战争与和平(下)-第12节

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Thus　in　the　morning；　especially　if　she　had　eaten　anything　too　rich　the　night　before；　she　sought　an　occasion　for　anger；　and　pitched　on　the　first　excuse—the　deafness　of　Madame　Byelov。
From　the　other　end　of　the　room　she　would　begin　to　say　something　to　her　in　a　low　voice。
‘‘I　fancy　it　is　warmer　to…day；　my　dear；’’　she　would　say　in　a　whisper。　And　when　Madame　Byelov　replied：　‘‘To　be　sure；　they　have　come；’’　she　would　mutter　angrily：　‘‘Mercy　on　us；　how　deaf　and　stupid　she　is！’’
Another　excuse　was　her　snuff；　which　she　fancied　either　too　dry；　or　too　moist；　or　badly　pounded。　After　these　outbursts　of　irritability；　a　bilious　hue　came　into　her　face。　And　her　maids　knew　by　infallible　tokens　when　Madame　Byelov　would　be　deaf　again；　and　when　her　snuff　would　again　be　damp；　and　her　face　would　again　be　yellow。　Just　as　she　had　to　exercise　her　spleen；　she　had　sometimes　to　exercise　her　remaining　faculties；　and　for　thought　the　pretext　was　patience。　When　she　wanted　to　cry；　the　subject　of　her　tears　was　the　late　count。　When　she　needed　excitement；　the　subject　was　Nikolay　and　anxiety　about　his　health。　When　she　wanted　to　say　something　spiteful；　the　pretext　was　the　Countess　Marya。　When　she　required　exercise　for　her　organs　of　speech—this　was　usually　about　seven　o’clock；　after　she　had　had　her　after…dinner　rest　in　a　darkened　room—　then　the　pretext　was　found　in　repetition　of　anecdotes；　always　the　same；　and　always　to　the　same　listeners。
The　old　countess’s　condition　was　understood　by　all　the　household；　though　no　one　ever　spoke　of　it；　and　every　possible　effort　was　made　by　every　one　to　satisfy　her　requirements。　Only　rarely　a　mournful　half…smile　passed　between　Nikolay；　Pierre；　Natasha；　and　Countess　Marya　that　betrayed　their　comprehension　of　her　condition。
But　those　glances　said　something　else　besides。　They　said　that　she　had　done　her　work　in　life　already；　that　she　was　not　all　here　in　what　was　seen　in　her　now；　that　they　would　all　be　the　same；　and　that　they　were　glad　to　give　way　to　her；　to　restrain　themselves　for　the　sake　of　this　poor　creature；　once　so　dear；　once　as　full　of　life　as　they。　Memento　mori；　said　those　glances。
Only　quite　heartless　and　stupid　people　and　little　children　failed　to　understand　this；　and　held　themselves　aloof　from　her。


Chapter　13
WHEN　PIERRE　AND　HIS　WIFE　came　into　the　drawing…room；　the　countess　happened　to　be　in　her　customary　condition　of　needing　the　mental　exercise　of　a　game　of　patience；　and　therefore；　although　from　habit　she　uttered　the　words；　she　always　repeated　on　the　return　of　Pierre　or　her　son　after　absence：　‘‘It　was　high　time；　high　time；　my　dear　boy；　we　have　been　expecting　you　a　long　while。　Well；　thank　God；　you　are　here。’’　And　on　the　presents　being　given　her；　pronounced　another　stock　phrase：　‘‘It’s　not　the　gift　that　is　precious；　my　dear。…　Thank　you　for　thinking　of　an　old　woman　like　me。　…’’　It　was　evident　that　Pierre’s　entrance　at　that　moment　was　unwelcome；　because　it　interrupted　her　in　dealing　her　cards。　She　finished　her　game　of　patience；　and　only　then　gave　her　attention　to　the　presents。　The　presents　for　her　consisted　of　a　card…case　of　fine　workmanship；　a　bright　blue　Sèvres　cup　with　a　lid　and　a　picture　of　shepherdesses　on　it；　and　a　gold　snuff…box　with　the　count’s　portrait　on　it；　which　Pierre　had　had　executed　by　a　miniature…painter　in　Petersburg。　The　countess　had　long　wished　to　have　this；　but　just　now　she　had　no　inclination　to　weep；　and　so　she　looked　unconcernedly　at　the　portrait；　and　took　more　notice　of　the　card…case。
‘‘Thank　you；　my　dear；　you　are　a　comfort　to　me；’’　she　said；　as　she　always　did。　‘‘But　best　of　all；　you　have　brought　yourself　back。　It　has　been　beyond　everything；　you　must　really　scold　your　wife。　She　is　like　one　possessed　without　you。　She　sees　nothing；　thinks　of　nothing；’’　she　said　as　usual。　‘‘Look；　Anna　Timofyevna；’’　she　added；　‘‘what　a　card…case　my　son　has　brought　us。’’
Madame　Byelov　admired　the　present；　and　was　enchanted　with　the　dress　material。
Pierre；　Natasha；　Nikolay；　Countess　Marya；　and　Denisov　had　a　great　deal　they　wanted　to　talk　about；　which　was　not　talked　of　before　the　old　countess；　not　because　anything　was　concealed　from　her；　but　simply　because　she　had　dropped　so　out　of　things；　that　if　they　had　begun　to　talk　freely　before　her　they　would　have　had　to　answer　so　many　questions　put　by　her　at　random；　and　to　repeat　so　many　things　that　had　been　repeated　to　her　so　many　times　already；　to　tell　her　that　this　person　was　dead　and　that　person　was　married；　which　she　could　never　remember。　Yet　they　sat　as　usual　at　tea　in　the　drawing…room；　and　Pierre　answered　the　countess’s　quite　superfluous　questions；　which　were　of　no　interest　even　to　her；　and　told　her　that　Prince　Vassily　was　looking　older；　and　that　Countess　Marya　Alexeyevna　sent　her　kind　regards　and　remembrances；　etc。
Such　conversation；　of　no　interest　to　any　one；　but　inevitable；　was　kept　up　all　tea…time。　All　the　grown…up　members　of　the　family　were　gathered　about　the　round　tea…table　with　the　samovar；　at　which　Sonya　presided。　The　children　with　their　tutors　and　governesses　had　already　had　tea；　and　their　voices　could　be　heard　in　the　next　room。　At　tea　every　one　sat　in　his　own　habitual　place。　Nikolay　sat　by　the　stove　at　a　little　table　apart；　where　his　tea　was　handed　him。　An　old　terrier　bitch；　with　a　perfectly　grey　face；　Milka；　the　daughter　of　the　first　Milka；　lay　on　a　chair　beside　him。　Denisov；　with　streaks　of　grey　in　his　curly　hair；　moustaches；　and　whiskers；　wearing　his　general’s　coat　unbuttoned；　sat　beside　Countess　Marya。　Pierre　was　sitting　between　his　wife　and　the　old　countess。　He　was　telling　what　he　knew　might　interest　the　old　lady　and　be　intelligible　to　her。　He　talked　of　external　social　events　and　of　the　persons　who　had　once　made　up　the　circle　of　the　old　countess’s　contemporaries；　and　had　once　been　a　real　living　circle　of　people；　but　were　now　for　the　most　part　scattered　about　the　world；　and；　like　her；　living　out　their　remnant　of　life；　gleaning　up　the　stray　ears　of　what　they　had　sown　in　life。　But　they；　these　contemporaries；　seemed　to　the　old　countess　to　make　up　the　only　real　world　that　was　worth　considering。　By　Pierre’s　eagerness；　Natasha　saw　that　his　visit　had　been　an　interesting　one；　that　he　was　longing　to　tell　them　about　it；　but　dared　not　speak　freely　before　the　countess。　Denisov；　not　being　a　member　of　the　family；　did　not　understand　Pierre’s　circumspectness；　and；　moreover；　being　dissatisfied　with　the　course　of　events；　took　a　very　great　interest　in　all　that　was　going　forward　at　Petersburg。　He　was　continually　trying　to　get　Pierre　to　tell　him　about　the　recent　scandal　about　the　Semyonovsky　regiment；　or　about　Araktcheev；　or　about　the　Bible　Society。　Pierre　was　sometimes　led　on　into　beginning　to　talk　about　those　subjects；　but　Nikolay　and　Natasha　always　brought　him　back　to　the　health　of　Prince　Ivan　and　Countess　Marya　Antonovna。
‘‘Well；　what　is　all　this　idiocy；　Gossner　and　Madame　Tatarinov；’’　Denisov　asked；　‘‘is　that　still　going　on？’’
‘‘Going　on？’’　said　Pierre。　‘‘Worse　than　ever。　The　Bible　Society　is　now　the　whole　government。’’
‘‘What　is　that；　mon　cher　ami？’’　asked　the　old　countess；　who；　having　drunk　her　tea；　was　obviously　seeking　a　pretext　for　ill…humour　after　taking　food。　‘‘What　are　you　saying　about　the　government？　I　don’t　understand　that。’’
‘‘Why；　you　know；　maman；’’　put　in　Nikolay；　who　knew　how　to　translate　things　into　his　mother’s　language。　‘‘Prince　Alexander　Nikolaevitch　Golitsin　had　founded　a　society；　so　he　has　great　influence　they　say。’’
‘‘Araktcheev　and　Golitsin；’’　said　Pierre　incautiously；　‘‘are　practically　the　government　now。　And　what　a　government！　They　see　conspiracy　in　everything；　they　are　afraid　of　everything。’’
‘‘What；　Prince　Alexander　Nikolaevitch　found　fault　with！　He　is　a　most　estimable　man。　I　used　to　meet　him　in　old　days　at　Marya　Antonovna’s；’’　said　the　countess　in　an　aggrieved　tone。　And　still　more　aggrieved　by　the　general　silence；　she　went　on；　‘‘Nowadays　people　find　fault　with　every　one。　A　Gospel　Society；　what　harm　is　there　in　that？’’　and　she　got　up　（every　one　rose　too）；　and　with　a　severe　face　sailed　out　to　her　table　in　the　adjoining　divan…room。
In　the　midst　of　the　mournful　silence　that　followed；　they　heard　the　sound　of　children’s　voices　and　laughter　from　the　next　room。　There　was　evidently　some　joyful　excitement　afoot　among　the　children。
‘‘Finished；　finished！’’　the　gleeful　shriek　of　little　Natasha　was　heard　above　all　the　rest。　Pierre　exchanged　glances　with　Countess　Marya　and　Nikolay　（Natasha　he　was　looking　at　all　the　time）；　and　he　smiled　happily。
‘‘Delightful　music！’’　he　said。
‘‘Anna　Makarovna　has　finished　her　stocking；’’　said　Countess　Marya。
‘‘Oh；　I’m　going　to　have　a　look　at　them；’’　said　Pierre；　jumping　up。　‘‘You　know；’’　he　said；　stopping　at　the　door；　‘‘why　it　is　I　so　particularly　love　that　music—it　is　what　first　lets　me　know　that　all’s　well。　As　I　came　today；　the　nearer　I　got　to　home；　the　greater　my　panic。　As　I　came　into　the　vestibule；　I　heard　Andryusha　in　peals　of　laughter；　and　then　I　knew　all　was　well　…’’
‘‘I　know；　I　know　that　feeling；’’　Nikolay　chimed　in。　‘‘I　mustn’t　come—　the　stockings　are　a　surprise　in　store　for　me。’’
Pierre　went　into　the　children；　and　the　shrieks　and　laughter　were　louder　than　ever。　‘‘Now；　Anna　Mak