战争与和平(上)-第375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！


　without　its　governing　authorities；　without　its　churches；　without　its　holy　things；　without　its　wealth　and　its　houses；　was　still　the　same　Moscow　as　it　had　been　in　August。　Everything　was　shattered　except　something　immaterial；　but　mighty　and　indestructible。
The　motives　of　the　people；　who　rushed　from　all　parts　to　Moscow　after　it　was　evacuated　by　the　enemy；　were　of　the　most　varied　and　personal　kind；　and　at　first　mostly　savage　and　brutal　impulses。　Only　one　impulse　was　common　to　all—the　attraction　to　the　place　which　had　been　called　Moscow　in　order　to　set　their　energies　to　work　there。
Within　a　week　there　were　fifteen　thousand　persons　in　Moscow；　within　a　fortnight　twenty…five　thousand；　and　so　it　went　on。　The　number　went　on　mounting　and　mounting　till　by　the　autumn　of　1813　it　had　reached　a　figure　exceeding　the　population　of　the　city　in　1812。
The　first　Russians　to　enter　Moscow　were　the　Cossacks　of　Wintzengerode’s　detachment；　the　peasants　from　the　nearest　villages　and　the　residents　who　had　fled　from　Moscow　and　concealed　themselves　in　the　environs。　On　entering　the　ruined　city；　and　finding　it　pillaged；　the　Russians　fell　to　pillaging　it　too。　They　continued　the　work　begun　by　the　French。　Trains　of　peasants’　waggons　drove　into　Moscow　to　carry　away　to　the　villages　all　that　had　been　abandoned　in　the　ruined　Moscow　houses　and　streets。　The　Cossacks　carried　off　what　they　could　to　their　tents；　the　householders　collected　all　they　could　out　of　other　houses；　and　removed　it　to　their　own　under　the　pretence　that　it　was　their　property。
But　the　first　pillaging　parties　were　followed　by　others；　and　every　day　as　the　numbers　pillaging　increased；　the　work　of　plunder　became　more　difficult　and　assumed　more　definite　forms。
The　French　had　found　Moscow　deserted　but　with　all　the　forms　of　an　organically　normal　town　life　still　existent；　with　various　branches　of　trades　and　crafts；　of　luxury；　and　political　government　and　religion。　These　forms　were　lifeless　but　they　still　existed。　There　were　markets；　shops；　stores；　corn…exchanges；　and　bazaars—most　of　them　stocked　with　goods。　There　were　factories　and　trading　establishments。　There　were　palaces　and　wealthy　houses　filled　with　articles　of　luxury。　There　were　hospitals；　prisons；　courts；　churches；　and　cathedrals。　The　longer　the　French　remained；　the　more　these　forms　of　town　life　perished；　and　at　the　end　all　was　lost　in　one　indistinguishable；　lifeless　scene　of　pillage。
The　longer　the　pillaging　of　the　French　lasted；　the　more　complete　was　the　destruction　of　the　wealth　of　Moscow　and　of　the　forces　of　the　pillagers。　The　longer　the　pillaging　lasted　that　was　carried　on　by　the　Russians　on　their　first　return　to　the　capital；　and　the　more　there　were　taking　part　in　it；　the　more　rapidly　was　the　wealth　of　Moscow　and　the　normal　life　of　the　town　re…established。
Apart　from　those　who　came　for　plunder；　people　of　all　sorts；　drawn　thither；　some　by　curiosity；　some　by　the　duties　of　office；　some　by　self…interests—householders；　priests；　officials；　high　and　low；　traders；　artisans；　and　peasants—flowed　back　to　Moscow　from　all　sides；　as　the　blood　flows　to　the　heart。
Within　a　week　the　peasants　who　had　come　with　empty　carts　to　carry　off　goods　were　detained　by　the　authorities；　and　compelled　to　carry　dead　bodies　out　of　the　town。　Other　peasants；　who　had　heard　of　their　companions’　discomfiture；　drove　into　the　town　with　wheat；　and　oats；　and　hay；　knocking　down　each　others’　prices　to　a　figure　lower　than　it　had　been　in　former　days。　Gangs　of　carpenters；　hoping　for　high　wages；　were　arriving　in　Moscow　every　day；　and　on　all　sides　there　were　new　houses　being　built；　or　old　half…burnt　ones　being　repaired。　Tradesmen　carried　on　their　business　in　booths。　Cook…shops　and　taverns　were　opened　in　fire…blackened　houses。　The　clergy　held　services　in　many　churches　that　had　escaped　the　fire。　Church　goods　that　had　been　plundered　were　restored　as　offerings。　Government　clerks　set　up　their　baize…covered　tables　and　pigeon…holes　of　papers　in　little　rooms。　The　higher　authorities　and　the　police　organised　a　distribution　of　the　goods　left　by　the　French。　The　owners　of　houses　in　which　a　great　many　of　the　goods　plundered　from　other　houses　had　been　left　complained　of　the　injustice　of　all　goods　being　taken　to　the　Polygonal　Palace。　Others　maintained　that　the　French　had　collected　all　the　things　from　different　houses　to　one　spot；　and　that　it　was　therefore　unfair　to　restore　to　the　master　of　the　house　the　things　found　in　it。　The　police　were　abused　and　were　bribed；　estimates　for　government　buildings　that　had　been　burnt　were　reckoned　at　ten　times　their　value；　and　appeals　for　help　were　made。　Count　Rastoptchin　wrote　his　posters　again。


Chapter　15
AT　THE　END　of　January　Pierre　arrived　in　Moscow　and　settled　in　the　lodge　of　his　mansion；　as　that　had　escaped　the　fire。　He　called　on　Count　Rastoptchin　and　several　acquaintances；　and　was　intending　in　three　days　to　set　off　to　Petersburg。　Every　one　was　triumphant　at　victory；　the　ruined　and　reviving　city　was　bubbling　over　with　life。　Every　one　was　glad　to　see　Pierre；　everybody　was　eager　to　see　him；　and　to　ask　him　about　all　he　had　seen。　Pierre　had　a　particularly　friendly　feeling　towards　every　one　he　met。　But　unconsciously　he　was　a　little　on　his　guard　with　people　to　avoid　fettering　his　freedom　in　any　way。　To　all　the　questions　put　to　him—important　or　trivial—whether　they　asked　him　where　he　meant　to　live；　whether　he　were　going　to　build；　when　he　was　starting　for　Petersburg；　or　whether　he　could　take　a　parcel　there　for　someone；　he　answered；　“Yes；　very　possibly；”　“I　dare　say　I　may；”　and　so　on。
He　heard　that　the　Rostovs　were　in　Kostroma；　and　the　thought　of　Natasha　rarely　came　to　his　mind；　and　when　it　did　occur　to　him　it　was　as　a　pleasant　memory　of　time　long　past。　He　felt　himself　set　free；　not　only　from　the　cares　of　daily　life；　but　also　from　that　feeling　which；　it　seemed　to　him；　he　had　voluntarily　brought　upon　himself。
The　third　day　after　his　arrival　in　Moscow　he　learnt　from　the　Drubetskoys　that　Princess　Marya　was　in　Moscow。　The　death；　the　sufferings；　and　the　last　days　of　Prince　Andrey　had　often　engaged　Pierre’s　thoughts；　and　now　recurred　to　him　with　fresh　vividness。　He　heard　at　dinner　that　Princess　Marya　was　in　Moscow；　and　living　in　her　own　house　in　Vosdvizhenka；　which　had　escaped　the　fire；　and　he　went　to　call　upon　her　the　same　evening。
On　the　way　to　Princess　Marya’s　Pierre’s　mind　was　full　of　Prince　Andrey；　of　his　friendship　for　him；　of　the　different　occasions　when　they　had　met；　and　especially　of　their　last　interview　at　Borodino。
“Can　he　possibly　have　died　in　the　bitter　mood　he　was　in　then？　Was　not　the　meaning　of　life　revealed　to　him　before　death？”　Pierre　wondered。　He　thought　of　Karataev；　of　his　death；　and　unconsciously　compared　those　two　men；　so　different；　and　yet　alike；　in　the　love　he　had　felt　for　both；　and　in　that　both　had　lived；　and　both　were　dead。
In　the　most　serious　frame　of　mind　Pierre　drove　up　to　the　old　prince’s　house。　The　house　had　remained　entire。　There　were　traces　to　be　seen　of　the　havoc　wrought　in　it；　but　the　character　of　the　house　was　unchanged。　The　old　footman　met　Pierre　with　a　stern　face；　that　seemed　to　wish　to　make　the　guest　feel　that　the　absence　of　the　old　prince　did　make　no　difference　in　the　severe　routine　of　the　household；　and　said　that　the　princess　had　retired　to　her　own　apartments；　and　received　on　Sundays。
“Take　my　name　to　her；　perhaps　she　will　see　me；”　said　Pierre。
“Yes；　your　excellency；”　answered　the　footman；　“kindly　walk　into　the　portrait…gallery。”
A　few　minutes　later　the　footman　returned　accompanied　by　Dessalle。　Dessalle　brought　a　message　from　the　princess　that　she　would　be　very　glad　to　see　Pierre；　and　begged　him；　if　he　would　excuse　the　lack　of　ceremony；　to　come　upstairs　to　her　apartment。
In　a　low…pitched　room；　lighted　by　a　single　candle；　he　found　the　princess；　and　some　one　with　her　in　a　black　dress。　Pierre　recollected　that　the　princess　had　always　had　lady…companions　of　some　sort　with　her；　but　who　those　companions　were；　and　what　they　were　like；　he　did　not　remember。　“That　is　one　of　her　companions；”　he　thought；　glancing　at　the　lady　in　the　black　dress。
The　princess　rose　swiftly　to　meet　him；　and　held　out　her　hand。
“Yes；”　she　said；　scrutinising　his　altered　face；　after　he　had　kissed　her　hand；　“so　this　is　how　we　meet　again。　H