declared　in　a　voice　that　implored