战争与和平(上)-第31章

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ly　ill　at　ease。　But　to　the　two　women　it　seemed　such　a　natural　thing　that　they　should　weep；　it　seemed　never　to　have　occurred　to　them　that　their　meeting　could　have　taken　place　without　tears。
“Ah；　ma　chère！…　Ah；　Marie！”　…　both　the　ladies　began　talking　at　once；　and　they　laughed。　“I　had　a　dream　last　night。　Then　you　did　not　expect　us？　O　Marie；　you　have　got　thinner。”
“And　you　are　looking　better　…”
“I　recognized　the　princess　at　once；”　put　in　Mademoiselle　Bourienne。
“And　I　had　no　idea！”　…　cried　Princess　Marya。　“Ah；　Andrey；　I　did　not　see　you。”
Prince　Andrey　and　his　sister　kissed　each　other’s　hands；　and　he　told　her　she　was　just　as　great　a　cry…baby　as　she　always　had　been。　Princess　Marya　turned　to　her　brother；　and　through　her　tears；　her　great；　luminous　eyes；　that　were　beautiful　at　that　instant；　rested　with　a　loving；　warm　and　gentle　gaze　on　Prince　Andrey’s　face。　The　little　princess　talked　incessantly。　The　short；　downy　upper　lip　was　continually　flying　down　to　meet　the　rosy；　lower　lip　when　necessary；　and　parting　again　in　a　smile　of　gleaming　teeth　and　eyes。　The　little　princess　described　an　incident　that　had　occurred　to　them　on　Spasskoe　hill；　and　might　have　been　serious　for　her　in　her　condition。　And　immediately　after　that　she　communicated　the　intelligence　that　she　had　left　all　her　clothes　in　Petersburg；　and　God　knew　what　she　would　have　to　go　about　in　here；　and　that　Andrey　was　quite　changed；　and　that　Kitty　Odintsov　had　married　an　old　man；　and　that　a　suitor　had　turned　up　for　Princess　Marya；　“who　was　a　suitor　worth　having；”　but　that　they　would　talk　about　that　later。　Princess　Marya　was　still　gazing　mutely　at　her　brother；　and　her　beautiful　eyes　were　full　of　love　and　melancholy。　It　was　clear　that　her　thoughts　were　following　a　train　of　their　own；　apart　from　the　chatter　of　her　sister…in…law。　In　the　middle　of　the　latter’s　description　of　the　last　fête…day　at　Petersburg；　she　addressed　her　brother。
“And　is　it　quite　settled　that　you　are　going　to　the　war；　Andrey？”　she　said；　sighing。　Liza　sighed　too。
“Yes；　and　to…morrow　too；”　answered　her　brother。
“He　is　deserting　me　here；　and　Heaven　knows　why；　when　he　might　have　had　promotion　…”　Princess　Marya　did　not　listen　to　the　end；　but　following　her　own　train　of　thought；　she　turned　to　her　sister…in…law；　letting　her　affectionate　eyes　rest　on　her　waist。
“Is　it　really　true？”　she　said。
The　face　of　her　sister…in…law　changed。　She　sighed。
“Yes；　it’s　true；”　she　said。　“Oh！　It’s　very　dreadful　…”
Liza’s　lip　drooped。　She　put　her　face　close　to　her　sister…in…law’s　face；　and　again　she　unexpectedly　began　to　cry。
“She　needs　rest；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　frowning。　“Don’t　you；　Liza？　Take　her　to　your　room；　while　I　go　to　father。　How　is　he—just　the　same？”
“The　same；　just　the　same；　I　don’t　know　what　you　will　think；”　Princess　Marya　answered　joyfully。
“And　the　same　hours；　and　the　walks　about　the　avenues；　and　the　lathe？”　asked　Prince　Andrey　with　a　scarcely　perceptible　smile；　showing　that；　in　spite　of　all　his　love　and　respect　for　his　father；　he　recognised　his　weaknesses。
“The　same　hours　and　the　lathe；　mathematics　too；　and　my　geometry　lessons；”　Princess　Marya　answered　gaily；　as　though　those　lessons　were　one　of　the　most　delightful　events　of　her　life。
When　the　twenty　minutes　had　elapsed；　and　the　time　for　the　old　prince　to　get　up　had　come；　Tihon　came　to　call　the　young　man　to　his　father。　The　old　man　made　a　departure　from　his　ordinary　routine　in　honour　of　his　son’s　arrival。　He　directed　that　he　should　be　admitted　into　his　apartments　during　his　time　for　dressing；　before　dinner。　The　old　prince　used　to　wear　the　old…fashioned　dress；　the　kaftan　and　powder。　And　when　Prince　Andrey—not　with　the　disdainful　face　and　manners　with　which　he　walked　into　drawing…rooms；　but　with　the　eager　face　with　which　he　had　talked　to　Pierre—went　in　to　his　father’s　room；　the　old　gentleman　was　in　his　dressing…room　sitting　in　a　roomy　morocco　chair　in　a　peignoir；　with　his　head　in　the　hands　of　Tihon。
“Ah！　the　warrior！　So　you　want　to　fight　Bonaparte？”　said　the　old　man；　shaking　his　powdered　head　as　far　as　his　plaited　tail；　which　was　in　Tihon’s　hands；　would　permit　him。
“Mind　you　look　sharp　after　him；　at　any　rate；　or　he’ll　soon　be　putting　us　on　the　list　of　his　subjects。　How　are　you？”
And　he　held　out　his　cheek　to　him。
The　old　gentleman　was　in　excellent　humour　after　his　nap　before　dinner。　（He　used　to　say　that　sleep　after　dinner　was　silver；　but　before　dinner　it　was　golden。）　He　took　delighted；　sidelong　glances　at　his　son　from　under　his　thick；　overhanging　brows。　Prince　Andrey　went　up　and　kissed　his　father　on　the　spot　indicated　for　him。　He　made　no　reply　on　his　father’s　favourite　topic—jesting　banter　at　the　military　men　of　the　period；　and　particularly　at　Bonaparte。
“Yes；　I　have　come　to　you；　father；　bringing　a　wife　with　child；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　with　eager　and　reverential　eyes　watching　every　movement　of　his　father’s　face。　“How　is　your　health？”
“None　but　fools；　my　lad；　and　profligates　are　unwell；　and　you　know　me；　busy　from　morning　till　night　and　temperate；　so　of　course　I’m　well。”
“Thank　God；”　said　his　son；　smiling。
“God’s　not　much　to　do　with　the　matter。　Come；　tell　me；”　the　old　man　went　on；　going　back　to　his　favourite　hobby；　“how　have　the　Germans　trained　you　to　fight　with　Bonaparte　on　their　new　scientific　method—strategy　as　they　call　it？”
Prince　Andrey　smiled。
“Give　me　time　to　recover　myself；　father；”　he　said；　with　a　smile　that　showed　that　his　father’s　failings　did　not　prevent　his　respecting　and　loving　him。　“Why；　I　have　only　just　got　here。”
“Nonsense；　nonsense；”　cried　the　old　man；　shaking　his　tail　to　try　whether　it　were　tightly　plaited；　and　taking　his　son　by　the　hand。　“The　house　is　ready　for　your　wife。　Marie　will　look　after　her　and　show　her　everything；　and　talk　nineteen　to　the　dozen　with　her　too。　That’s　their　feminine　way。　I’m　glad　to　have　her。　Sit　down；　talk　to　me。　Mihelson’s　army；　I　understand；　Tolstoy’s　too　…　a　simultaneous　expedition　…　but　what’s　the　army　of　the　South　going　to　do？　Prussia；　her　neutrality　…　I　know　all　that。　What　of　Austria？”　he　said；　getting　up　from　his　chair　and　walking　about　the　room；　with　Tihon　running　after　him；　giving　him　various　articles　of　his　apparel。　“What　about　Sweden？　How　will　they　cross　Pomerania？”
Prince　Andrey；　seeing　the　urgency　of　his　father’s　questions；　began　explaining　the　plan　of　operations　of　the　proposed　campaign；　speaking　at　first　reluctantly；　but　becoming　more　interested　as　he　went　on；　and　unconsciously　from　habit　passing　from　Russian　into　French。　He　told　him　how　an　army　of　ninety　thousand　troops　was　to　threaten　Prussia　so　as　to　drive　her　out　of　her　neutrality　and　draw　her　into　the　war；　how　part　of　these　troops　were　to　join　the　Swedish　troops　at　Strahlsund；　how　two　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　Austrians　were　to　combine　with　a　hundred　thousand　Russians　in　Italy　and　on　the　Rhine；　and　how　fifty　thousand　Russians　and　fifty　thousand　English　troops　were　to　meet　at　Naples；　and　how　the　army；　forming　a　total　of　five　hundred　thousand；　was　to　attack　the　French　on　different　sides　at　once。　The　old　prince　did　not　manifest　the　slightest　interest　in　what　he　told　him。　He　went　on　dressing；　as　he　walked　about；　apparently　not　listening；　and　three　times　he　unexpectedly　interrupted　him。　Once　he　stopped　him　and　shouted：　“the　white　one！　the　white　one！”
This　meant　that　Tihon　had　not　given　him　the　waistcoat　he　wanted。　Another　time；　he　stood　still；　asked：　“And　will　she　be　confined　soon？”　and　shook　his　head　reproachfully：　“That’s　bad！　Go　on；　go　on。”
The　third　time　was　when　Prince　Andrey　was　just　finishing　his　description。　The　old　man　hummed　in　French；　in　his　falsetto　old　voice：　“Malbrook　goes　off　to　battle；　God　knows　when　he’ll　come　back。”
His　son　only　smiled。
“I　don’t　say　that　this　is　a　plan　I　approve　of；”　he　said；　“I’m　only　telling　you　what　it　is。　Napoleon　has　made　a　plan　by　now　as　good　as　this　one。”
“Well；　you　have　told　me　nothing　new。”　And　thoughtfully　the　old　man　repeated；　speaking　quickly　to　himself：　“God　knows　when　he’ll　come　back。　Go　into　the　dining…room。”


Chapter　24
AT　THE　EXACT　HOUR；　the　prince；　powdered　and　shaven；　walked　into　the　dining…room；　where　there　were　waiting　for　him　his　daughter…in…law；　Princess　Marya；　Mademoiselle