战争与和平(上)-第125节

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him　to　begin　anything　fresh；　that　he　must　live　his　life；　content　to　do　no　harm；　dreading　nothing　and　desiring　nothing。


Chapter　2
PRINCE　ANDREY’S　DUTIES　as　trustee　of　his　son’s　Ryazan　estates　necessitated　an　interview　with　the　marshal　of　the　district。　This　marshal　was　Count　Ilya　Andreivitch　Rostov；　and　in　the　middle　of　May　Prince　Andrey　went　to　see　him。
It　was　by　now　the　hot　period　of　spring。　The　forest　was　already　in　full　leaf。　It　was　dusty；　and　so　hot　that　at　the　sight　of　water　one　longed　to　bathe。
Prince　Andrey　drove　along　the　avenue　leading　to　the　Rostovs’　house　at　Otradnoe；　depressed　and　absorbed　in　considering　what　questions　he　must　ask　the　marshal　about　his　business。　Behind　some　trees　on　the　right　he　heard　merry　girlish　cries；　and　caught　sight　of　a　party　of　girls　running　across　the　avenue　along　which　his　coach　was　driving。　In　front　of　all　the　rest　there　ran　towards　the　coach　a　black…haired；　very　slender；　strangely　slender；　black…eyed　girl　in　a　yellow　cotton　gown。　On　her　head　was　a　white　pocket…handkerchief；　from　under　which　strayed　locks　of　her　loose　hair。　The　girl　was　shouting　something；　but　perceiving　a　stranger；　she　ran　back　laughing；　without　glancing　at　him。
Prince　Andrey　for　some　reason　felt　a　sudden　pang。　The　day　was　so　lovely；　the　sun　so　bright；　everything　around　him　so　gay；　and　that　slim　and　pretty　girl　knew　nothing　of　his　existence；　and　cared　to　know　nothing；　and　was　content　and　happy　in　her　own　life—foolish　doubtless—but　gay　and　happy　and　remote　from　him。　What　was　she　so　glad　about？　What　was　she　thinking　of？　Not　of　army　regulations；　not　of　the　organisation　of　the　Ryazan　rent…paying　peasants。　“What　is　she　thinking　about；　and　why　is　she　so　happy？”　Prince　Andrey　could　not　help　wondering　with　interest。
Count　Ilya　Andreivitch　was　living　in　the　year　1809　at　Otradnoe；　exactly　as　he　had　always　done　in　previous　years；　that　is　to　say；　entertaining　almost　the　whole　province　with　hunts；　theatricals；　dinner　parties　and　concerts。　He　was　delighted　to　see　Prince　Andrey；　as　he　always　was　to　see　any　new　guest；　and　quite　forced　him　to　stay　the　night。
Prince　Andrey　spent　a　tedious　day；　entertained　by　his　elderly　host　and　hostess　and　the　more　honoured　among　the　guests；　of　whom　the　count’s　house　was　full　in　honour　of　an　approaching　name…day。　Several　times　in　the　course　of　it；　Bolkonsky　glanced　at　Natasha；　continually　laughing　and　full　of　gaiety　among　the　younger　members　of　the　company；　and　asked　himself　each　time；　“What　is　she　thinking　of？　What　is　she　so　glad　about？”
In　the　evening；　alone　in　a　new　place；　he　was　for　a　long　while　unable　to　sleep。　He　read　for　a　time；　then　put　out　his　candle；　and　afterwards　lighted　it　again。　It　was　hot　in　the　bedroom　with　the　shutters　closed　on　the　inside。　He　felt　irritated　with　this　foolish　old　gentleman　（so　he　mentally　called　Count　Rostov）　who　had　detained　him；　declaring　that　the　necessary　deeds　had　not　yet　come　from　the　town；　and　he　was　vexed　with　himself　for　staying。
Prince　Andrey　got　up　and　went　to　the　window　to　open　it。　As　soon　as　he　opened　the　shutter；　the　moonlight　broke　into　the　room　as　though　it　had　been　waiting　a　long　while　outside　on　the　watch　for　this　chance。　He　opened　the　window。　The　night　was　fresh　and　bright　and　still。　Just　in　front　of　the　window　stood　a　row　of　pollard…trees；　black　on　one　side；　silvery　bright　on　the　other。　Under　the　trees　were　rank；　moist；　bushy；　growing　plants　of　some　kind；　with　leaves　and　stems　touched　here　and　there　with　silver。　Further　away；　beyond　the　black　trees；　was　the　roof　of　something　glistening　with　dew；　to　the　right　was　a　great；　leafy　tree；　with　its　trunk　and　branches　brilliantly　white；　and　above　it　the　moon；　almost　full；　in　a　clear；　almost　starless；　spring　sky。　Prince　Andrey　leaned　his　elbow　on　the　window；　and　his　eyes　rested　on　that　sky。
His　room　was　on　the　second　story；　there　were　people　in　the　room　over　his　head；　and　awake　too。　He　heard　girls’　chatter　overhead。
“Only　this　once　more；”　said　a　girlish　voice；　which　Prince　Andrey　recognised　at　once。
“But　when　are　you　coming　to　bed？”　answered　another　voice。
“I’m　not　coming！　I　can’t　sleep；　what’s　the　use？　Come；　for　the　last　time。…”
Two　feminine　voices　sang　a　musical　phrase；　the　finale　of　some　song。
“Oh；　it’s　exquisite！　Well；　now　go　to　sleep；　and　there’s　an　end　of　it。”
“You　go　to　sleep；　but　I　can’t；”　responded　the　first　voice；　coming　nearer　to　the　window。　She　was　evidently　leaning　right　out　of　the　window；　for　he　could　hear　the　rustle　of　her　garments　and　even　her　breathing。　All　was　hushed　and　stonily　still；　like　the　moon　and　its　lights　and　shadows。　Prince　Andrey　dared　not　stir　for　fear　of　betraying　his　unintentional　presence。
“Sonya！　Sonya！”　he　heard　the　first　voice　again。　“Oh；　how　can　you　sleep！　Do　look　how　exquisite！　Oh；　how　exquisite！　Do　wake　up；　Sonya！”　she　said；　almost　with　tears　in　her　voice。　“Do　you　know　such　an　exquisite　night　has　never；　never　been　before。”
Sonya　made　some　reluctant　reply。
“No；　do　look　what　a　moon！…Oh；　how　lovely　it　is！　Do　come　here。　Darling；　precious；　do　come　here。　There；　do　you　see？　One　has　only　to　squat　on　one’s　heels　like　this—see—and　to　hold　one’s　knees—as　tight；　as　tight　as　one　can—give　a　great　spring　and　one　would　fly　away。…　Like　this—see！”
“Mind；　you’ll　fall。”
He　heard　sounds　of　a　scuffle　and　Sonya’s　voice　in　a　tone　of　vexation：　“Why；　it’s　past　one　o’clock。”
“Oh；　you　only　spoil　it　all　for　me。　Well；　go　to　bed　then；　go　along。”
All　was　hushed　again；　but　Prince　Andrey　knew　she　was　still　sitting　there。　He　heard　at　times　a　soft　rustle；　and　at　times　a　sigh。
“O　my　God！　my　God！　what　does　it　mean？”　she　cried　suddenly。　“To　bed　then；　if　it　must　be　so！”　and　she　closed　the　window　with　a　slam。
“And　nothing　to　do　with　my　existence！”　thought　Prince　Andrey　while　he　had　been　listening　to　her　talk；　for　some　reason　hoping　and　dreading　she　might　say　something　about　him。　“And　she　again！　As　though　it　were　on　purpose！”　he　thought。　All　at　once　there　stirred　within　his　soul　such　a　wholly　unexpected　medley　of　youthful　hopes　and　ideas；　running　counter　to　the　whole　tenor　of　his　life；　that　he　made　haste　to　fall　asleep；　feeling　incapable　of　seeing　clearly　into　his　own　state　of　mind。


Chapter　3
NEXT　DAY　Prince　Andrey　took　leave　of　the　count　alone　and　set　off　on　his　way　home；　without　waiting　for　the　ladies　to　appear。
It　was　the　beginning　of　June　when　Prince　Andrey；　on　his　return　journey；　drove　again　into　the　birch　forest；　in　which　the　old；　gnarled　oak　had　made　upon　him　so　strange　and　memorable　an　impression。　The　ringing　of　the　bells　did　not　carry　so　far　now　in　the　forest　as　six　weeks　before。　Everything　was　fully　out；　thick；　and　shut　in。　And　the　young　firs；　dotted　about　the　forest；　did　not　break　the　general　beauty；　but；　subdued　to　the　same　character　as　the　rest；　were　softly　green　with　their　feathery　bunches　of　young　needles。
The　whole　day　had　been　hot；　a　storm　was　gathering；　but　only　a　small　rain…cloud　had　sprinkled　the　dust　of　the　road　and　the　sappy　leaves。　The　left　side　of　the　forest　was　dark；　lying　in　shadow。　The　right　side；　glistening　with　the　raindrops；　gleamed　in　the　sunlight；　faintly　undulating　in　the　wind。　Everything　was　in　flower；　the　nightingales　twittered　and　carolled；　now　close；　now　far　away。
“Yes；　it　was　here；　in　this　forest；　I　saw　that　oak；　with　whom　I　was　in　sympathy；”　thought　Prince　Andrey。　“But　where　is　he？”　he　thought　again　as　he　gazed　at　the　left　side　of　the　road；　and；　all　unaware　and　unrecognising；　he　was　admiring　the　very　oak　he　was　seeking。　The　old　oak；　utterly　transformed；　draped　in　a　tent　of　sappy　dark　green；　basked　faintly；　undulating　in　the　rays　of　the　evening　sun。　Of　the　knotted　fingers；　the　gnarled　excrescences；　the　aged　grief　and　mistrust—nothing　was　to　be　seen。　Through　the　rough；　century…old　bark；　where　there　were　no　twigs；　leaves　had　burst　out　so　sappy；　so　young；　that　it　was　hard　to　believe　that　aged　creature　had　borne　them。
“Yes；　that　is　the　same　tree；”　thought　Prince　Andrey；　and　all　at　once　there　came　upon　him　an　irrational；　spring　feeling　of　joy　and　of　renewal。　All　the　best　moments　of　his　life　rose　to　his　memory　at　once。　Austerlitz；　with　that　lofty　sky；　and　the　dead；　reproachful　face　of　his　wife；　and　Pierre　on　the　ferry；　and　the　girl；　thrilled　by　the　beauty　of　the　night；　and　that　night　and　moon—it　all　rushed　at　once　into　his　mind。
“No；　life　is　not　over　at　thirty…one；”　Prince　Andrey　decided　all　at　once；　finally　and　absolutely。　“It’s　not　enough　for　me　to　know　all　there　is　in　me；　every　one　must　know　it　too；　Pierre　and　that　girl；　who　wanted　to　fly　away　into　the　sky；　every　one　must　know　me　so　that　my　life　may　not　be　spent　only　on　myself；　they　must　not　live　so　apart　from　my　life；　it　must　be　reflected　in　all　of　them　and　they　must　all　share　my　life　with　me！”
On　getting　home　after　his　journey；　Prince　Andrey　made　up　his　mind　to　go　to　Petersburg　in　the　autumn；　and　began　inventing　all　sorts　of　reasons　for　this　decision。　A　whole　chain　of　sensible；　logical　reasons；　making　it　essential　for　him　to　visit　Petersburg；　and　even　to　re…enter　the　service；　was　at　every　moment　ready　at　his　disposal。　He　could　not　indeed　comprehend　now　how　he　could　ever　have　doubted　of　the　necessity　of　taking　an　active　share　in　life；　just　as　a　month　before　he　could　not　have　understood　how　the　idea　of　leaving　the　country　cou