first epilogue-第4节

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historic　characters　and　nations。

EP1｜CH5

　　CHAPTER　V



　　Natasha's　wedding　to　Bezukhov；　which　took　place　in　1813；　was　the

last　happy　event　in　the　family　of　the　old　Rostovs。　Count　Ilya　Rostov

died　that　same　year　and；　as　always　happens；　after　the　father's　death

the　family　group　broke　up。

　　The　events　of　the　previous　year：　the　burning　of　Moscow　and　the

flight　from　it；　the　death　of　Prince　Andrew；　Natasha's　despair；　Petya's

death；　and　the　old　countess'　grief　fell　blow　after　blow　on　the　old

count's　head。　He　seemed　to　be　unable　to　understand　the　meaning　of

all　these　events；　and　bowed　his　old　head　in　a　spiritual　sense　as　if

expecting　and　inviting　further　blows　which　would　finish　him。　He　seemed

now　frightened　and　distraught　and　now　unnaturally　animated　and

enterprising。

　　The　arrangements　for　Natasha's　marriage　occupied　him　for　a　while。　He

ordered　dinners　and　suppers　and　obviously　tried　to　appear　cheerful；

but　his　cheerfulness　was　not　infectious　as　it　used　to　be：　on　the

contrary　it　evoked　the　compassion　of　those　who　knew　and　liked　him。

　　When　Pierre　and　his　wife　had　left；　he　grew　very　quiet　and　began　to

complain　of　depression。　A　few　days　later　he　fell　ill　and　took　to　his

bed。　He　realized　from　the　first　that　he　would　not　get　up　again；

despite　the　doctor's　encouragement。　The　countess　passed　a　fortnight　in

an　armchair　by　his　pillow　without　undressing。　Every　time　she　gave

him　his　medicine　he　sobbed　and　silently　kissed　her　hand。　On　his　last

day；　sobbing；　he　asked　her　and　his　absent　son　to　forgive　him　for

having　dissipated　their　property…　that　being　the　chief　fault　of

which　he　was　conscious。　After　receiving　communion　and　unction　he

quietly　died；　and　next　day　a　throng　of　acquaintances　who　came　to　pay

their　last　respects　to　the　deceased　filled　the　house　rented　by　the

Rostovs。　All　these　acquaintances；　who　had　so　often　dined　and　danced　at

his　house　and　had　so　often　laughed　at　him；　now　said；　with　a　common

feeling　of　self…reproach　and　emotion；　as　if　justifying　themselves：

〃Well；　whatever　he　may　have　been　he　was　a　most　worthy　man。　You　don't

meet　such　men　nowadays。。。。　And　which　of　us　has　not　weaknesses　of　his

own？〃

　　It　was　just　when　the　count's　affairs　had　become　so　involved　that

it　was　impossible　to　say　what　would　happen　if　he　lived　another　year

that　he　unexpectedly　died。

　　Nicholas　was　with　the　Russian　army　in　Paris　when　the　news　of　his

father's　death　reached　him。　He　at　once　resigned　his　commission；　and

without　waiting　for　it　to　be　accepted　took　leave　of　absence　and　went

to　Moscow。　The　state　of　the　count's　affairs　became　quite　obvious　a

month　after　his　death；　surprising　everyone　by　the　immense　total　of

small　debts　the　existence　of　which　no　one　had　suspected。　The　debts

amounted　to　double　the　value　of　the　property。

　　Friends　and　relations　advised　Nicholas　to　decline　the　inheritance。

But　he　regarded　such　a　refusal　as　a　slur　on　his　father's　memory；　which

he　held　sacred；　and　therefore　would　not　hear　of　refusing　and

accepted　the　inheritance　together　with　the　obligation　to　pay　the

debts。

　　The　creditors　who　had　so　long　been　silent；　restrained　by　a　vague　but

powerful　influence　exerted　on　them　while　he　lived　by　the　count's

careless　good　nature；　all　proceeded　to　enforce　their　claims　at　once。

As　always　happens　in　such　cases　rivalry　sprang　up　as　to　which　should

get　paid　first；　and　those　who　like　Mitenka　held　promissory　notes　given

them　as　presents　now　became　the　most　exacting　of　the　creditors。

Nicholas　was　allowed　no　respite　and　no　peace；　and　those　who　had　seemed

to　pity　the　old　man…　the　cause　of　their　losses　（if　they　were

losses）…　now　remorselessly　pursued　the　young　heir　who　had

voluntarily　undertaken　the　debts　and　was　obviously　not　guilty　of

contracting　them。

　　Not　one　of　the　plans　Nicholas　tried　succeeded；　the　estate　was　sold

by　auction　for　half　its　value；　and　half　the　debts　still　remained

unpaid。　Nicholas　accepted　thirty　thousand　rubles　offered　him　by　his

brother…in…law　Bezukhov　to　pay　off　debts　he　regarded　as　genuinely

due　for　value　received。　And　to　avoid　being　imprisoned　for　the

remainder；　as　the　creditors　threatened；　he　re…entered　the　government

service。

　　He　could　not　rejoin　the　army　where　he　would　have　been　made　colonel

at　the　next　vacancy；　for　his　mother　now　clung　to　him　as　her　one　hold

on　life；　and　so　despite　his　reluctant　to　remain　in　Moscow　among　people

who　had　known　him　before；　and　despite　his　abhorrence　of　the　civil

service；　he　accepted　a　post　in　Moscow　in　that　service；　doffed　the

uniform　of　which　he　was　so　fond；　and　moved　with　his　mother　and　Sonya

to　a　small　house　on　the　Sivtsev　Vrazhek。

　　Natasha　and　Pierre　were　living　in　Petersburg　at　the　time　and　had

no　clear　idea　of　Nicholas'　circumstances。　Having　borrowed　money　from

his　brother…in…law；　Nicholas　tried　to　hide　his　wretched　condition　from

him。　His　position　was　the　more　difficult　because　with　his　salary　of

twelve　hundred　rubles　he　had　not　only　to　keep　himself；　his　mother；　and

Sonya；　but　had　to　shield　his　mother　from　knowledge　of　their　poverty。

The　countess　could　not　conceive　of　life　without　the　luxurious

conditions　she　had　been　used　to　from　childhood　and；　unable　to

realize　how　hard　it　was　for　her　son；　kept　demanding　now　a　carriage

（which　they　did　not　keep）　to　send　for　a　friend；　now　some　expensive

article　of　food　for　herself；　or　wine　for　her　son；　or　money　to　buy　a

present　as　a　surprise　for　Natasha　or　Sonya；　or　for　Nicholas　himself。

　　Sonya　kept　house；　attended　on　her　aunt；　read　to　her；　put　up　with　her

whims　and　secret　ill…will；　and　helped　Nicholas　to　conceal　their

poverty　from　the　old　countess。　Nicholas　felt　himself　irredeemably

indebted　to　Sonya　for　all　she　was　doing　for　his　mother　and　greatly

admired　her　patience　and　devotion；　but　tried　to　keep　aloof　from　her。

　　He　seemed　in　his　heart　to　reproach　her　for　being　too　perfect；　and

because　there　was　nothing　to　reproach　her　with。　She　had　all　that

people　are　valued　for；　but　little　that　could　have　made　him　love　her。

He　felt　that　the　more　he　valued　her　the　less　he　loved　her。　He　had

taken　her　at　her　word　when　she　wrote　giving　him　his　freedom　and　now

behaved　as　if　all　that　had　passed　between　them　had　been　long　forgotten

and　could　never　in　any　case　be　renewed。

　　Nicholas'　position　became　worse　and　worse。　The　idea　of　putting

something　aside　out　of　his　salary　proved　a　dream。　Not　only　did　he

not　save　anything；　but　to　comply　with　his　mother's　demands　he　even

incurred　some　small　debts。　He　could　see　no　way　out　of　this

situation。　The　idea　of　marrying　some　rich　woman；　which　was　suggested

to　him　by　his　female　relations；　was　repugnant　to　him。　The　other　way

out…　his　mother's　death…　never　entered　his　head。　He　wished　for　nothing

and　hoped　for　nothing；　and　deep　in　his　heart　experienced　a　gloomy

and　stern　satisfaction　in　an　uncomplaining　endurance　of　his

position。　He　tried　to　avoid　his　old　acquaintances　with　their

commiseration　and　offensive　offers　of　assistance；　he　avoided　all

distraction　and　recreation；　and　even　at　home　did　nothing　but　play

cards　with　his　mother；　pace　silently　up　and　down　the　room；　and　smoke

one　pipe　after　another。　He　seemed　carefully　to　cherish　within

himself　the　gloomy　mood　which　alone　enabled　him　to　endure　his

position。

EP1｜CH6

　　CHAPTER　VI



　　At　the　beginning　of　winter　Princess　Mary　came　to　Moscow。　From

reports　current　in　town　she　learned　how　the　Rostovs　were　situated；　and

how　〃the　son　has　sacrificed　himself　for　his　mother；〃　as　people　were

saying。

　　〃I　never　expected　anything　else　of　him；〃　said　Princess　Mary　to

herself；　feeling　a　joyous　sense　of　her　love　for　him。　Remembering　her

friendly　relations　with　all　the　Rostovs　which　had　made　her　almost　a

member　of　the　family；　she　thought　it　her　duty　to　go　to　see　them。　But

remembering　her　relations　with　Nicholas　in　Voronezh　she　was　shy

about　doing　so。　Making　a　great　effort　she　did　however　go　to　call　on

them　a　few　weeks　after　her　arrival　in　Moscow。

　　Nicholas　was　the　first　to　meet　her；　as　the　countess'　room　could　only

be　reached　through　his。　But　instead　of　being　greeted　with　pleasure

as　she　had　expected；　at　his　first　glance　at　her　his　face　assumed　a

cold；　stiff；　proud　expression　she　had　not　seen　on　it　before。　He

inquired　about　her　health；　led　the　way　to　his　mother；　and　having　sat

there　for　five　minutes　left　the　room。

　　When　the　princess　came　out　of　the　countess'　room　Nicholas　met　her

again；　and　with　marked　solemnity　and　stiffness　accompanied　her　to

the　anteroom。　To　her　remarks　about　his　mother's　health　he　made　no

reply。　〃What's　that　to　you？　Leave　me　in　peace；〃　his　looks　seemed　to

say。

　　〃Why　does　she　come　prowling　here？　What　does　she　want？　I　can't　bear

these　ladies　and　all　these　civilities！〃　said　he　aloud　in　Sonya's

presence；　evidently　unable　to　repress　his　vexation；　after　the

princess'　carriage　had　disappeared。

　　〃Oh；　Nicholas；　how　can　you　talk　like　that？〃　cried　Sonya；　hardly　able

to　conceal　her　delight。　〃She　is　so　kind　and　Mamma　is　so　fond　of　her！〃

　　Nicholas　did　not　reply　and　t