战争与和平(上)-第285节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


aman？　It　would　kill　her—for　one　thing。　Then　Sophie；　if　she　is　a　girl　of　any　heart；　what　a　life　it　would　be　for　her！　Your　mother　in　despair；　your　position　ruined…No；　my　dear；　Sophie　and　you　ought　to　realise　that。”
Nikolay　did　not　speak。　It　was　comforting　to　him　to　hear　these　arguments。
“All　the　same；　ma　tante；　it　cannot　be；”　he　said；　with　a　sigh；　after　a　brief　silence。　“And　besides　would　the　princess　accept　me？　And　again　she　is　in　mourning；　can　such　a　thing　be　thought　of？”
“Why；　do　you　suppose　I　am　going　to　marry　you　out　of　hand　on　the　spot？　There　are　ways　of　doing　everything；”　said　the　governor’s　wife。
“What　a　match…maker　you　are；　ma　tante…”　said　Nikolay；　kissing　her　plump　little　hand。


Chapter　6
ON　REACHING　MOSCOW；　after　her　meeting　with　Rostov　at　Bogutcharovo；　Princess　Marya　had　found　her　nephew　there　with　his　tutor；　and　a　letter　from　Prince　Andrey；　directing　her　what　route　to　take　to　her　aunt；　Madame　Malvintsev’s　at　Voronezh。　The　arrangements　for　the　journey；　anxiety　about　her　brother；　the　organisation　of　her　life　in　a　new　house；　new　people；　the　education　of　her　nephew—all　of　this　smothered　in　Princess　Marya’s　heart　that　feeling　as　it　were　of　temptation；　which　had　tormented　her　during　her　father’s　illness　and　after　his　death；　especially　since　her　meeting　with　Rostov。
She　was　melancholy。　Now　after　a　month　had　passed　in　quiet；　undisturbed　conditions；　she　felt　more　and　more　deeply　the　loss　of　her　father；　which　was　connected　in　her　heart　with　the　downfall　of　Russia。　She　was　anxious：　the　thought　of　the　dangers　to　which　her　brother—the　one　creature　near　to　her　now　left—was　being　exposed　was　a　continual　torture　to　her。　She　was　worried　too　by　the　education　of　her　nephew；　which　she　was　constantly　feeling　herself　unfitted　to　control。　But　at　the　bottom　of　her　heart　there　was　an　inward　harmony；　that　arose　from　the　sense　that　she　had　conquered　in　herself　those　dreams　and　hopes　of　personal　happiness；　that　had　sprung　up　in　connection　with　Rostov。
When　the　governor’s　wife　called　on　Madame　Malvintsev　the　day　after　her　soirée；　and；　talking　over　her　plans　with　her；　explaining　that　though　under　present　circumstances　a　formal　betrothal　was　of　course　not　to　be　thought　of；　yet　they　might　bring　the　young　people　together；　and　let　them　get　to　know　one　another；　and　having　received　the　aunt’s　approval；　began　to　speak　of　Rostov　in　Princess　Marya’s　presence；　singing　his　praises；　and　describing　how　he　had　blushed　on　hearing　the　princess’s　name；　her　emotion　was　not　one　of　joy；　but　of　pain。　Her　inner　harmony　was　destroyed；　and　desires；　doubts；　self…reproach；　and　hope　sprang　up　again。
In　the　course　of　the　two　days　that　followed　before　Rostov　called；　Princess　Marya　was　continually　considering　what　her　behaviour　ought　to　be　in　regard　to　Rostov。　At　one　time；　she　made　up　her　mind　that　she　would　not　come　down　into　the　drawing…room　when　he　came　to　see　her　aunt；　that　it　was　not　suitable　for　her　in　her　deep　mourning　to　receive　visitors。　Then　she　thought　this　would　be　rude　after　what　he　had　done　for　her。　Then　the　idea　struck　her　that　her　aunt　and　the　governor’s　wife　had　views　of　some　sort　upon　her　and　Rostov；　their　words　and　glances　had　seemed　at　times　to　confirm　this　suspicion。　Then　she　told　herself　that　it　was　only　her　own　depravity　that　could　make　her　think　this　of　them：　could　they　possibly　fail　to　realise　that　in　her　position；　still　wearing　the　heaviest　mourning；　such　match…making　would　be　an　insult　both　to　her　and　to　her　father’s　memory？　On　the　supposition　that　she　would　go　down　to　see　him；　Princess　Marya　imagined　the　words　he　would　say　to　her；　and　she　would　say　to　him；　and　at　one　moment；　those　words　seemed　to　her　undeservedly　frigid；　at　the　next；　they　struck　her　as　carrying　too　much　meaning。　Above　all　she　dreaded　the　embarrassment；　which　she　felt　would　be　sure　to　overcome　her；　and　betray　her；　as　soon　as　she　saw　him。
But　when；　on　Sunday　after　matins；　the　footman　came　into　the　drawing…room　to　announce　that　Count　Rostov　had　called；　the　princess　showed　no　sign　of　embarrassment；　only　a　faint　flush　came　into　her　cheeks；　and　her　eyes　shone　with　a　new；　radiant　light。
“You　have　seen　him；　aunt？”　said　Princess　Marya；　in　a　composed　voice；　not　knowing　herself　how　she　could　be　externally　so　calm　and　natural。
When　Rostov　came　into　the　room；　the　princess　dropped　her　head　for　an　instant；　as　though　to　give　time　for　their　visitor　to　greet　her　aunt；　and　then　at　the　very　moment　when　Nikolay　turned　to　her；　she　raised　her　head　and　met　his　gaze　with　shining　eyes。　With　a　movement　full　of　dignity　and　grace；　she　rose　with　a　joyous　smile；　held　out　her　delicate；　soft　hand　to　him；　and　spoke　in　a　voice　in　which　for　the　first　time　there　was　the　thrill　of　deep；　womanly　chest　notes。　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　who　was　in　the　drawing…room；　gazed　at　Princess　Marya　with　bewildered　surprise。　The　most　accomplished　coquette　herself；　she　could　not　have　man？uvred　better　on　meeting　a　man　whom　she　wanted　to　attract。
“Either　black　suits　her　wonderfully；　or　she　really　has　grown　better　looking　without　my　noticing　it。　And　above　all；　such　tact　and　grace！”　thought　Mademoiselle　Bourienne。
Had　Princess　Marya　been　capable　of　reflection　at　that　moment；　she　would　have　been　even　more　astonished　than　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　at　the　change　that　had　taken　place　in　her。　From　the　moment　she　set　eyes　on　that　sweet；　loved　face；　some　new　force　of　life　seemed　to　take　possession　of　her；　and　to　drive　her　to　speak　and　act　apart　from　her　own　will。　From　the　time　Rostov　entered　the　room；　her　face　was　transformed。　Just　as　when　a　light　is　kindled　within　a　carved　and　painted　lantern；　the　delicate；　intricate；　artistic　tracery　comes　out　in　unexpected　and　impressive　beauty；　where　all　seemed　coarse；　dark；　and　meaningless　before；　so　was　Princess　Marya’s　face　transformed。　For　the　first　time　all　the　pure；　spiritual；　inner　travail　in　which　she　had　lived　till　then　came　out　in　her　face。　All　her　inner　searchings　of　spirit；　her　self…reproach；　her　sufferings；　her　striving　for　goodness；　her　resignation；　her　love；　her　self…sacrifice—all　this　was　radiant　now　in　those　luminous　eyes；　in　the　delicate　smile；　in　every　feature　of　her　tender　face。
Rostov　saw　all　this　as　clearly　as　though　he　had　known　her　whole　life。　He　felt　that　he　was　in　the　presence　of　a　creature　utterly　different　from　and　better　than　all　those　he　had　met　up　to　that　moment；　and；　above　all；　far　better　than　he　was　himself。
The　conversation　was　of　the　simplest　and　most　insignificant　kind。　They　talked　of　the　war；　unconsciously；　like　every　one　else；　exaggerating　their　sadness　on　that　subject；　they　talked　of　their　last　meeting—and　Nikolay　then　tried　to　turn　the　subject；　they　talked　of　the　kind…hearted　governor’s　wife；　of　Nikolay’s　relations；　and　of　Princess　Marya’s。
Princess　Marya　did　not　talk　of　her　brother；　but　turned　the　conversation；　as　soon　as　her　aunt　mentioned　Prince　Andrey。　It　was　evident　that　of　the　troubles　of　Russia　she　could　speak　artificially；　but　her　brother　was　a　subject　too　near　her　heart；　and　she　neither　would　nor　could　speak　lightly　of　him。　Nikolay　noticed　this；　as　indeed　with　a　keenness　of　observation　not　usual　with　him；　he　noticed　every　shade　of　Princess　Marya’s　character；　and　everything　confirmed　him　in　the　conviction　that　she　was　an　altogether　rare　and　original　being。
Nikolay；　like　Princess　Marya；　had　blushed　and　been　embarrassed；　when　he　heard　the　princess　spoken　of；　and　even　when　he　thought　of　her；　but　in　her　presence　he　felt　perfectly　at　ease；　and　he　said　to　her　not　at　all　what　he　had　prepared　beforehand　to　say　to　her；　but　what　came　into　his　mind　at　the　moment；　and　always　quite　appropriately。
As　visitors　always　do　where　there　are　children；　Nikolay；　in　a　momentary　silence　during　his　brief　visit；　had　recourse　to　Prince　Andrey’s　little　son；　caressing　him；　and　asking　him　if　he　would　like　to　be　an　hussar。　He　took　the　little　boy　in　his　arms；　began　gaily　whirling　him　round；　and　glanced　at　Princess　Marya。　With　softened；　happy；　shy　eyes；　she　was　watching　the　child　she　loved　in　the　arms　of　the　man　she　loved。　Nikolay　caught　that　look　too；　and　as　though　he　divined　its　significance；　flushed　with　delight；　and　fell　to　kissing　the　child　with　simple…hearted　gaiety。
Princess　Marya　was　not　going　into　society　at　all　on　account　of　her　mourning；　and　Nikolay　did　not　think　it　the　proper　thing　to　call　on　them　again。　But　the　governor’s　wife　still　persisted　in　her　match…making；　and　repeating　to　Nikolay　something　flattering　Princess　Marya　had　said　of　him；　and　vice　versa；　kept　urging　that　Rostov　should　declare　himself　to　Princess　Marya。　With　this　object；　she　arranged　that　the　young　people　should　meet　at　the　reverend　father’s　before　Mass。
Though　Rostov　did　tell　the　governor’s　wife　that　he　should　make　no　sort　of　declaration　to　Princess　Marya；　he　promised　to　be　there。
Just　as　at　Tilsit　Rostov　had　not　allowed　himself　to　doubt　whether　what　was　accepted　by　every　one　as　right　were　really　right；　so　now　after　a　brief　but　sincere　struggle　between　the　effort　to　order　his　life　in　accordance　with　his　own　sense　of　right；　and　humble　submission　to　circumstances；　he　chose　the　latter；　and　yielded　himself　to　the　power；　which；　he　felt；　was　irresistibly　carrying　him　away。　He　knew　that　to　declare　his　feelings　to　Princess　Marya　after　his　promise　to　Sonya　would　be　what　he