战争与和平(上)-第310章

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before。
“But　didn’t　you　see？”
“Yes；　I　really　did　see；”　she　declared　in　a　voice　that　implored　to　be　left　in　peace。
Both　the　countess　and　Sonya　could　readily　understand　that　Moscow；　the　burning　of　Moscow；　anything　whatever　in　fact；　could　be　of　no　interest　to　Natasha。
The　count　came　in　again　behind　the　partition　wall　and　lay　down。　The　countess　went　up　to　Natasha；　put　the　back　of　her　hand　to　her　head；　as　she　did　when　her　daughter　was　ill；　then　touched　her　forehead　with　her　lips；　as　though　to　find　out　whether　she　were　feverish；　and　kissed　her。
“You　are　chilled？　You　are　all　shaking。　You　should　lie　down；”　she　said。
“Lie　down？　Yes；　very　well；　I’ll　lie　down。　I’ll　lie　down　in　a　minute；”　said　Natasha。
When　Natasha　had　been　told　that　morning　that　Prince　Andrey　was　seriously　wounded；　and　was　travelling　with　them；　she　had　at　the　first　moment　asked　a　great　many　questions；　how　and　why　and　where　she　could　see　him。　But　after　she　had　been　told　that　she　could　not　see　him；　that　his　wound　was　a　serious　one；　but　that　his　life　was　not　in　danger；　though　she　plainly　did　not　believe　what　was　told　her；　she　saw　that　she　would　get　the　same　answer　whatever　she　said；　and　gave　up　asking　questions　and　speaking　at　all。　All　the　way　Natasha　had　sat　motionless　in　the　corner　of　the　carriage　with　those　wide　eyes；　the　look　which　the　countess　knew　so　well　and　dreaded　so　much。　And　she　was　sitting　in　just　the　same　way　now　on　the　bench　in　the　hut。　She　was　brooding　on　some　plan；　she　was　making；　or　already　by　now　had　made　some　decision；　in　her　own　mind—that　the　countess　knew；　but　what　that　decision　was　she　did　not　know；　and　that　alarmed　and　worried　her。
“Natasha；　undress；　darling；　get　into　my　bed。”
For　the　countess　only　a　bed　had　been　made　up　on　a　bedstead。　Madame　Schoss　and　the　two　girls　were　to　sleep　on　hay　on　the　floor。
“No；　mamma；　I’ll　lie　here　on　the　floor；”　said　Natasha　irritably；　she　went　to　the　window　and　opened　it。　The　moans　of　the　adjutant　could　be　heard　more　distinctly　from　the　open　window。　She　put　her　head　out　into　the　damp　night　air；　and　the　countess　saw　her　slender　neck　shaking　with　sobs　and　heaving　against　the　window　frame。　Natasha　knew　it　was　not　Prince　Andrey　moaning。　She　knew　that　Prince　Andrey　was　in　the　same　block　of　huts　as　they　were　in；　that　he　was　in　the　next　hut　just　across　the　porch；　but　that　fearful　never…ceasing　moan　made　her　sob。　The　countess　exchanged　glances　with　Sonya。
“Go　to　bed；　darling；　go　to　bed；　my　pet；”　said　the　countess；　lightly　touching　Natasha’s　shoulder。　“Come；　go　to　bed。”
“Oh　yes　…　I’ll　go　to　bed　at　once；　at　once；”　said　Natasha；　hurriedly　undressing；　and　breaking　the　strings　of　her　petticoats。　Dropping　off　her　dress；　and　putting　on　a　dressing…jacket；　she　sat　down　on　the　bed　made　up　on　the　floor；　tucking　her　feet　under　her；　and　flinging　her　short；　fine　hair　over　her　shoulder；　began　plaiting　it。　Her　thin；　long；　practised　fingers　rapidly　and　deftly　divided；　plaited；　and　tied　up　her　hair。　Natasha’s　head　turned　from　side　to　side　as　usual　as　she　did　this；　but　her　eyes；　feverishly　wide；　looked　straight　before　her　with　the　same　fixed　stare。　When　her　toilet　for　the　night　was　over；　Natasha　sank　softly　down　on　to　the　sheet　laid　on　the　hay　nearest　the　door。
“Natasha；　you　lie　in　the　middle；”　said　Sonya。
“I’ll　stay　here；”　said　Natasha。　“And　do　go　to　bed；”　she　added　in　a　tone　of　annoyance。　And　she　buried　her　face　in　the　pillow。
The　countess；　Madame　Schoss；　and　Sonya　hurriedly　undressed　and　went　to　bed。　The　lamp　before　the　holy　images　was　the　only　light　left　in　the　room。　But　out　of　doors　the　fire　at　Little　Mytishtchy　lighted　the　country　up　for　two　versts　round；　and　there　was　a　noisy　clamour　of　peasants　shouting　at　the　tavern　across　the　street；　which　Mamonov’s　Cossacks　had　broken　into；　and　the　moan　of　the　adjutant　could　be　heard　unceasingly　through　everything。
For　a　long　while　Natasha　listened　to　the　sounds　that　reached　her　from　within　and　without；　and　she　did　not　stir。　She　heard　at　first　her　mother’s　prayers　and　sighs；　the　creaking　of　her　bed　under　her；　Madame　Schoss’s　familiar；　whistling　snore；　Sonya’s　soft　breathing。　Then　the　countess　called　to　Natasha。　Natasha　did　not　answer。
“I　think　she’s　asleep；　mamma；”　answered　Sonya。
The　countess；　after　a　brief　silence；　spoke　again；　but　this　time　no　one　answered　her。
Soon　after　this　Natasha　caught　the　sound　of　her　mother’s　even　breathing。　Natasha　did　not　stir；　though　her　little　bare　foot；　poking　out　below　the　quilt；　felt　frozen　against　the　uncovered　floor。
A　cricket　chirped　in　a　crack；　as　though　celebrating　a　victory　over　all　the　world。　A　cock　crowed　far　away；　and　another　answered　close　by。　The　shouts　had　died　away　in　the　tavern；　but　the　adjutant’s　moaning　went　on　still　the　same。　Natasha　sat　up。
“Sonya！　Are　you　asleep？　Mamma！”　she　whispered。　No　one　answered。　Slowly　and　cautiously；　Natasha　got　up；　crossed　herself；　and　stepped　cautiously　with　her　slender；　supple；　bare　feet　on　to　the　dirty；　cold　floor。　The　boards　creaked。　With　nimble　feet　she　ran　like　a　kitten　a　few　steps；　and　took　hold　of　the　cold　door…handle。
It　seemed　to　her　that　something　with　heavy；　rhythmical　strokes　was　banging　on　all　the　walls　of　the　hut；　it　was　the　beating　of　her　own　heart；　torn　with　dread；　with　love　and　terror。
She　opened　the　door；　stepped　over　the　lintel；　and　on　to　the　damp；　cold　earth　of　the　passage　outside。　The　cold　all　about　her　refreshed　her。　Her　bare　foot　felt　a　man　asleep；　she　stepped　over　him；　and　opened　the　door　of　the　hut　in　which　Prince　Andrey　was　lying。
In　that　hut　it　was　dark。　A　tallow　candle　with　a　great；　smouldering　wick　stood　on　a　bench　in　the　further　corner；　by　a　bed；　on　which　something　was　lying。
Ever　since　she　had　been　told　in　the　morning　of　Prince　Andrey’s　wound　and　his　presence　there；　Natasha　had　resolved　that　she　must　see　him。　She　could　not　have　said　why　this　must　be；　but　she　knew　their　meeting　would　be　anguish　to　her；　and　that　made　her　the　more　certain　that　it　must　be　inevitable。
All　day　long　she　had　lived　in　the　hope　that　at　night　she　would　see　him。　But　now　when　the　moment　had　come；　a　terror　came　over　her　of　what　she　would　see。　How　had　he　been　disfigured？　What　was　left　of　him？　Was　he　like　that　unceasing　moan　of　the　adjutant？　Yes；　he　was　all　over　like　that。　In　her　imagination　he　was　that　awful　moan　of　pain　personified。　When　she　caught　sight　of　an　undefined　mass　in　the　corner；　and　took　his　raised　knees　under　the　quilt　for　his　shoulders；　she　pictured　some　fearful　body　there；　and　stood　still　in　terror。　But　an　irresistible　force　drew　her　forward。　She　made　one　cautious　step；　another；　and　found　herself　in　the　middle　of　the　small　hut；　cumbered　up　with　baggage。　On　the　bench；　under　the　holy　images；　lay　another　man　（this　was　Timohin）；　and　on　the　floor　were　two　more　figures　（the　doctor　and　the　valet）。
The　valet　sat　up　and　muttered　something。　Timohin；　in　pain　from　a　wound　in　his　leg；　was　not　asleep；　and　gazed；　all　eyes；　at　the　strange　apparition　of　a　girl　in　a　white　night…gown；　dressing…jacket；　and　nightcap。　The　valet’s　sleepy　and　frightened　words　“What　is　it？　What　do　you　want？”　only　made　Natasha　hasten　towards　the　figure　lying　in　the　corner。　However　fearfully　unlike　a　human　shape　that　figure　might　be　now；　she　must　see　him。　She　passed　by　the　valet；　the　smouldering　candle　flickered　up；　and　she　saw　clearly　Prince　Andrey；　lying　with　his　arms　stretched　out　on　the　quilt；　looking　just　as　she　had　always　seen　him。
He　was　just　the　same　as　ever；　but　the　flush　on　his　face；　his　shining　eyes；　gazing　passionately　at　her；　and　especially　the　soft；　childlike　neck；　showing　above　the　lay…down　collar　of　the　nightshirt；　gave　him　a　peculiarly　innocent；　childlike　look；　such　as　she　had　never　seen　in　him　before。　She　ran　up　to　him　and　with　a　swift；　supple；　youthful　movement　dropped　on　her　knees。
He　smiled；　and　held　out　his　hand　to　her。


Chapter　32
SEVEN　DAYS　had　passed　since　Prince　Andrey　had　found　himself　in　the　ambulance　station　on　the　field　of　Borodino。　All　that　time　he　had　been　in　a　state　of　almost　continual　unconsciousness。　The　fever　and　inflammation　of　the　bowels；　which　had　been　injured；　were；　in　the　opinion　of　the　doctor　accompanying　the　wounded；　certain　to　carry　him　off。　But　on　the　seventh　day　he　ate　with　relish　a　piece　of　bread　with　some　tea；　and　the　doctor　observe