战争与和平(下)-第6节

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eed。　He　did　not；　in　fact；　make　a　hobby　of　any　one　part　of　the　work；　but　kept　the　welfare　of　the　estate　as　a　whole　always　before　his　eyes。　The　object　most　prominent　to　his　mind　in　the　estate　was　not　the　azote　nor　the　oxygen　in　the　soil　or　the　atmosphere；　not　a　particular　plough　nor　manure；　but　the　principal　agent　by　means　of　which　the　azote　and　the　oxygen　and　the　plough　and　the　manure　were　all　made　effectual—that　is；　the　labourer；　the　peasant。　When　Nikolay　took　up　the　management　of　the　land；　and　began　to　go　into　its　different　branches；　the　peasant　attracted　his　chief　attention。　He　looked　on　the　peasant；　not　merely　as　a　tool；　but　also　as　an　end　in　himself；　and　as　his　critic。　At　first　he　studied　the　peasant　attentively；　trying　to　understand　what　he　wanted；　what　he　thought　good　and　bad；　and　he　only　made　a　pretence　of　making　arrangements　and　giving　orders；　while　he　was　in　reality　learning　from　the　peasants　their　methods　and　their　language　and　their　views　of　what　was　good　and　bad。　And　it　was　only　when　he　understood　the　tastes　and　impulses　of　the　peasant；　when　he　had　learned　to　speak　his　speech　and　to　grasp　the　hidden　meaning　behind　his　words；　when　he　felt　himself　in　alliance　with　him；　that　he　began　boldly　to　direct　him—to　perform；　that　is；　towards　him　the　office　expected　of　him。　And　Nikolay’s　management　produced　the　most　brilliant　results。
On　taking　over　the　control　of　the　property；　Nikolay　had　at　once　by　some　unerring　gift　of　insight　appointed　as　bailiff；　as　village　elder；　and　as　delegate　the　very　men　whom　the　peasants　would　have　elected　themselves　had　the　choice　been　in　their　hands；　and　the　authority　once　given　them　was　never　withdrawn。　Before　investigating　the　chemical　constituents　of　manure；　or　going　into　‘‘debit　and　credit’’　（as　he　liked　sarcastically　to　call　book…keeping）；　he　found　out　the　number　of　cattle　the　peasants　possessed；　and　did　his　utmost　to　increase　the　number。　He　kept　the　peasants’　families　together　on　a　large　scale；　and　would　not　allow　them　to　split　up　into　separate　households。　The　indolent；　the　dissolute；　and　the　feeble　he　was　equally　hard　upon　and　tried　to　expel　them　from　the　community。　At　the　sowing　and　the　carrying　of　the　hay　and　corn；　he　watched　over　his　own　and　the　peasants’　fields　with　absolutely　equal　care。　And　few　landowners　had　fields　so　early　and　so　well　sown　and　cut；　and　few　had　such　crops　as　Nikolay。
He　did　not　like　to　have　anything　to　do　with　the　house…serfs；　he　called　them　parasites；　and　everybody　said　that　he　demoralised　and　spoiled　them。　When　any　order　had　to　be　given　in　regard　to　a　house…serf；　especially　when　one　had　to　be　punished；　he　was　always　in　a　state　of　indecision　and　asked　advice　of　every　one　in　the　house。　But　whenever　it　was　possible　to　send　a　house…serf　for　a　soldier　in　place　of　a　peasant；　he　did　so　without　the　smallest　compunction。　In　all　his　dealings　with　the　peasants；　he　never　experienced　the　slightest　hesitation。　Every　order　he　gave　would；　he　knew；　be　approved　by　the　greater　majority　of　them。
He　never　allowed　himself　either　to　punish　a　man　by　adding　to　his　burdens；　or　to　reward　him　by　lightening　his　tasks　simply　at　the　prompting　of　his　own　wishes。　He　could　not　have　said　what　his　standard　was　of　what　he　ought　and　ought　not　to　do；　but　there　was　a　standard　firm　and　rigid　in　his　soul。
Often　talking　of　some　failure　or　irregularity；　he　would　complain　of　‘‘our　Russian　peasantry；’’　and　he　imagined　that　he　could　not　bear　the　peasants。
But　with　his　whole　soul　he　did　really　love　‘‘our　Russian　peasantry；’’　and　their　ways；　and　it　was　through　that　he　had　perceived　and　adopted　the　only　method　of　managing　the　land　which　could　be　productive　of　good　results。
Countess　Marya　was　jealous　of　this　passion　of　her　husband’s　for　agriculture；　and　regretted　she　could　not　share　it。　But　she　was　unable　to　comprehend　the　joys　and　disappointments　he　met　with　in　that　world　apart　that　was　so　alien　to　her。　She　could　not　understand　why　he　used　to　be　so　particularly　eager　and　happy　when　after　getting　up　at　dawn　and　spending　the　whole　morning　in　the　fields　or　the　threshing…floor　he　came　back　to　tea　with　her　from　the　sowing；　the　mowing；　or　the　harvest。　She　could　not　understand　why　he　was　so　delighted　when　he　told　her　with　enthusiasm　of　the　well…to…do；　thrifty　peasant　Matvey　Ermishin；　who　had　been　up　all　night　with　his　family；　carting　his　sheaves；　and　had　all　harvested　when　no　one　else　had　begun　carrying。　She　could　not　understand　why；　stepping　out　of　the　window　on　to　the　balcony；　he　smiled　under　his　moustaches　and　winked　so　gleefully　when　a　warm；　fine　rain　began　to　fall　on　his　young　oats　that　were　suffering　from　the　drought；　or　why；　when　a　menacing　cloud　blew　over　in　mowing　or　harvest　time；　he　would　come　in　from　the　barn　red；　sunburnt；　and　perspiring；　with　the　smell　of　wormwood　in　his　hair；　and　rubbing　his　hands　joyfully　would　say：　‘‘Come；　another　day　of　this　and　my　lot；　and　the　peasants’　too；　will　all　be　in　the　barn。’’
Still　less　could　she　understand　how　it　was　that　with　his　good　heart　and　everlasting　readiness　to　anticipate　her　wishes；　he　would　be　thrown　almost　into　despair　when　she　brought　him　petitions　from　peasants　or　their　wives　who　had　appealed　to　her　to　be　let　off　tasks；　why　it　was　that　he；　her　good…natured　Nikolay；　obstinately　refused　her；　angrily　begging　her　not　to　meddle　in　his　business。　She　felt　that　he　had　a　world　apart；　that　was　intensely　dear　to　him；　governed　by　laws　of　its　own　which　she　did　not　understand。
Sometimes　trying　to　understand　him　she　would　talk　to　him　of　the　good　work　he　was　doing　in　striving　for　the　good　of　his　serfs；　but　at　this　he　was　angry　and　answered：　‘‘Not　in　the　least；　it　never　even　entered　my　head；　and　for　their　good　I　would　not　lift　my　little　finger。　That’s　all　romantic　nonsense　and　old　wives’　cackle—all　that　doing　good　to　one’s　neighbour。　I　don’t　want　our　children　to　be　beggars；　I　want　to　build　up　our　fortunes　in　my　lifetime；　that　is　all。　And　to　do　that　one　must　have　discipline；　one　must　have　strictness　…　So　there！’’　he　would　declare；　clenching　his　sanguine　fist。　‘‘And　justice　too—of　course；’’　he　would　add；　‘‘because　if　the　peasant　is　naked　and　hungry；　and　has　but　one　poor　horse；　he　can　do　no　good　for　himself　or　me。’’
And　doubtless　because　Nikolay　did　not　allow　himself　to　entertain　the　idea　that　he　was　doing　anything　for　the　sake　of　others；　or　for　the　sake　of　virtue；　everything　he　did　was　fruitful。　His　fortune　rapidly　increased；　the　neighbouring　serfs　came　to　beg　him　to　purchase　them；　and　long　after　his　death　the　peasantry　preserved　a　reverent　memory　of　his　rule。　‘‘He　was　a　master　…　The　peasants’　welfare　first　and　then　his　own。　And　to　be　sure　he　would　make　no　abatements。　A　real　good　master—that’s　what　he　was！’’


Chapter　8
THE　ONE　THING　that　sometimes　troubled　Nikolay　in　his　government　of　his　serfs　was　his　hasty　temper　and　his　old　habit；　acquired　in　the　hussars；　of　making　free　use　of　his　fists。　At　first　he　saw　nothing　blameworthy　in　this；　but　in　the　second　year　of　his　married　life　his　views　on　that　form　of　correction　underwent　a　sudden　change。
One　summer　day　he　had　sent　for　the　village　elder　who　had　taken　control　at　Bogutcharovo　on　the　death　of　Dron。　The　man　was　accused　of　various　acts　of　fraud　and　neglect。　Nikolay　went　out　to　the　steps　to　see　him；　and　at　the　first　answers　the　village　elder　made；　shouts　and　blows　were　heard　in　the　hall。　On　going　back　indoors　to　lunch；　Nikolay　went　up　to　his　wife；　who　was　sitting　with　her　head　bent　low　over　her　embroidery　frame；　and　began　telling　her；　as　he　always　did；　everything　that　had　interested　him　during　the　morning；　and　among　other　things　about　the　Bogutcharovo　elder。　Countess　Marya；　turning　red　and　pale　and　setting　her　lips；　sat　in　the　same　pose；　making　no　reply　to　her　husband。
‘‘The　insolent　rascal；’’　he　said；　getting　hot　at　the　mere　recollection。　‘‘Well；　he　should　have　told　me　he　was　drunk；　he　did　not　see　…　Why；　what　is　it；　Marie？’’　he　asked　all　at　once。
Countess　Marya　raised　her　head；　tried　to　say　something；　but　hurriedly　looked　down　again；　trying　to　control　her　lips。
‘‘What　is　it？　What　is　wrong；　my　darling？　…’’　His　plain　wife　always　looked　her　best　when　she　was　in　tears。　She　never　wept　for　pain　or　anger；　but　always　from　sadness　and　pity。　And　when　she　wept　her　luminous　eyes　gained　an　indescribable　charm。
As　soon　as　Nikolay　took　her　by　the　hand；　she　was　unable　to　restrain　herself；　and　burst　into　tears。
‘‘Nikolay；　I　saw　…　he　was　in　fault；　but　you；　why　did　you！　Nikolay！’’　and　she　hid　her　face　in　her　hands。
Nikolay　did　not　speak；　he　flushed　crimson；　and　walking　away　from　her；　began　pacing　up　and　down　in　silence。　He　knew　what　she　was　crying　about；　but　he　could　not　all　at　once　agree　with　her　in　his　heart　that　what　he　had　been　used　to　from　childhood；　what　he　looked　upon　as　a　matter　of　course；　was　wrong。　‘‘It’s　sentimental　nonsense；　old　wives’　cackle—or　is　she　right？’’　he　said　to　himself。　Unable　to　decide　that　question；　he　glanced　once　more　at　her　suffering　and　loving　face；　and　all　at　once　he　felt　that　she　was　right；　and　that　he　had　known　himself　to　be　in　fault　a　long　time　before。
‘‘Marie；’’　he　said；　softly；　going　up　to　her：　‘‘it　shall　never　happen　again；　I　give　you　my　word。　Never；’’　he　repeated　in　a　shaking　voice　like　a　boy　begging　for　forgiveness。
The　tear