战争与和平(上)-第71章

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“It　would　have　been　hard　to　drive　up；　your　excellency；”　added　the　steward。　“So　I　hear；　your　excellency；　there’s　a　minister　coming　to　visit　your　excellency？”　The　prince　turned　to　the　steward　and　stared　with　scowling　eyes　at　him。
“Eh？　A　minister？　What　minister？　Who　gave　you　orders？”　he　began　in　his　shrill；　cruel　voice。　“For　the　princess　my　daughter；　you　do　not　clear　the　way；　but　for　the　minister　you　do！　For　me　there　are　no　ministers！”
“Your　excellency；　I　supposed　…”
“You　supposed；”　shouted　the　prince；　articulating　with　greater　and　greater　haste　and　incoherence。　“You　supposed　…　Brigands！　blackguards！　…　I’ll　teach　you　to　suppose；”　and　raising　his　stick　he　waved　it　at　Alpatitch；　and　would　have　hit　him；　had　not　the　steward　instinctively　shrunk　back　and　escaped　the　blow。　“You　supposed　…　Blackguards！　…”　he　still　cried　hurriedly。　But　although　Alpatitch；　shocked　at　his　own　insolence　in　dodging　the　blow；　went　closer　to　the　prince；　with　his　bald　head　bent　humbly　before　him；　or　perhaps　just　because　of　this；　the　prince　did　not　lift　the　stick　again；　and　still　shouting；　“Blackguards！　…　fill　up　the　road　…”　he　ran　to　his　room。
Princess　Marya　and　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　stood；　waiting　for　the　old　prince　before　dinner；　well　aware　that　he　was　out　of　temper。　Mademoiselle　Bourienne’s　beaming　countenance　seemed　to　say；　“I　know　nothing　about　it；　I　am　just　the　same　as　usual；”　while　Princess　Marya　stood　pale　and　terrified　with　downcast　eyes。　What　made　it　harder　for　Princess　Marya　was　that　she　knew　that　she　ought　to　act　like　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　at　such　times；　but　she　could　not　do　it。　She　felt；　“If　I　behave　as　if　I　did　not　notice　it；　he’ll　think　I　have　no　sympathy　with　him。　If　I　behave　as　if　I　were　depressed　and　out　of　humour　myself；　he’ll　say　（as　indeed　often　happened）　that　I’m　sulky　…”　and　so　on。
The　prince　glanced　at　his　daughter’s　scared　face　and　snorted。
“Stuff！”　or　perhaps　“stupid！”　he　muttered。　“And　the　other　is　not　here！　they’ve　been　telling　tales　to　her　already；”　he　thought；　noticing　that　the　little　princess　was　not　in　the　dining…room。
“Where’s　Princess　Liza？”　he　asked。　“In　hiding？”
“She’s　not　quite　well；”　said　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　with　a　bright　smile；　“she　is　not　coming　down。　In　her　condition　it　is　only　to　be　expected。”
“H’m！　h’m！　kh！　kh！”　growled　the　prince；　and　he　sat　down　to　the　table。　He　thought　his　plate　was　not　clean：　he　pointed　to　a　mark　on　it　and　threw　it　away。　Tihon　caught　it　and　handed　it　to　a　footman。　The　little　princess　was　quite　well；　but　she　was　in　such　overwhelming　terror　of　the　prince；　that　on　hearing　he　was　in　a　bad　temper；　she　had　decided　not　to　come　in。
“I　am　afraid　for　my　baby；”　she　said　to　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　“God　knows　what　might　not　be　the　result　of　a　fright。”
The　little　princess；　in　fact；　lived　at　Bleak　Hills　in　a　state　of　continual　terror　of　the　old　prince；　and　had　an　aversion　for　him；　of　which　she　was　herself　unconscious；　so　completely　did　terror　overbear　every　other　feeling。　There　was　the　same　aversion　on　the　prince’s　side；　too；　but　in　his　case　it　was　swallowed　up　in　contempt。　As　she　went　on　staying　at　Bleak　Hills；　the　little　princess　became　particularly　fond　of　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　she　spent　her　days　with　her；　begged　her　to　sleep　in　her　room；　and　often　talked　of　her　father…in…law；　and　criticised　him　to　her。
“We　have　company　coming；　prince；”　said　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　her　rosy　fingers　unfolding　her　dinner…napkin。　“His　excellency　Prince　Kuragin　with　his　son；　as　I　have　heard　say？”　she　said　in　a　tone　of　inquiry。
“H’m！　…　his　excellence　is　an　upstart。　I　got　him　his　place　in　the　college；”　the　old　prince　said　huffily。　“And　what　his　son’s　coming　for；　I　can’t　make　out。　Princess　Lizaveta　Karlovna　and　Princess　Marya　can　tell　us；　maybe；　I　don’t　know　what　he’s　bringing　his　son　here　for。　I　don’t　want　him。”　And　he　looked　at　his　daughter；　who　turned　crimson。
“Unwell；　eh？　Scared　of　the　minister；　as　that　blockhead　Alpatitch　called　him　to…day？”
“Non；　mon　père。”
Unsuccessful　as　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　had　been　in　the　subject　she　had　started；　she　did　not　desist；　but　went　on　prattling　away　about　the　conservatories；　the　beauty　of　a　flower　that　had　just　opened；　and　after　the　soup　the　prince　subsided。
After　dinner　he　went　to　see　his　daughter…in…law。　The　little　princess　was　sitting　at　a　little　table　gossiping　with　Masha；　her　maid。　She　turned　pale　on　seeing　her　father…in…law。
The　little　princess　was　greatly　changed。　She　looked　ugly　rather　than　pretty　now。　Her　cheeks　were　sunken；　her　lip　was　drawn　up；　and　her　eyes　were　hollow。
“Yes；　a　sort　of　heaviness；”　she　said　in　answer　to　the　prince’s　inquiry　how　she　felt。
“Isn’t　there　anything　you　need？”
“Non；　merci；　mon　père。”
“Oh；　very　well　then；　very　well。”
He　went　out　and　into　the　waiting…room。　Alpatitch　was　standing　there　with　downcast　head。
“Filled　up　the　road　again？”
“Yes；　your　excellency；　for　God’s　sake；　forgive　me；　it　was　simply　a　blunder。”
The　prince　cut　him　short　with　his　unnatural　laugh。
“Oh；　very　well；　very　well。”　He　held　out　his　hand；　which　Alpatitch　kissed；　and　then　he　went　to　his　study。
In　the　evening　Prince　Vassily　arrived。　He　was　met　on　the　way　by　the　coachmen　and　footmen　of　the　Bolkonskys；　who　with　shouts　dragged　his　carriages　and　sledge　to　the　lodge；　over　the　road；　which　had　been　purposely　obstructed　with　snow　again。
Prince　Vassily　and　Anatole　were　conducted　to　separate　apartments。
Taking　off　his　tunic；　Anatole　sat　with　his　elbows　on　the　table；　on　a　corner　of　which　he　fixed　his　handsome；　large　eyes　with　a　smiling；　unconcerned　stare。　All　his　life　he　had　looked　upon　as　an　uninterrupted　entertainment；　which　some　one　or　other　was；　he　felt；　somehow　bound　to　provide　for　him。　In　just　the　same　spirit　he　had　looked　at　his　visit　to　the　cross　old　gentleman　and　his　rich　and　hideous　daughter。　It　might　all；　according　to　his　anticipations；　turn　out　very　jolly　and　amusing。　“And　why　not　get　married；　if　she　has　such　a　lot　of　money？　That　never　comes　amiss；”　thought　Anatole。
He　shaved　and　scented　himself　with　the　care　and　elegance　that　had　become　habitual　with　him；　and　with　his　characteristic　expression　of　all…conquering　good…humour；　he　walked　into　his　father’s　room；　holding；　his　head　high。　Two　valets　were　busily　engaged　in　dressing　Prince　Vassily；　he　was　looking　about　him　eagerly；　and　nodded　gaily　to　his　son；　as　he　entered　with　an　air　that　said；　“Yes；　that’s　just　how　I　wanted　to　see　you　looking。”
“Come；　joking　apart；　father；　is　she　so　hideous？　Eh？”　he　asked　in　French；　as　though　reverting　to　a　subject　more　than　once　discussed　on　the　journey。
“Nonsense！　The　great　thing　for　you　is　to　try　and　be　respectful　and　sensible　with　the　old　prince。”
“If　he　gets　nasty；　I’m　off；”　said　Anatole。　“I　can’t　stand　those　old　gentlemen。　Eh？”
“Remember　that　for　you　everything　depends　on　it。”
Meanwhile；　in　the　feminine　part　of　the　household　not　only　the　arrival　of　the　minister　and　his　son　was　already　known；　but　the　appearance　of　both　had　been　minutely　described。　Princess　Marya　was　sitting　alone　in　her　room　doing　her　utmost　to　control　her　inner　emotion。
“Why　did　they　write；　why　did　Liza　tell　me　about　it？　Why；　it　cannot　be！”　she　thought；　looking　at　herself　in　the　glass。　“How　am　I　to　go　into　the　drawing…room？　Even　if　I　like　him；　I　could　never　be　myself　with　him　now。”　The　mere　thought　of　her　father’s　eyes　reduced　her　to　terror。　The　little　princess　and　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　had　already　obtained　all　necessary　information　from　the　maid；　Masha；　they　had　learned　what　a　handsome　fellow　the　minister’s　son　was；　with　rosy　cheeks　and　black　eye…brows；　how　his　papa　had　dragged　his　legs　upstairs　with　difficulty；　while　he；　like　a　young　eagle；　had　flown　up　after　him　three　steps　at　a　time。　On　receiving　these　items　of　information；　the　little　princess　and　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　whose　eager　voices　were　audible　in　the　corridor；　went　into　Princess　Marya’s　room。
“They　are　come；　Marie；　do　you　know？”　said　the　little　princess；　waddling　in　and　sinking　heavily　into　an　armchair。　She　was　not　wearing　the　gown　in　which　she　had　been　sitting　in　the　morning；　but　had　put　on　one　of　her　best　dresses。　Her　hair　had　been　carefully　arranged；　and　her　face　was　full　of　an　eager　excitement；　which　did　not；　howev