战争与和平(上)-第164节

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g　him　too　young。
“I　have　read　our　protest　about　the　Oldenburg　affair；　and　I　was　surprised　at　how　badly　composed　the　note　was；”　said　Count　Rastoptchin　in　the　casual　tone　of　a　man　criticising　something　with　which　he　is　very　familiar。
Pierre　looked　at　Rastoptchin　in　na？ve　wonder；　unable　to　understand　why　he　should　be　troubled　by　the　defective　composition　of　the　note。
“Does　it　matter　how　the　note　is　worded；　count；”　he　said；　“if　the　meaning　is　forcible？”
“My　dear　fellow；　with　our　five　hundred　thousand　troops；　it　should　be　easy　to　have　a　good　style；”　said　Count　Rastoptchin。
Pierre　perceived　the　point　of　Count　Rastoptchin’s　dissatisfaction　with　the　wording　of　the　note。
“I　should　have　thought　there　were　scribblers　enough　to　write　it；”　said　the　old　prince。　“Up　in　Petersburg　they　do　nothing　but　write—not　notes　only；　but　new　laws　they　keep　writing。　My　Andryusha　up　there　has　written　a　whole　volume　of　new　laws　for　Russia。　Nowadays　they’re　always　at　it！”　And　he　laughed　an　unnatural　laugh。
The　conversation　paused　for　a　moment；　the　old　general　cleared　his　throat　to　draw　attention。
“Did　you　hear　of　the　last　incident　at　the　review　in　Petersburg？　Didn’t　the　new　French　ambassadors　expose　themselves！”
“Eh？　Yes；　I　did　hear　something；　he　said　something　awkward　in　the　presence　of　his　majesty。”
“His　majesty　drew　his　attention　to　the　grenadier　division　and　the　parade　march；”　pursued　the　general；　“and　it　seems　the　ambassador　took　no　notice　and　had　the　insolence　to　say　‘We　in　France；’　says　he；　‘don’t　pay　attention　to　such　trivial　matters。’　The　emperor　did　not　vouchsafe　him　a　reply。　At　the　review　that　followed　the　emperor；　they　say；　did　not　once　deign　to　address　him。”
Every　one　was　silent；　upon　this　fact　which　related　to　the　Tsar　personally；　no　criticism　could　be　offered。
“Impudent　rogues！”　said　the　old　prince。　“Do　you　know　Metivier？　I　turned　him　out　of　the　house　to…day。　He　was　here；　he　was　allowed　to　come　in；　in　spite　of　my　begging　no　one　should　be　admitted；”　said　the　old　prince；　glancing　angrily　at　his　daughter。　And　he　told　them　his　whole　conversation　with　the　French　doctor　and　his　reasons　for　believing　Metivier　to　be　a　spy。　Though　his　reasons　were　very　insufficient　and　obscure；　no　one　raised　an　objection。
After　the　meat；　champagne　was　handed　round。　The　guests　rose　from　their　places　to　congratulate　the　old　prince。　Princess　Marya　too　went　up　to　him。　He　glanced　at　her　with　a　cold；　spiteful　glance；　and　offered　her　his　shaven；　wrinkled　cheek。　The　whole　expression　of　his　face　told　her　that　their　morning’s　conversation　was　not　forgotten；　that　his　resolution　still　held　good；　and　that　it　was　only　owing　to　the　presence　of　their　visitors　that　he　did　not　tell　her　so　now。
When　they　went　into　the　drawing…room　to　coffee；　the　old　men　sat　together。
Prince　Nikolay　Andreitch　grew　more　animated；　and　began　to　express　his　views　on　the　impending　war。　He　said　that　our　wars　with　Bonaparte　would　be　unsuccessful　so　long　as　we　sought　alliances　with　the　Germans　and　went　meddling　in　European　affairs；　into　which　we　had　been　drawn　by　the　Peace　of　Tilsit。　We　had　no　business　to　fight　for　Austria　or　against　Austria。　Our　political　interests　all　lay　in　the　East；　and　as　regards　Bonaparte；　the　one　thing　was　an　armed　force　on　the　frontier；　and　a　firm　policy；　and　he　would　never　again　dare　to　cross　the　Russian　frontier；　as　he　had　done　in　1807。
“And　how　should　we；　prince；　fight　against　the　French！”　said　Count　Rastoptchin。　“Can　we　arm　ourselves　against　our　teachers　and　divinities？　Look　at　our　young　men；　look　at　our　ladies。　Our　gods　are　the　French；　and　Paris—our　Paradise。”
He　began　talking　more　loudly；　obviously　with　the　intention　of　being　heard　by　every　one。
“Our　fashions　are　French；　our　ideas　are　French；　our　feelings　are　French！　You　have　sent　Metivier　about　his　business　because　he’s　a　Frenchman　and　a　scoundrel；　but　our　ladies　are　crawling　on　their　hands　and　knees　after　him。　Yesterday　I　was　at　an　evening　party；　and　out　of　five　ladies　three　were　Catholics　and　had　a　papal　indulgence　for　embroidering　on　Sundays。　And　they　sitting　all　but　naked；　like　the　sign…boards　of　some　public　bath…house；　if　you’ll　excuse　my　saying　so。　Ah；　when　one　looks　at　our　young　people；　prince；　one　would　like　to　take　Peter　the　Great’s　old　cudgel　out　of　the　museum　and　break　a　few　ribs　in　the　good　old　Russian　style；　to　knock　the　nonsense　out　of　them！”
All　were　silent。　The　old　prince　looked　at　Rastoptchin　with　a　smile　on　his　face　and　shook　his　head　approvingly。
“Well；　good…bye；　your　excellency；　don’t　you　be　ill；”　said　Rastoptchin；　getting　up　with　the　brisk　movements　characteristic　of　him；　and　holding　out　his　hand　to　the　old　prince。
“Good…bye；　my　dear　fellow。　Your　talk　is　a　music　I’m　always　glad　to　listen　to！”　said　the　old　prince；　keeping　hold　of　his　hand　and　offering　him　his　cheek　for　a　kiss。　The　others；　too；　got　up　when　Rastoptchin　did。


Chapter　4
PRINCESS　MARYA；　sitting　in　the　drawing…room；　and　hearing　the　old　men’s　talk　and　criticisms；　did　not　understand　a　word　of　what　she　was　hearing。　She　thought　of　nothing　but　whether　all　their　guests　were　noticing　her　father’s　hostile　attitude　to　her。　She　did　not　even　notice　the　marked　attention　and　amiability　shown　her　during　the　whole　of　dinner　by　Drubetskoy；　who　was　that　day　paying　them　his　third　visit。
Princess　Marya　turned　with　an　absent…minded；　questioning　glance　to　Pierre；　who；　with　a　smile　on　his　face；　came　up　to　her；　hat　in　hand；　the　last　of　the　guests；　after　the　prince　had　gone　out；　and　they　were　left　alone　together　in　the　drawing…room。
“Can　I　stay　a　little　longer？”　he　said；　dropping　his　bulky　person　into　a　low　chair　beside　Princess　Marya。
“Oh；　yes；”　she　said。　“You　noticed　nothing？”　her　eyes　asked。
Pierre　was　in　an　agreeable；　after…dinner　mood。　He　looked　straight　before　him　and　smiled　softly。　“Have　you　known　that　young　man　long；　princess？”　he　said。
“Which　one？”
“Drubetskoy。”
“No；　not　long。…”
“Well；　do　you　like　him？”
“Yes；　he’s　a　very　agreeable　young　man。　Why　do　you　ask　me？”　said　Princess　Marya；　still　thinking　of　her　conversation　in　the　morning　with　her　father。
“Because　I　have　observed；　that　when　a　young　man　comes　from　Petersburg　to　Moscow　on　leave；　it　is　invariably　with　the　object　of　marrying　an　heiress。”
“Have　you　observed　that？”　said　Princess　Marya。
“Yes；”　Pierre　went　on　with　a　smile；　“and　that　young　man　now　manages　matters　so　that　wherever　there　are　wealthy　heiresses—there　he　is　to　be　found。　I　can　read　him　like　a　book。　He　is　hesitating　now　which　to　attack；　you　or　Mademoiselle　Julie　Karagin。　He　is　very　attentive　to　her。”
“Does　he　visit　them？”
“Yes；　very　often。　And　do　you　know　the　new…fashioned　method　of　courting？”　said　Pierre；　smiling　good…humouredly；　and　obviously　feeling　in　that　light…hearted　mood　of　good…natured　irony；　for　which　he　had　so　often　reproached　himself　in　his　diary。
“No；”　said　Princess　Marya。
“To　please　the　Moscow　girls　nowadays　one　has　to　be　melancholy。　He　is　very　melancholy　with　Mademoiselle　Karagin；”　said　Pierre。
“Really！”　said　Princess　Marya；　looking　at　the　kindly　face　of　Pierre；　and　thinking　all　the　time　of　her　own　trouble。　“It　would　ease　my　heart；”　she　was　thinking；　“if　I　could　make　up　my　mind　to　confide　all　I　am　feeling　to　some　one。　And　it　is　just　Pierre　I　should　like　to　tell　it　all　to。　He　is　so　kind　and　generous。　It　would　ease　my　heart。　He　would　give　me　advice。”
“Would　you　marry　him？”　asked　Pierre。
“O　my　God；　count！　there　are　moments　when　I　would　marry　any　one”—to　her　own　surprise　Princess　Marya　said；　with　tears　in　her　voice。　“Ah！　how　bitter　it　is　to　love　some　one　near　to　one　and　to　feel；”　she　went　on　in　a　shaking　voice；　“that　you　can　do　nothing　for　him；　but　cause　him　sorrow；　and　when　you　know　you　cannot　alter　it。　There’s　only　one　thing—to　go　away；　and　where　am　I　to　go？”
“What　is　wrong？　what　is　the　matter　with　you；　princess？”
But　Princess　Marya；　without　explaining　further；　burst　into　tears。
“I　don’t　know　what　is　the　matter　with　me　to…day。　Don’t　take　any　notice　of　me；　forget　what　I　said　to　you。”
All　Pierre’s　gaiety　had　vanished。　He　questioned　the　princess　anxiously；　begged　her　to　speak　out；　to　confide　her　trouble　to　him。　But　she　would　only　repeat　that　she　begged　him　to　forget　what　she　had　said；　that　she　did　not　remember　what　she　had　said；　and　that　she　had　no　trouble　except　the　one　he　knew—her　anxiety　lest　Prince　Andrey’s　marriage　should　cause　a　breach　between　him　and　his　father。
“Have　you　heard　anything　of　the　Rostovs？”　she　asked　to　change　the　subject。　“I　was　told　they　would　soon　be　here。　I　expect　Andrey；　too；　every　day。　I　should　have　liked　them　to　see　each　other　here。”
“And　how　does　he　look　at　the　matter　now？”　said　Pierre；　meaning　by　he　the　old　prince。　Princess　Marya　shook　her　head。
“But　it　can’t　be　helped。　There　are　only　a　few　months　left　now　before　the　year　is　over。　And　it　can’t　go　on　like　this。　I　should　only　have　liked　to　spare　my　brother　the　first　minutes。　I　could　have　wished　they　were　coming　sooner。　I　hope　to　get　to　know　her　well。…You　have　known　them　a　long　while；”　said　Princess　Marya。　“Tell　me　the　whole　truth；　speaking　quite　seriously。　What　sort　of　a　girl　is　she；　and　how　do　you　like　her？　But　the　whole　truth；　because；　you　see；　Andrey　is　risking　so　much　in　doing　this　against　our　father’