战争与和平(上)-第70章

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speak。　He　asked　her　whether　she　had　enjoyed　the　evening。　With　her　habitual　directness　in　replying；　she　answered　that　this　name…day　had　been　one　of　the　pleasantest　she　had　ever　had。
A　few　of　the　nearest　relations　were　still　lingering　on。　They　were　sitting　in　the　big　drawing…room。　Prince　Vassily　walked　with　languid　steps　towards　Pierre。　Pierre　rose　and　observed　that　it　was　getting　late。　Prince　Vassily　levelled　a　look　of　stern　inquiry　upon　him；　as　though　what　he　had　said　was　so　strange　that　one　could　not　believe　one’s　ears。　But　the　expression　of　severity　immediately　passed　away；　and　Prince　Vassily　taking　Pierre’s　hand　drew　him　down　into　a　seat　and　smiled　affectionately。
“Well；　Ellen？”　he　said　at　once；　addressing　his　daughter　in　that　careless　tone　of　habitual　tenderness　which　comes　natural　to　parents　who　have　petted　their　children　from　infancy；　but　in　Prince　Vassily’s　case　was　only　arrived　at　by　imitation　of　other　parents。　And　he　turned　to　Pierre　again：　“　‘Sergey　Kuzmitch　on　all　sides；’　”　he　repeated；　unbuttoning　the　top　button　of　his　waistcoat。
Pierre　smiled；　but　his　smile　betrayed　that　he　understood　that　it　was　not　the　anecdote　of　Sergey　Kuzmitch　that　interested　Prince。　Vassily　at　that　moment；　and　Prince　Vassily　knew　that　Pierre　knew　it。　Prince　Vassily　all　at　once　muttered　something　and　went　away。　It　seemed　to　Pierre　that　Prince　Vassily　was　positively　disconcerted。　The　sight　of　the　discomfiture　of　this　elderly　man　of　the　world　touched　Pierre；　he　looked　round　at　Ellen—and　she；　he　fancied；　was　disconcerted　too；　and　her　glance　seemed　to　say：　“Well；　it’s　your　own　fault。”
“I　must　inevitably　cross　the　barrier；　but　I　can’t；　I　can’t；”　thought　Pierre；　and　he　began　again　speaking　of　extraneous　subjects；　of　Sergey　Kuzmitch；　inquiring　what　was　the　point　of　the　anecdote；　as　he　had　not　caught　it　all。　Ellen；　with　a　smile；　replied　that　she　did　not　know　it　either。
When　Prince　Vassily　went　into　the　drawing…room；　the　princess　was　talking　in　subdued　tones　with　an　elderly　lady　about　Pierre。
“Of　course　it　is　a　very　brilliant　match；　but　happiness；　my　dear　…”
“Marriages　are　made　in　heaven；”　responded　the　elderly　lady。
Prince　Vassily　walked　to　the　furthest　corner　and　sat　down　on　a　sofa；　as　though　he　had　not　heard　the　ladies。　He　closed　his　eyes　and　seemed　to　doze。　His　head　began　to　droop；　and　he　roused　himself。
“Aline；”　he　said　to　his　wife；　“go　and　see　what　they　are　doing。”
The　princess　went　up　to　the　door；　walked　by　it　with　a　countenance　full　of　meaning　and　affected　nonchalance；　and　glanced　into　the　little　drawing…room。　Pierre　and　Ellen　were　sitting　and　talking　as　before。
“Just　the　same；”　she　said　in　answer　to　her　husband。　Prince　Vassily　frowned；　twisting　his　mouth　on　one　side；　his　cheeks　twitched　with　the　unpleasant；　brutal　expression　peculiar　to　him　at　such　moments。　He　shook　himself；　got　up；　flung　his　head　back；　and　with　resolute　steps　passed　the　ladies　and　crossed　over　to　the　little　drawing…room。　He　walked　quickly；　joyfully　up　to　Pierre。　The　prince’s　face　was　so　extraordinarily　solemn　that　Pierre　got　up　in　alarm　on　seeing　him。
“Thank　God！”　he　said。　“My　wife　has　told　me　all　about　it。”　He　put　one　arm　round　Pierre；　the　other　round　his　daughter。　“My　dear　boy！　Ellen！　I　am　very；　very　glad。”　His　voice　quavered。　“I　loved　your　father　…　and　she　will　make　you　a　good　wife　…　God’s　blessing　on　you！　…”　He　embraced　his　daughter；　then　Pierre　again；　and　kissed　him　with　his　elderly　lips。　Tears　were　actually　moist　on　his　cheeks。　“Aline；　come　here；”　he　called。
The　princess　went　in　and　wept　too。　The　elderly　lady　also　put　her　handkerchief　to　her　eye。　They　kissed　Pierre；　and　he　several　times　kissed　the　hand　of　the　lovely　Ellen。　A　little　later　they　were　again　left　alone。
“All　this　had　to　be　so　and　could　not　have　been　otherwise；”　thought　Pierre；　“so　that　it’s　no　use　to　inquire　whether　it　was　a　good　thing　or　not。　It’s　a　good　thing　because　it’s　definite；　and　there’s　none　of　the　agonising　suspense　there　was　before。”　Pierre　held　his　betrothed’s　hand　in　silence；　and　gazed　at　the　heaving　and　falling　of　her　lovely　bosom。
“Ellen！”　he　said　aloud；　and　stopped。　“There’s　something　special　is　said　on　these　occasions；”　he　thought；　but　he　could　not　recollect　precisely　what　it　was　that　was　said　on　these　occasions。　He　glanced　into　her　face。　She　bent　forward　closer　to　him。　Her　face　flushed　rosy　red。
“Ah；　take　off　those　…　those　…”　she　pointed　to　his　spectacles。
Pierre　took　off　his　spectacles；　and　there　was　in　his　eyes　besides　the　strange　look　people’s　eyes　always　have　when　they　remove　spectacles；　a　look　of　dismay　and　inquiry。　He　would　have　bent　over　her　hand　and　have　kissed　it。　But　with　an　almost　brutal　movement　of　her　head；　she　caught　at　his　lips　and　pressed　them　to　her　own。　Pierre　was　struck　by　the　transformed；　the　unpleasantly　confused　expression　of　her　face。
“Now　it’s　too　late；　it’s　all　over；　and　besides　I　love　her；”　thought　Pierre。
“I　love　you！”　he　said；　remembering　what　had　to　be　said　on　these　occasions。　But　the　words　sounded　so　poor　that　he　felt　ashamed　of　himself。
Six　weeks　later　he　was　married；　and　the　lucky　possessor　of　a　lovely　wife　and　millions　of　money；　as　people　said；　he　took　up　his　abode　in　the　great；　newly　decorated　Petersburg　mansion　of　the　Counts　Bezuhov。


Chapter　3
IN　THE　DECEMBER　of　1805；　the　old　Prince　Nikolay　Andreitch　Bolkonsky　received　a　letter　from　Prince　Vassily；　announcing　that　he　intended　to　visit　him　with　his　son。　（“I　am　going　on　an　inspection　tour；　and　of　course　a　hundred　versts　is　only　a　step　out　of　the　way　for　me　to　visit　you；　my　deeply…honoured　benefactor；”　he　wrote。　“My　Anatole　is　accompanying　me　on　his　way　to　the　army；　and　I　hope　you　will　permit　him　to　express　to　you　in　person　the　profound　veneration　that；　following　his　father’s　example；　he　entertains　for　you。”）
“Well；　there’s　no　need　to　bring　Marie　out；　it　seems；　suitors　come　to　us　of　themselves；”　the　little　princess　said　heedlessly　on　hearing　of　this。　Prince　Nikolay　Andreitch　scowled　and　said　nothing。
A　fortnight　after　receiving　the　letter；　Prince　Vassily’s　servants　arrived　one　evening　in　advance　of　him；　and　the　following　day　he　came　himself　with　his　son。
Old　Bolkonsky　had　always　had　a　poor　opinion　of　Prince　Vassily’s　character；　and　this　opinion　had　grown　stronger　of　late　since　Prince　Vassily　had；　under　the　new　reigns　of　Paul　and　Alexander；　advanced　to　high　rank　and　honours。　Now　from　the　letter　and　the　little　princess’s　hints；　he　saw　what　the　object　of　the　visit　was；　and　his　poor　opinion　of　Prince　Vassily　passed　into　a　feeling　of　ill…will　and　contempt　in　the　old　prince’s　heart。　He　snorted　indignantly　whenever　he　spoke　of　him。　On　the　day　of　Prince　Vassily’s　arrival；　the　old　prince　was　particularly　discontented　and　out　of　humour。　Whether　he　was　out　of　humour　because　Prince　Vassily　was　coming；　or　whether　he　was　particularly　displeased　at　Prince　Vassily’s　coming　because　he　was　out　of　humour；　no　one　can　say。　But　he　was　out　of　humour；　and　early　in　the　morning　Tihon　had　dissuaded　the　architect　from　going　to　the　prince　with　his　report。
“Listen　how　he’s　walking；”　said　Tihon；　calling　the　attention　of　the　architect　to　the　sound　of　the　prince’s　footsteps。　“Stepping　flat　on　his　heels　…　then　we　know　…”
At　nine　o’clock；　however；　the　old　prince　went　out　for　a　walk；　as　usual；　wearing　his　short；　velvet；　fur…lined　cloak　with　a　sable　collar　and　a　sable　cap。　There　had　been　a　fall　of　snow　on　the　previous　evening。　The　path　along　which　Prince　Nikolay　Andreitch　walked　to　the　conservatory　had　been　cleared；　there　were　marks　of　a　broom　in　the　swept　snow；　and　a　spade　had　been　left　sticking　in　the　crisp　bank　of　snow　that　bordered　the　path　on　both　sides。　The　prince　walked　through　the　conservatories；　the　servants’　quarters；　and　the　out…buildings；　frowning　and　silent。
“Could　a　sledge　drive　up？”　he　asked　the　respectful　steward；　who　was　escorting　him　to　the　house；　with　a　countenance　and　manners　like　his　own。
“The　snow　is　deep；　your　excellency。　I　gave　orders　for　the　avenue　to　be　swept　too。”
The　prince　nodded；　and　was　approaching　the　steps。　“Glory　to　Thee；　O　Lord！”　thought　the　steward；　“the　storm　has　passed　over！”
“It　would　have　been　hard　to　drive　up；　your　excellency；”　added　the　steward。　“So　I　hear；　your　excellency；　t