战争与和平(上)-第35章

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in　he　laughed　his　frigid　laugh。
The　son　sighed；　acknowledging　in　that　sigh　that　his　father　understood　him。　The　old　man；　still　busy　folding　and　sealing　the　letters　with　his　habitual　rapidity；　snatched　up　and　flung　down　again　the　wax；　the　seal；　and　the　paper。
“It　can’t　be　helped。　She’s　pretty。　I’ll　do　everything。　Set　your　mind　at　rest；”　he　said　jerkily；　as　he　sealed　the　letter。
Andrey　did　not　speak；　it　was　both　pleasant　and　painful　to　him　that　his　father　understood　him。　The　old　man　got　up　and　gave　his　son　the　letter。
“Listen；”　said　he。　“Don’t　worry　about　your　wife；　what　can　be　done　shall　be　done。　Now；　listen；　give　this　letter　to　Mihail　Ilarionovitch。　I　write　that　he　is　to　make　use　of　you　on　good　work；　and　not　to　keep　you　long　an　adjutant；　a　vile　duty！　Tell　him　I　remember　him　and　like　him。　And　write　to　me　how　he　receives　you。　If　he’s　all　right；　serve　him。　The　son　of　Nikolay　Andreitch　Bolkonsky　has　no　need　to　serve　under　any　man　as　a　favour。　Now；　come　here。”
He　spoke　so　rapidly　that　he　did　not　finish　half　of　his　words；　but　his　son　was　used　to　understanding　him。　He　led　his　son　to　the　bureau；　opened　it；　drew　out　a　drawer；　and　took　out　of　it　a　manuscript　book　filled　with　his　bold；　big；　compressed　handwriting。
“I　am　sure　to　die　before　you。　See；　here　are　my　notes；　to　be　given　to　the　Emperor　after　my　death。　Now　here；　see；　is　a　bank　note　and　a　letter：　this　is　a　prize　for　any　one　who　writes　a　history　of　Suvorov’s　wars。　Send　it　to　the　academy。　Here　are　my　remarks；　read　them　after　I　am　gone　for　your　own　sake；　you　will　find　them　profitable。”
Andrey　did　not　tell　his　father　that　he　probably　had　many　years　before　him。　He　knew　there　was　no　need　to　say　that。
“I　will　do　all　that；　father；”　he　said。
“Well；　now；　good…bye！”　He　gave　his　son　his　hand　to　kiss　and　embraced　him。　“Remember　one　thing；　Prince　Andrey；　if　you　are　killed；　it　will　be　a　grief　to　me　in　my　old　age…”　He　paused　abruptly；　and　all　at　once　in　a　shrill　voice　went　on：　“But　if　I　learn　that　you　have　not　behaved　like　the　son　of　Nikolay　Bolkonsky；　I　shall　be　…　ashamed；”　he　shrilled。
“You　needn’t　have　said　that　to　me；　father；”　said　his　son；　smiling。
The　old　man　did　not　speak。
“There’s　another　thing　I　wanted　to　ask　you；”　went　on　Prince　Andrey；　“if　I’m　killed；　and　if　I　have　a　son；　don’t　let　him　slip　out　of　your　hands；　as　I　said　to　you　yesterday；　let　him　grow　up　with　you…please。”
“Not　give　him　up　to　your　wife？”　said　the　old　man；　and　he　laughed。
They　stood　mutually　facing　each　other。　The　old　man’s　sharp　eyes　were　fixed　on　his　son’s　eyes。　A　quiver　passed　over　the　lower　part　of　the　old　prince’s　face。
“We　have　said　good…bye…go　along！”　he　said　suddenly。　“Go　along！”　he　cried　in　a　loud　and　wrathful　voice；　opening　the　study　door。
“What　is　it；　what’s　the　matter？”　asked　the　two　princesses　on　seeing　Prince　Andrey；　and　catching　a　momentary　glimpse　of　the　figure　of　the　old　man　in　his　white　dressing…gown；　wearing　his　spectacles　and　no　wig；　and　shouting　in　a　wrathful　voice。
Prince　Andrey　sighed　and　made　no　reply。
“Now；　then；”　he　said；　turning　to　his　wife；　and　that　“now　then”　sounded　like　a　cold　sneer；　as　though　he　had　said；　“Now；　go　through　your　little　performance。”
“Andrey？　Already！”　said　the　little　princess；　turning　pale　and　looking　with　dismay　at　her　husband。　He　embraced　her。　She　shrieked　and　fell　swooning　on　his　shoulder。
He　cautiously　withdrew　the　shoulder；　on　which　she　was　lying；　glanced　into　her　face　and　carefully　laid　her　in　a　low　chair。
“Good…bye；　Masha；”　he　said　gently…to　his　sister；　and　they　kissed　one　another’s　hands；　then　with　rapid　steps　he　walked　out　of　the　room。
The　little　princess　lay　in　the　arm…chair；　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　rubbed　her　temples。　Princess　Marya；　supporting　her　sister…in…law；　still　gazed　with　her　fine　eyes　full　of　tears　at　the　door　by　which　Prince　Andrey　had　gone；　and　she　made　the　sign　of　the　cross　at　it。　From　the　study　she　heard　like　pistol　shots　the　repeated　and　angry　sounds　of　the　old　man　blowing　his　nose。　Just　after　Prince　Andrey　had　gone；　the　door　of　the　study　was　flung　open；　and　the　stern　figure　of　the　old　man　in　his　white　dressing…gown　peeped　out。
“Gone？　Well；　and　a　good　thing　too！”　he　said；　looking　furiously　at　the　fainting　princess。　He　shook　his　head　reproachfully　and　slammed　the　door。


Part　Two
Chapter　1
IN　THE　OCTOBER　OF　1805　the　Russian　troops　were　occupying　the　towns　and　villages　of　the　Austrian　archduchy；　and　fresh　regiments　kept　arriving　from　Russia　and　encamping　about　the　fortress　of　Braunau；　burdening　the　inhabitants　on　whom　they　were　billeted。　Braunau　was　the　chief　headquarters　of　the　commander…in…chief；　Kutuzov。
On　the　11th　of　October　1805；　one　of　the　infantry　regiments　that　had　just　reached　Braunau　had　halted　half　a　mile　from　the　town；　awaiting　the　inspection　of　the　commander…in…chief。　In　spite　of　the　un…Russian　character　of　the　country　and　the　environment　（the　fruit　gardens；　the　stone　walls；　the　tiled　roofs；　the　mountains　in　the　distance；　the　foreign　peasants；　who　looked　with　curiosity　at　the　Russian　soldiers）；　the　regiment　looked　exactly　as　every　Russian　regiment　always　looks　when　it　is　getting　ready　for　inspection　anywhere　in　the　heart　of　Russia。　In　the　evening；　on　the　last　stage　of　the　march；　the　order　had　been　received　that　the　commander…in…chief　would　inspect　the　regiment　on　the　march。　Though　the　wording　of　the　order　did　not　seem　quite　clear　to　the　general　in　command　of　the　regiment；　and　the　question　arose　whether　they　were　to　take　it　to　mean；　in　marching　order　or　not；　it　was　decided　on　a　consultation　between　the　majors　to　present　the　regiment　in　parade　order　on　the　ground；　since；　as　the　saying　is；　it　is　better　to　bow　too　low　than　not　to　bow　low　enough。　And　the　soldiers　after　a　twenty…five　mile　march　had　not　closed　their　eyes；　but　had　spent　the　night　mending　and　cleaning；　while　the　adjutants　and　officers　had　been　reckoning　up　and　calculating。　And　by　the　morning　the　regiment；　instead　of　the　straggling；　disorderly　crowd　it　had　been　on　the　last　march；　the　previous　evening；　presented　the　spectacle　of　an　organised　mass　of　two　thousand　men；　of　whom　every　one　knew　his　part　and　his　duty；　and　had　every　button　and　every　strap　in　its　proper　position；　and　shining　with　cleanliness。　It　was　not　only　the　outside　that　was　in　good　order；　if　the　commander…in…chief　should　think　fit　to　peep　below　the　uniform；　he　would　see　on　every　man　alike　a　clean　shirt；　and　in　every　knapsack　he　would　find　the　regulation　number　of　articles。　There　was　only　one　circumstance　which　no　one　could　feel　comfortable　about。　That　was　their　foot…gear。　More　than　half　the　soldiers　had　holes　in　their　boots。　But　this　deficiency　was　not　due　to　any　shortcoming　on　the　part　of　their　commanding　officer；　since　in　spite　of　his　repeated　demands　the　boots　had　not　yet　been　granted　him　by　the　Austrian　authorities；　and　the　regiment　had　marched　nearly　a　thousand　miles。
The　commander　of　the　regiment　was　a　sanguine…looking　general　past　middle　age；　with　grey　whiskers　and　eyebrows；　broad　and　thick…set；　and　thicker　through　from　the　chest　to　the　back　than　across　the　shoulders。　He　wore　a　brand…new　uniform　with　the　creases　still　in　it　where　it　had　been　folded；　and　rich　gold　epaulettes；　which　seemed　to　stand　up　instead　of　lying　down　on　his　thick　shoulders。　The　general　had　the　air　of　a　man　who　has　successfully　performed　one　of　the　most　solemn　duties　of　his　life。　He　walked　about　in　front　of　the　line；　and　quivered　as　he　walked；　with　a　slight　jerk　of　his　back　at　each　step。　The　general　was　unmistakably　admiring　his　regiment；　and　happy　in　it；　and　it　was　evident　that　his　whole　brain　was　engrossed　by　the　regiment。　But　for　all　that；　his　quivering　strut　seemed　to　say　that；　apart　from　his　military　interests；　he　had　plenty　of　warmth　in　his　heart　for　the　attractions　of　social　life　and　the　fair　sex。
“Well；　Mihail　Mitritch；　sir；”　he　said；　addressing　a　major　（the　major　came　forward　smiling；　they　were　evidently　in　excellent　spirits）。
“We　have　had　our　hands　full　all　night…But　it’ll　do；　I　fancy；　the　regiment’s　not　so　bad　as　some…eh？”
The　major　understood　this　good…humoured　irony　and　laughed。
“Even　on　the　Tsaritsyn　review　ground　they　wouldn’t　be　turned　off。”
“Eh？”　said　the　commander。
At　that　moment　two　figures　on　horseback　came　into　sight　on　the　ro