战争与和平(上)-第314章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



The　sound　of　the　rumble　and　crash　of　falling　walls　and　ceilings；　the　roar　and　hiss　of　the　flames；　and　the　excited　shouts　of　the　crowd；　the　sight　of　the　hovering　clouds　of　smoke—here　folding　over　into　black　masses；　there　drawing　out　and　lighted　up　by　gleaming　sparks；　and　the　flames—here　like　a　thick　red　sheaf；　and　there　creeping　like　golden　fish…scales　over　the　walls；　the　sense　of　the　heat　and　smoke　and　rapidity　of　movement；　all　produced　on　Pierre　the　usual　stimulating　effect　of　a　conflagration。　That　effect　was　particularly　strong　on　Pierre；　because　all　at　once；　at　the　sight　of　the　fire；　he　felt　himself　set　free　from　the　ideas　weighing　upon　him。　He　felt　young；　gay；　ready；　and　resolute。　He　ran　round　the　lodge　on　the　side　of　the　house；　and　was　about　to　run　into　that　part　which　was　still　standing；　when　he　heard　several　voices　shouting　immediately　above　his　head；　followed　by　the　crash　and　bang　of　something　heavy　falling　close　by。
Pierre　looked　round；　and　saw　at　the　windows　of　the　house　some　French　soldiers；　who　had　just　dropped　out　a　drawer　of　a　chest；　filled　with　some　metallic　objects。　Some　more　French　soldiers　standing　below　went　up　to　the　drawer。
“Well；　what　does　that　fellow　want？”　one　of　the　French　soldiers　shouted；　referring　to　Pierre。
“A　child　in　the　house。　Haven’t　you　seen　a　child？”　said　Pierre。
“What’s　the　fellow　singing？　Get　along；　do！”　shouted　voices；　and　one　of　the　soldiers；　evidently　afraid　Pierre　might　take　it　into　his　head　to　snatch　the　silver　and　bronzes　from　them；　pounced　on　him　in　a　menacing　fashion。
“A　child？”　shouted　a　Frenchman　from　above。　“I　did　hear　something　crying　in　the　garden。　Perhaps　it’s　the　fellow’s　brat。　Must　be　humane　you　know。”
“Where　is　it？”　asked　Pierre。
“This　way！”　the　French　soldier　shouted　to　him　from　the　window　pointing　to　the　garden　behind　the　house。　“Wait；　I’ll　come　down。”
And　in　a　minute　the　Frenchman；　a　black…eyed　fellow；　with　a　patch　on　his　cheek；　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　did　in　fact　jump　out　of　a　window　on　the　ground　floor；　and　slapping　Pierre　on　the　shoulder；　he　ran　with　him　to　the　garden。　“Make　haste；　you　fellows；”　he　shouted　to　his　comrades；　“it’s　beginning　to　get　hot。”　Running　behind　the　house　to　a　sanded　path；　the　Frenchman　pulled　Pierre　by　the　arm；　and　pointed　out　to　him　a　circular　space。　Under　a　garden　seat　lay　a　girl　of　three　years　old；　in　a　pink　frock。
“Here’s　your　brat。　Ah；　a　little　girl。　So　much　the　better；”　said　the　Frenchman。　“Good…bye。　Must　be　humane；　we　are　all　mortal；　you　know”；　and　the　Frenchman；　with　the　patch　on　his　cheek；　ran　back　to　his　comrades。
Pierre；　breathless　with　joy；　ran　up　to　the　child；　and　would　have　taken　her　in　his　arms。　But　seeing　a　stranger；　the　little　girl—a　scrofulous…looking；　unattractive　child　very　like　her　mother—screamed　and　ran　away。　Pierre　caught　her；　however；　and　lifted　her　up　in　his　arms；　she　squealed　in　desperate　fury；　and　tried　to　tear　herself　out　of　Pierre’s　arms　with　her　little　hands；　and　to　bite　him　with　her　dirty；　dribbling　mouth。　Pierre　had　a　sense　of　horror　and　disgust；　such　as　he　had　felt　at　contact　with　some　little　beast。　But　he　made　an　effort　to　overcome　it；　and　not　to　drop　the　child；　and　ran　with　it　back　to　the　big　house。　By　now；　however；　it　was　impossible　to　get　back　by　the　same　way；　the　servant…girl；　Aniska；　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　and　with　a　feeling　of　pity　and　loathing；　Pierre　held　close　to　him；　as　tenderly　as　he　could；　the　piteously　howling；　and　sopping　wet　baby；　and　ran　across　the　garden　to　seek　some　other　way　out。


Chapter　34
WHEN　PIERRE；　after　running　across　courtyards　and　by…lanes；　got　back　with　his　burden　to　Prince　Gruzinsky’s　garden；　at　the　corner　of　Povarsky；　he　did　not　for　the　first　moment　recognise　the　place　from　which　he　had　set　out　to　look　for　the　baby：　it　was　so　packed　with　people　and　goods；　dragged　out　of　the　houses。　Besides　the　Russian　families　with　their　belongings　saved　from　the　fire；　there　were　a　good　many　French　soldiers　here　too　in　various　uniforms。　Pierre　took　no　notice　of　them。　He　was　in　haste　to　find　the　family；　and　to　restore　the　child　to　its　mother；　so　as　to　be　able　to　go　back　and　save　some　one　else。　It　seemed　to　Pierre　that　he　had　a　great　deal　more　to　do；　and　to　do　quickly。　Warmed　up　by　the　heat　and　running；　Pierre　felt　even　more　strongly　at　that　minute　the　sense　of　youth；　eagerness；　and　resolution；　which　had　come　upon　him　when　he　was　running　to　save　the　baby。
The　child　was　quiet　now；　and　clinging　to　Pierre’s　coat　with　her　little　hands；　she　sat　on　his　arm；　and　looked　about　her　like　a　little　wild　beast。　Pierre　glanced　at　her　now　and　then；　and　smiled　slightly。　He　fancied　he　saw　something　touchingly　innocent　in　the　frightened；　sickly　little　face。
Neither　the　official　nor　his　wife　were　in　the　place　where　he　had　left　them。　With　rapid　steps；　Pierre　walked　about　among　the　crowd；　scanning　the　different　faces　he　came　across。　He　could　not　help　noticing　a　Georgian　or　Armenian　family；　consisting　of　a　very　old　man；　of　a　handsome　Oriental　cast　of　face；　dressed　in　a　new　cloth…faced　sheepskin　and　new　boots；　an　old　woman　of　a　similar　type；　and　a　young　woman。　The　latter—a　very　young　woman—struck　Pierre　as　a　perfect　example　of　Oriental　beauty；　with　her　sharply　marked；　arched；　black　eyebrows；　her　extraordinarily　soft；　bright　colour　and　beautiful；　expressionless；　oval　face。　Among　the　goods　flung　down　in　the　crowd　in　the　grass　space；　in　her　rich　satin　mantle；　and　the　bright　lilac　kerchief　on　her　head；　she　suggested　a　tender；　tropical　plant；　thrown　down　in　the　snow。　She　was　sitting　on　the　baggage　a　little　behind　the　old　woman；　and　her　big；　black；　long…shaped　eyes；　with　their　long　lashes；　were　fixed　immovably　on　the　ground。　Evidently　she　was　aware　of　her　beauty；　and　fearful　because　of　it。　Her　face　struck　Pierre；　and　in　his　haste　he　looked　round　at　her　several　times　as　he　passed　along　by　the　fence。　Reaching　the　fence；　and　still　failing　to　find　the　people　he　was　looking　for；　Pierre　stood　still　and　looked　round。
Pierre’s　figure　was　more　remarkable　than　ever　now　with　the　baby　in　his　arms；　and　several　Russians；　both　men　and　women；　gathered　about　him。
“Have　you　lost　some　one；　good　sir？　Are　you　a　gentleman　yourself；　or　what？　Whose　baby　is　it？”　they　asked　him。
Pierre　answered　that　the　baby　belonged　to　a　woman　in　a　black　mantle；　who　had　been　sitting　at　this　spot　with　her　children；　and　asked　whether　any　one　knew　her；　and　where　she　had　gone。
“Why；　it　must　be　the　Anferovs；”　said　an　old　deacon　addressing　a　pock…marked　peasant　woman。　“Lord；　have　mercy　on　us！　Lord；　have　mercy　on　us！”　he　added；　in　his　professional　bass。
“The　Anferovs；”　said　the　woman。　“Why；　the　Anferovs　have　been　gone　since　early　this　morning。　It　will　either　be　Marya　Nikolaevna’s　or　Ivanova’s。”
“He　says　a　woman；　and　Marya　Nikolaevna’s　a　lady；”　said　a　house…serf。
“You　know　her；　then；　a　thin　woman—long　teeth；”　said　Pierre。
“To　be　sure；　Marya　Nikolaevna。　They　moved　off　into　the　garden　as　soon　as　these　wolves　pounced　down　on　us；”　said　the　woman；　indicating　the　French　soldiers。
“O　Lord；　have　mercy　on　us！”　the　deacon　added　again。
“You　go　on　yonder；　they　are　there。　It’s　she；　for　sure。　She　was　quite　beside　herself　with　crying；”　said　the　woman　again。　“It’s　she。　Here　this　way。”
But　Pierre　was　not　heeding　the　woman。　For　several　seconds　he　had　been　gazing　intently　at　what　was　passing　a　few　paces　from　him。　He　was　looking　at　the　Armenian　family　and　two　French　soldiers；　who　had　approached　them。　One　of　these　soldiers；　a　nimble；　little　man；　was　dressed　in　a　blue　coat；　with　a　cord　tied　round　for　a　belt。　He　had　a　night…cap　on　his　head；　and　his　feet　were　bare。　Another；　whose　appearance　struck　Pierre　particularly；　was　a　long；　round…shouldered；　fair…haired；　thin　man；　with　ponderous　movements　and　an　idiotic　expression　of　face。　He　was　dressed　in　a　frieze　tunic；　blue　trousers　and　big；　torn；　high　boots。　The　little　bare…footed　Frenchman　in　the　blue　coat；　on　going　up　to　the　Armenians；　said　something；　and　at　once　took　hold　of　the　old　man’s　legs；　and　the　old　man　began　immediately　in　haste　pulling　off　his　boots。　The　other　soldier　in　the　tunic　stopped　facing　the　beautiful　Armenian　girl；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　stared　at　her　without　speaking　or　moving。
“Take　it；　take　the　child；”　said　Pierre；　handing　the　chi