战争与和平(上)-第32章

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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　Bourienne；　and　the　prince’s　architect；　who；　by　a　strange　whim　of　the　old　gentleman’s；　dined　at　his　table；　though　being　an　insignificant　person　of　no　social　standing；　he　would　not　naturally　have　expected　to　be　treated　with　such　honour。　The　prince；　who　was　in　practice　a　firm　stickler　for　distinctions　of　tank；　and　rarely　admitted　to　his　table　even　important　provincial　functionaries；　had　suddenly　pitched　on　the　architect　Mihail　Ivanovitch；　blowing　his　nose　in　a　check　pocket…handkerchief　in　the　corner；　to　illustrate　the　theory　that　all　men　are　equal；　and　had　more　than　once　impressed　upon　his　daughter　that　Mihail　Ivanovitch　was　every　whit　as　good　as　himself　and　her。　At　table　the　prince　addressed　his　conversation　to　the　taciturn　architect　more　often　than　to　any　one。
In　the　dining…room；　which；　like　all　the　other　rooms　in　the　house；　was　immensely　lofty；　the　prince’s　entrance　was　awaited　by　all　the　members　of　his　household　and　the　footmen；　standing　behind　each　chair。　The　butler　with　a　table…napkin　on　his　arm　scanned　the　setting　of　the　table；　making　signs　to　the　footmen；　and　continually　he　glanced　uneasily　from　the　clock　on　the　wall　to　the　door；　by　which　the　prince　was　to　enter。　Prince　Andrey　stood　at　an　immense　golden　frame　on　the　wall　that　was　new　to　him。　It　contained　the　genealogical　tree　of　the　Bolkonskys；　and　hanging　opposite　it　was　a　frame；　equally　immense；　with　a　badly　painted　representation　（evidently　the　work　of　some　household　artist）　of　a　reigning　prince　in　a　crown；　intended　for　the　descendant　of　Rurik　and　founder　of　the　family　of　the　Bolkonsky　princes。　Prince　Andrey　looked　at　this　genealogical　tree　shaking　his　head；　and　he　laughed。
“There　you　have　him　all　over！”　he　said　to　Princess　Marya　as　she　came　up　to　him。
Princess　Marya　looked　at　her　brother　in　surprise。　She　did　not　know　what　he　was　smiling　at。　Everything　her　father　did　inspired　in　her　reverence　that　did　not　admit　of　criticism。
“Every　one　has　his　weak　spot；”　Prince　Andrey　went　on；　“with　his　vast　intellect　to　condescend　to　such　triviality！”
Princess　Marya　could　not　understand　the　boldness　of　her　brother’s　criticism　and　was　making　ready　to　protest；　when　the　step　they　were　all　listening　for　was　heard　coming　from　the　study。　The　prince　walked　in　with　a　quick；　lively　step；　as　he　always　walked；　as　though　intentionally　contrasting　the　elasticity　of　his　movements　with　the　rigidity　of　the　routine　of　the　house。　At　that　instant　the　big　clock　struck　two；　and　another　clock　in　the　drawing…room　echoed　it　in　thinner　tones。　The　prince　stood　still；　his　keen；　stern　eyes　gleaming　under　his　bushy；　overhanging　brows　scanned　all　the　company　and　rested　on　the　little　princess。　The　little　princess　experienced　at　that　moment　the　sensation　that　courtiers　know　on　the　entrance　of　the　Tsar；　that　feeling　of　awe　and　veneration　that　this　old　man　inspired　in　every　one　about　him。　He　stroked　the　little　princess　on　the　head；　and　then　with　an　awkward　movement　patted　her　on　her　neck。
“I’m　glad；　glad　to　see　you；”　he　said；　and　looking　intently　into　her　eyes　he　walked　away　and　sat　down　in　his　place。　“Sit　down；　sit　down；　Mihail　Ivanovitch；　sit　down。”
He　pointed　his　daughter…in…law　to　a　seat　beside　him。　The　footman　moved　a　chair　back　for　her。
“Ho；　ho！”　said　the　old　man；　looking　at　her　rounded　figure。　“You’ve　not　lost　time；　that’s　bad！”　He　laughed　a　dry；　cold；　unpleasant　laugh；　laughing　as　he　always　did　with　his　lips；　but　not　with　his　eyes。　“You　must　have　exercise；　as　much　exercise　as　possible；　as　much　as　possible；”　he　said。
The　little　princess　did　not　hear　or　did　not　care　to　hear　his　words。　She　sat　dumb　and　seemed　disconcerted。　The　prince　asked　after　her　father；　and　she　began　to　talk　and　to　smile。　He　asked　her　about　common　acquaintances；　the　princess　became　more　and　more　animated；　and　began　talking　away；　giving　the　prince　greetings　from　various　people　and　retailing　the　gossip　of　the　town。
“Poor　Countess　Apraxin　has　lost　her　husband；　she　has　quite　cried　her　eyes　out；　poor　dear；”　she　said；　growing　more　and　more　lively。
As　she　became　livelier；　the　prince　looked　more　and　more　sternly　at　her；　and　all　at　once；　as　though　he　had　studied　her　sufficiently　and　had　formed　a　clear　idea　of　her；　he　turned　away　and　addressed　Mihail　Ivanovitch：
“Well；　Mihail　Ivanovitch；　our　friend　Bonaparte　is　to　have　a　bad　time　of　it。　Prince　Andrey”　（this　was　how　he　always　spoke　of　his　son）　“has　been　telling　me　what　forces　are　being　massed　against　him！　While　you　and　I　have　always　looked　upon　him　as　a　very　insignificant　person。”
Mihail　Ivanovitch；　utterly　at　a　loss　to　conjecture　when　“you　and　I”　had　said　anything　of　the　sort　about　Bonaparte；　but　grasping　that　he　was　wanted　for　the　introduction　of　the　prince’s　favourite　subject；　glanced　in　wonder　at　the　young　prince；　not　knowing　what　was　to　come　next。
“He’s　a　great　tactician！”　said　the　prince　to　his　son；　indicating　the　architect；　and　the　conversation　turned　again　on　the　war；　on　Bonaparte；　and　the　generals　and　political　personages　of　the　day。　The　old　prince　was；　it　seemed；　convinced　that　all　the　public　men　of　the　period　were　mere　babes　who　had　no　idea　of　the　A　B　C　of　military　and　political　matters；　while　Bonaparte；　according　to　him；　was　an　insignificant　Frenchman；　who　had　met　with　success　simply　because　there　were　no　Potyomkins　and　Suvorovs　to　oppose　him。　He　was　even　persuaded　firmly　that　there　were　no　political　difficulties　in　Europe；　that　there　was　no　war　indeed；　but　only　a　sort　of　marionette　show　in　which　the　men　of　the　day　took　part；　pretending　to　be　doing　the　real　thing。　Prince　Andrey　received　his　father’s　jeers　at　modern　people　gaily；　and　with　obvious　pleasure　drew　his　father　out　and　listened　to　him。
“Does　everything　seem　good　that　was　done　in　the　past？”　he　said；　“why；　didn’t　Suvorov　himself　fall　into　the　trap　Moreau　laid　for　him；　and　wasn’t　he　unable　to　get　out　of　it　too？”
“Who　told　you　that？　Who　said　so？”　cried　the　prince。　“Suvorov！”　And　he　flung　away　his　plate；　which　Tihon　very　neatly　caught。　“Suvorov！…　Think　again；　Prince　Andrey。　There　were　two　men—Friedrich　and　Suvorov　…　Moreau！　Moreau　would　have　been　a　prisoner　if　Suvorov’s　hands　had　been　free；　but　his　hands　were　tied　by　the　Hofsskriegswurstschnappsrath；　the　devil　himself　would　have　been　in　a　tight　place。　Ah；　you’ll　find　out　what　these　Hofskriegswurstschnappsraths　are　like！　Suvorov　couldn’t　get　the　better　of　them；　so　how　is　Mihail　Kutuzov　going　to　do　it？　No；　my　dear；”　he　went　on；　“so　you　and　your　generals　aren’t　able　to　get　round　Bonaparte；　you　must　needs　call　in　Frenchmen　—set　a　thief　to　catch　a　thief！　The　German；　Pahlen；　has　been　sent　to　New　York　in　America　to　get　the　Frenchman　Moreau；”　he　said；　alluding　to　the　invitation　that　had　that　year　been　made　to　Moreau　to　enter　the　Russian　service。　“A　queer　business！…Why　the　Potyomkins；　the　Suvorovs；　the　Orlovs；　were　they　Germans？　No；　my　lad；　either　you　have　all　lost　your　wits；　or　I　have　outlived　mine。　God　help　you；　and　we　shall　see。　Bonaparte’s　become　a　great　military　leader　among　them！　H’m！…”
“I　don’t　say　at　all　that　all　those　plans　are　good；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　“only　I　can’t　understand　how　you　can　have　such　an　opinion　of　Bonaparte。　Laugh；　if　you　like；　but　Bonaparte　is　any　way　a　great　general！”
“Mihail　Ivanovitch！”　the　old　prince　cried　to　the　architect；　who；　absorbed　in　the　roast　meat；　hoped　they　had　forgotten　him。　“Didn’t　I　tell　you　Bonaparte　was　a　great　tactician？　Here　he　says　so　too。”
“To　be　sure；　your　excellency；”　replied　the　architect。　The　prince　laughed　again　his　frigid　laugh。
“Bonaparte　was　born　with　a　silver　spoon　in　his　mouth。　He　has　splendid　soldiers。　And　he　attacked　the　Germans　first　too。　And　any　fool　can　beat　the　Germans。　From　the　very　beginning　of　the　world　every　one　has　beaten　the　Germans。　And　they’ve　never　beaten　any　one。　They　only　conquer　each　other。　He　made　his　reputation　fighting　against　them。”
And　the　prince　began　analysing　all　the　blunders　that　in　his　opinion　Bonaparte　had　committed　in　his　wars　and　even　in　politics。　His　son　did　not　protest；　but　it　was　evident　that　whatever　arguments　were　advanced　against　hi