战争与和平(下)-第4节

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e　is　true　with　the　final　aims　of　historical　persons　and　of　nations。


Chapter　5
NATASHA’S　MARRIAGE　to　Bezuhov；　which　took　place　in　1813；　was　the　last　happy　event　in　the　family　of　the　old　Rostovs。　Count　Ilya　Andreivitch　died　the　same　year；　and　as　is　always　the　case；　with　the　death　of　the　father　the　family　was　broken　up。
The　events　of　the　previous　year：　the　burning　of　Moscow　and　the　flight　from　that　city；　the　death　of　Prince　Andrey　and　Natasha’s　despair；　the　death　of　Petya　and　the　grief　of　the　countess　fell　like　one　blow　after　another　on　the　old　count’s　head。　He　seemed　not　to　understand；　and　to　feel　himself　incapable　of　understanding；　the　significance　of　all　these　events；　and　figuratively　speaking；　bowed　his　old　head　to　the　storm；　as　though　expecting　and　seeking　fresh　blows　to　make　an　end　of　him。　By　turns　he　seemed　scared　and　distraught；　and　then　unnaturally　lively　and　active。
Natasha’s　marriage　for　a　time　occupied　him　on　its　external　side。　He　arranged　dinners　and　suppers　in　honour　of　it；　and　obviously　tried　to　be　cheerful；　but　his　cheerfulness　was　not　infectious　as　in　old　days；　but；　on　the　contrary；　aroused　the　commiseration　of　those　who　knew　and　liked　him。
After　Pierre　and　his　wife　had　left；　he　collapsed　and　began　to　complain　of　depression。　A　few　days　later　he　fell　ill　and　took　to　his　bed。　In　spite　of　the　doctor’s　assurances；　he　knew　from　the　first　days　of　his　illness　that　he　would　never　get　up　again。　For　a　whole　fortnight　the　countess　sat　in　a　low　chair　by　his　pillow；　never　taking　off　her　clothes。　Every　time　she　gave　him　his　medicine；　he　mutely　kissed　her　hand；　weeping。　On　the　last　day；　sobbing；　he　begged　forgiveness　of　his　wife；　and　of　his　absent　son；　too；　for　squandering　their　property；　the　chief　sin　that　lay　on　his　conscience。　After　receiving　absolution　and　the　last　unction；　he　quietly　died；　and　next　day　a　crowd　of　acquaintances；　come　to　pay　the　last　debt　of　respect　to　the　deceased；　filled　the　Rostovs’　hired　lodgings。　All　those　acquaintances；　who　had　so　often　dined　and　danced　in　his　house；　and　had　so　often　laughed　at　his　expense；　were　saying　now　with　the　same　inward　feeling　of　contrition　and　self…reproach；　as　though　seeking　to　justify　themselves：　‘‘Yes；　whatever　he　may　have　been；　he　was　a　splendid　man。　One　doesn’t　meet　such　men　nowadays　…　And　who　has　not　his　weaknesses？…’’
It　was　precisely　when　the　count’s　fortunes　were　so　irretrievably　embroiled　that　he　could　not　conceive　how；　in　another　year；　it　would　end；　that　he　suddenly　died。
Nikolay　was　with　the　Russian　army　in　Paris　when　the　news　of　his　father’s　death　reached　him。　He　at　once　applied　for　his　discharge；　and　without　waiting　for　it；　obtained　leave　and　went　to　Moscow。　Within　a　month　after　the　count’s　death　the　financial　position　had　been　made　perfectly　clear；　astounding　every　one　by　the　immense　sum　of　various　petty　debts；　the　existence　of　which　no　one　had　suspected。　The　debts　were　more　than　double　the　assets　of　the　estate。
The　friends　and　relations　advised　Nikolay　to　refuse　to　accept　his　inheritance。　But　Nikolay　looked　on　such　a　refusal　as　a　slur　on　the　honoured　memory　of　his　father；　and　so　he　would　not　hear　of　such　a　course；　and　accepted　the　inheritance　with　the　obligation　of　paying　the　debts。
The　creditors；　who　had　so　long　been　silent；　held　in　check　during　the　old　count’s　lifetime　by　the　vague　but　powerful　influence　of　his　easy　good…nature；　all　beset　Nikolay　at　once。　There　seemed；　as　so　often　happens；　a　sort　of　rivalry　among　them；　which　should　get　paid　first；　and　the　very　people；　such　as　Mitenka　and　others；　who　held　promissory　notes；　not　received　in　discharge　of　debts；　but　as　presents；　were　now　the　most　importunate　of　the　creditors。　They　would　give　Nikolay　no　peace　and　no　respite；　and　those　who　had　shown　pity　for　the　old　man；　who　was　responsible　for　their　losses　（if　they　really　had　lost　money　by　him）；　were　now　ruthless　in　their　persecution　of　the　young　heir；　who　was　obviously　guiltless　as　far　as　they　were　concerned；　and　had　voluntarily　undertaken　to　pay　them。
Not　one　of　the　plans　that　Nikolay　resorted　to　was　successful：　the　estate　was　sold　by　auction　at　half　its　value；　and　half　the　debts　remained　still　unpaid。　Nikolay　accepted　a　loan　of　thirty　thousand　roubles　offered　him　by　his　brother…in…law　Bezuhov；　and　paid　that　portion　of　the　debts　that　he　recognised　as　genuine　obligations。　And　to　avoid　being　thrown　into　prison　for　the　remainder；　as　the　creditors　threatened；　he　once　more　entered　the　government　service。
To　return　to　the　army；　where　at　the　next　promotion　he　would　have　been　colonel；　was　out　of　the　question；　because　his　mother　now　clung　to　her　son　as　her　one　hold　on　life。　And　so　in　spite　of　his　disinclination　to　remain　in　Moscow；　in　the　midst　of　a　circle　of　acquaintances　who　had　known　him　in　former　days；　in　spite　of　his　distaste　for　the　civil　service；　he　accepted　a　civilian　post　in　Moscow；　and　taking　off　his　beloved　uniform；　established　himself　in　a　little　lodging　in　Sivtsevoy　Vrazhok　with　his　mother　and　Sonya。
Natasha　and　Pierre　were　living　at　this　period　in　Petersburg；　and　had　no　very　distinct　idea　of　Nikolay’s　position。　After　having　borrowed　money　from　his　brother…in…law；　Nikolay　did　his　utmost　to　conceal　his　poverty…stricken　position　from　him。　His　situation　was　rendered　the　more　difficult；　as　with　his　twelve　hundred　roubles　of　salary　he　had　not　only　to　keep　himself；　Sonya；　and　his　mother；　but　to　keep　his　mother　in　such　a　way　that　she　would　not　be　sensible　of　their　poverty。　The　countess　could　not　conceive　of　life　being　possible　without　the　luxurious　surroundings　to　which　she　had　been　accustomed　from　her　childhood；　and　without　any　idea　of　its　being　difficult　for　her　son；　she　was　continually　insisting　on　having　a　carriage；　which　they　had　not；　to　send　for　a　friend；　or　an　expensive　delicacy　for　herself；　or　wine　for　her　son；　or　money　to　buy　a　present；　as　a　surprise　for　Natasha；　for　Sonya；　or　for　Nikolay　himself。
Sonya　kept　house；　waited　on　her　aunt；　read　aloud　to　her；　bore　with　her　caprices　and　her　secret　dislike；　and　helped　Nikolay　to　conceal　from　the　old　countess　their　poverty…stricken　position。　Nikolay　felt　himself　under　a　debt　of　gratitude　to　Sonya　that　he　could　never　repay；　for　all　she　did　for　his　mother；　he　admired　her　patience　and　devotion；　but　he　tried　to　keep　himself　aloof　from　her。
In　his　heart　he　seemed　to　feel　a　sort　of　grudge　against　her　for　being　too　perfect；　and　for　there　being　no　fault　to　find　with　her。　She　had　all　the　good　qualities　for　which　people　are　valued；　but　little　of　what　would　have　made　him　love　her。　And　he　felt　that　the　more　he　valued　her　the　less　he　loved　her。　He　had　taken　her　at　her　word　when　she　had　written　to　him　giving　him　his　freedom；　and　now　he　behaved　with　her　as　though　what　had　passed　between　them　had　been　long；　long　ago　forgotten；　and　could　never　under　any　circumstances　be　renewed。
Nikolay’s　position　was　becoming　worse　and　worse。　His　hope　of　laying　by　something　out　of　his　salary　proved　to　be　an　idle　dream。　Far　from　saving　anything；　he　was　even　running　up　some　small　debts　to　satisfy　his　mother’s　exigencies。　There　seemed　no　means　of　escape　from　his　position。　The　idea　of　marrying　a　rich　heiress；　which　his　female　relatives　suggested；　was　repulsive　to　him。　The　only　other　solution　of　his　difficulties—the　death　of　his　mother—never　entered　his　head。　He　desired　nothing；　and　hoped　for　nothing；　and　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart　he　took　a　stern　and　gloomy　satisfaction　in　the　unrepining　endurance　of　his　position。　He　tried　to　avoid　his　old　acquaintances；　with　their　commiseration　and　their　mortifying　offers　of　assistance；　shunned　every　sort　of　entertainment　and　amusement；　and　even　at　home　did　nothing　but　play　patience　with　his　mother；　pace　silently　about　the　room；　and　smoke　pipe　after　pipe。　He　seemed　studiously　to　maintain　in　himself　that　gloomy　temper；　which　alone　enabled　him　to　bear　his　position。


Chapter　6
AT　THE　BEGINNING　of　the　winter　Princess　Marya　arrived　in　Moscow。　From　the　gossip　of　the　town　she　heard　of　the　position　of　the　Rostovs；　and　of　how　‘‘the　son　was　sacrificing　himself　for　his　mother；’’　as　the　gossips　said。　‘‘It　is　just　what　I　expected　of　him；’’　Princess　Marya　said　to　herself；　finding　in　it　a　delightful　confirmation　of　her　love　for　him。　Remembering　her　intimate　relations　with　the　whole　family—almost　as　one　of　themselves—she　thought　it　her　duty　to　call　on　them。　But　thinking　of　her　relations　with　Nikolay　in　Voronezh；　she　was　afraid　of　doing　so。　A　few　weeks　after　her　arrival　in　Moscow；　she　did；　however；　make　an　effort；　and　went　to　see　the　Rostovs。
Nikolay　was　the　first　to　meet　her；　since　it　was　impossible　to　reach　the　countess’s　room　without　passing　through　his　room。　Instead　of　the　expression　of　delight　Princess　Marya　had　expected　to　see　on　his　face　at　the　first　glance　at　her；　he　met　her　with　a　look　of　chilliness；　stiffness；　and　pride　that　she　had　never　seen　before。　Nikolay　inquired　after　her　health；　conducted　her　to　his　mother；　and；　after　staying　five　minutes；　went　out　of　the　room。
When　Princess　Marya　left　the　countess；　Nikolay　again　met　her；　and　with　marked　formality　and　stiffness　led　her　to　the　hall。　He　made　no　reply　to　her　remarks　about　the　countess’s　health。　‘‘What　is　it　to　you？　Leave　me　in　peace；’’　his　expression　seemed　to　say。
‘‘And　why　should　she　stroll　in　here？　What　does　she　w