战争与和平(下)-第13节

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Pierre　went　into　the　children；　and　the　shrieks　and　laughter　were　louder　than　ever。　‘‘Now；　Anna　Makarovna；’’　cried　Pierre’s　voice；　‘‘here　in　the　middle　of　the　room　and　at　the　word　of　my　command—one；　two；　and　when　I　say　three；　you　stand　here。　You　in　my　arms。　Now；　one；　two　…’’　there　was　complete　silence。　‘‘Three！’’　and　an　enthusiastic　roar　of　children’s　voices　rose　in　the　room。　‘‘Two；　two！’’　cried　the　children。
They　meant　the　two　stockings；　which；　by　a　secret　only　known　to　her；　Anna　Makarovna　used　to　knit　on　her　needles　at　once。　She　always　made　a　solemn　ceremony　of　pulling　one　stocking　out　of　the　other　in　the　presence　of　the　children　when　the　pair　was　finished。


Chapter　14
SOON　AFTER　THIS　the　children　came　in　to　say　good…night。　The　children　kissed　every　one；　the　tutors　and　governesses　said　good…night　and　went　away。　Dessalle　alone　remained　with　his　pupil。　The　tutor　whispered　to　his　young　charge　to　come　downstairs。
‘‘No；　M。　Dessalle；　I　will　ask　my　aunt　for　leave　to　stay；’’　Nikolinka　Bolkonsky　answered；　also　in　a　whisper。
‘‘Ma　tante；　will　you　let　me　stay？’’　said　Nikolinka；　going　up　to　his　aunt。　His　face　was　full　of　entreaty；　excitement；　and　enthusiasm。　Countess　Marya　looked　at　him　and　turned　to　Pierre
‘‘When　you　are　here；　there　is　no　tearing　him　away　…’’　she　said。
‘‘I　will　bring　him　directly；　M。　Dessalle。　Good…night；’’　said　Pierre；　giving　his　hand　to　the　Swiss　tutor；　and　he　turned　smiling　to　Nikolinka。　‘‘We　have　not　seen　each　other　at　all　yet。　Marie；　how　like　he　is　growing；’’　he　added；　turning　to　Countess　Marya。
‘‘Like　my　father？’’　said　the　boy；　flushing　crimson　and　looking　up　at　Pierre　with　rapturous；　shining　eyes。
Pierre　nodded　to　him；　and　went　on　with　the　conversation　that　had　been　interrupted　by　the　children。　Countess　Marya　had　some　canvas　embroidery　in　her　hands；　Natasha　sat　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　her　husband。　Nikolay　and　Denisov　got　up；　asked　for　pipes；　smoked；　and　took　cups　of　tea　from　Sonya；　still　sitting　with　weary　pertinacity　at　the　samovar；　and　asked　questions　of　Pierre。　The　curly…headed；　delicate　boy；　with　his　shining　eyes；　sat　unnoticed　by　any　one　in　a　corner。　Turning　the　curly　head　and　the　slender　neck　above　his　laydown　collar　to　follow　Pierre’s　movements；　he　trembled　now　and　then；　and　murmured　something　to　himself；　evidently　thrilled　by　some　new　and　violent　emotion。
The　conversation　turned　on　the　scandals　of　the　day　in　the　higher　government　circles；　a　subject　in　which　the　majority　of　people　usually　find　the　chief　interest　of　home　politics。　Denisov；　who　was　dissatisfied　with　the　government　on　account　of　his　own　disappointments　in　the　service；　heard　with　glee　of　all　the　follies；　as　he　considered　them；　that　were　going　on　now　in　Petersburg；　and　made　his　comments　on　Pierre’s　words　in　harsh　and　in　cutting　phrases。
‘‘In　old　days　you　had　to　be　a　German　to　be　anybody；　nowadays　you　have　to　dance　with　the　Tatarinov　woman　and　Madame　Krüdner；　to　read　…Eckartshausen；　and　the　rest　of　that　crew。　Ugh！　I　would　let　good　old　Bonaparte　loose　again！　He　would　knock　all　the　nonsense　out　of　them。　Why；　isn’t　it　beyond　everything　to　have　given　that　fellow　Schwartz　the　Semyonovsky　regiment？’’　he　shouted。
Though　Nikolay　had　not　Denisov’s　disposition　to　find　everything　amiss；　he　too　thought　it　dignified　and　becoming　to　criticise　the　government；　and　he　believed　that　the　fact；　that　A。　had　been　appointed　minister　of　such　a　department；　and　B。　had　been　made　governor　of　such　a　province；　and　the　Tsar　had　said　this；　and　the　minister　had　said　that；　were　all　matters　of　the　greatest　importance。　And　he　thought　it　incumbent　upon　him　to　take　an　interest　in　the　subject　and　to　question　Pierre　about　it。　So　the　questions　put　by　Nikolay　and　Denisov　kept　the　conversation　on　the　usual　lines　of　gossip　about　the　higher　government　circles。
But　Natasha；　who　knew　every　thought　and　expression　in　her　husband；　saw　that　Pierre　all　the　while　wanted　to　lead　the　conversation　into　another　channel；　and　to　open　his　heart　on　his　own　idea；　the　idea　which　he　had　gone　to　Petersburg　to　consult　his　new　friend　Prince　Fyodor　about。　She　saw　too　that　he　could　not　lead　up　to　this；　and　she　came　to　the　rescue　with　a　question：　How　had　he　settled　things　with　Prince　Fyodor？
‘‘What　was　that？’’　asked　Nikolay。
‘‘All　the　same　thing　over　and　over　again；’’　said　Pierre；　looking　about　him。　‘‘Every　one　sees　that　things　are　all　going　so　wrong　that　they　can’t　be　endured；　and　that　it’s　the　duty　of　all　honest　men　to　oppose　it　to　the　utmost　of　their　power。’’
‘‘Why；　what　can　honest　men　do？’’　said　Nikolay；　frowning　slightly。　‘‘What　can　be　done？’’
‘‘Why；　this…’’
‘‘Let　us　go　into　the　study；’’　said　Nikolay。
Natasha；　who　had　a　long　while　been　expecting　to　be　fetched　to　her　baby；　heard　the　nurse　calling　her；　and　went　off　to　the　nursery。　Countess　Marya　went　with　her。　The　men　went　to　the　study；　and　Nikolinka　Bolkonsky　stole　in；　unnoticed　by　his　uncle；　and　sat　down　at　the　writing　table；　in　the　dark　by　the　window。
‘‘Well；　what　are　you　going　to　do？’’　said　Denisov。
‘‘Everlastingly　these　fantastic　schemes；’’　said　Nikolay。
‘‘Well；’’　Pierre　began；　not　sitting　down；　but　pacing　the　room；　and　coming　to　an　occasional　standstill；　lisping　and　gesticulating　rapidly　as　he　talked。　‘‘This　is　the　position　of　things　in　Petersburg：　the　Tsar　lets　everything　go。　He　is　entirely　wrapped　up　in　this　mysticism’’　（mysticism　Pierre　could　not　forgive　in　anybody　now）。　‘‘All　he　asks　for　is　peace；　and　he　can　only　get　peace　through　these　men　of　no　faith　and　no　conscience；　who　are　stifling　and　destroying　everything；　Magnitsky　and　Araktcheev；　and　tutti　quanti…You　will　admit　that　if　you　did　not　look　after　your　property　yourself；　and　only　asked　for　peace　and　quiet；　the　crueller　your　bailiff　were；　the　more　readily　you　would　attain　your　object；’’　he　said；　turning　to　Nikolay。
‘‘Well；　but　what　is　the　drift　of　all　this？’’　said　Nikolay。
‘‘Why；　everything　is　going　to　ruin。　Bribery　in　the　law…courts；　in　the　army　nothing　but　coercion　and　drill：　exile—people　are　being　tortured；　and　enlightenment　is　suppressed。　Everything　youthful　and　honourable—they　are　crushing！　Everybody　sees　that　it　can’t　go　on　like　this。　The　strain　is　too　great；　and　the　string　must　snap；’’　said　Pierre　（as　men　always　do　say；　looking　into　the　working　of　any　government　so　long　as　governments　have　existed）。　‘‘I　told　them　one　thing　in　Petersburg。’’
‘‘Told　whom？’’　asked　Denisov。
‘‘Oh；　you　know　whom；’’　said　Pierre；　with　a　meaning　look　from　under　his　brows；　‘‘Prince　Fyodor　and　all　of　them。　Zeal　in　educational　and　philanthropic　work　is　all　very　good　of　course。　Their　object　is　excellent　and　all　the　rest　of　it；　but　in　present　circumstances　what　is　wanted　is　something　else。’’
At　that　moment　Nikolay　noticed　the　presence　of　his　nephew。　His　face　fell；　he　went　up　to　him。
‘‘Why　are　you　here？’’
‘‘Oh；　let　him　be；’’　said　Pierre；　taking　hold　of　Nikolay’s　arm；　and　he　went　on。　‘‘That’s　not　enough；　I　told　them；　something　else　is　wanted　now。　While　you　stand　waiting　for　the　string　to　snap　every　moment；　while　every　one　is　expecting　the　inevitable　revolution；　as　many　people　as　possible　should　join　hands　as　closely　as　they　can　to　withstand　the　general　catastrophe。　All　the　youth　and　energy　is　being　drawn　away　and　dissipated。　One　lured　by　women；　another　by　honours；　a　third　by　display　or　money—they　are　all　going　over　to　the　wrong　side。　As　for　independent；　honest　men；　like　you　and　me—there　are　none　of　them　left。　I　say：　enlarge　the　scope　of　the　society：　let　the　mot　d’ordre　be　not　loyalty　only；　but　independence　and　action。’’
Nikolay；　leaving　his　nephew；　had　angrily　moved　out　a　chair；　and　sat　down　in　it。　As　he　listened　to　Pierre；　he　coughed　in　a　dissatisfied　way；　and　frowned　more　and　more。
‘‘But　action　with　what　object？’’　he　cried。　‘‘And　what　attitude　do　you　take　up　to　the　government？’’
‘‘Why；　the　attitude　of　supporters！　The　society　will　perhaps　not　even　be　a　secret　one；　if　the　government　will　allow　it。　So　far　from　being　hostile　to　the　government；　we　are　the　real　conservatives。　It　is　a　society　of　gentlemen；　in　the　full　significance　of　the　word。　It　is　simply　to　prevent　Pugatchov　from　coming　to　massacre　my　children　and　yours；　to　prevent　Araktcheev　from　transporting　me　to　a　military　settlement；　that　we　are　joining　hands；　with　the　sole　object　of　the　common　welfare　and　security。’’
‘‘Yes；　but　it’s　a　secret　society；　and　consequently　a　hostile　and　mischievous　society；　which　can　only　lead　to　evil。’’
‘‘Why　so？　Did　the　Tugend…bund　which　saved　Europe’’　（people　did　not　yet　venture　to　believe　that　Russia　had　saved　Europe）　‘‘lead　to　evil？　A　Tugend…bund　it　is；　an　alliance　of　virtue；　it　is　love　and　mutual　help；　it　is　what　Christ　preached　on　the　cross…’’
Natasha；　coming　into　the　room　in　the　middle　of　the　conversation；　looked　joyfully　at　her　husband。　She　was　not　rejoicing　in　what　he　was　saying。　It　did　not　interest　her　indeed；　because　it　seemed　to　her　that　it　was　all　so　excessively　simple；　and　that　she　had　known　it　long　ago。　She　fancied　this；　because　she　knew　all　that　it　sprang　from—all　Pierre’s　soul。　But　she　was　glad　looking　at　his　eager；　enthusiastic　figure。
Pierre　was　watched　with　even　more　rapturous　gladness　by　the　boy　with　the　slender　neck　in　th