first epilogue-第11部分

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　　Only　the　really　heartless；　the　stupid　ones　of　that　household；　and

the　little　children　failed　to　understand　this　and　avoided　her。

EP1｜CH13

　　CHAPTER　XIII



　　When　Pierre　and　his　wife　entered　the　drawing　room　the　countess　was

in　one　of　her　customary　states　in　which　she　needed　the　mental　exertion

of　playing　patience；　and　so…　though　by　force　of　habit　she　greeted

him　with　the　words　she　always　used　when　Pierre　or　her　son　returned

after　an　absence：　〃High　time；　my　dear；　high　time！　We　were　all　weary　of

waiting　for　you。　Well；　thank　God！〃　and　received　her　presents　with

another　customary　remark：　〃It's　not　the　gift　that's　precious；　my　dear；

but　that　you　give　it　to　me；　an　old　woman。。。〃…　yet　it　was　evident

that　she　was　not　pleased　by　Pierre's　arrival　at　that　moment　when　it

diverted　her　attention　from　the　unfinished　game。

　　She　finished　her　game　of　patience　and　only　then　examined　the

presents。　They　consisted　of　a　box　for　cards；　of　splendid

workmanship；　a　bright…blue　Sevres　tea　cup　with　shepherdesses

depicted　on　it　and　with　a　lid；　and　a　gold　snuffbox　with　the　count's

portrait　on　the　lid　which　Pierre　had　had　done　by　a　miniaturist　in

Petersburg。　The　countess　had　long　wished　for　such　a　box；　but　as　she

did　not　want　to　cry　just　then　she　glanced　indifferently　at　the

portrait　and　gave　her　attention　chiefly　to　the　box　for　cards。

　　〃Thank　you；　my　dear；　you　have　cheered　me　up；〃　said　she　as　she　always

did。　〃But　best　of　all　you　have　brought　yourself　back…　for　I　never

saw　anything　like　it；　you　ought　to　give　your　wife　a　scolding！　What　are


we　to　do　with　her？　She　is　like　a　mad　woman　when　you　are　away。

Doesn't　see　anything；　doesn't　remember　anything；〃　she　went　on；

repeating　her　usual　phrases。　〃Look；　Anna　Timofeevna；〃　she　added　to　her

companion；　〃see　what　a　box　for　cards　my　son　has　brought　us！〃

　　Belova　admired　the　presents　and　was　delighted　with　her　dress

material。

　　Though　Pierre；　Natasha；　Nicholas；　Countess　Mary；　and　Denisov　had

much　to　talk　about　that　they　could　not　discuss　before　the　old

countess…　not　that　anything　was　hidden　from　her；　but　because　she　had

dropped　so　far　behindhand　in　many　things　that　had　they　begun　to

converse　in　her　presence　they　would　have　had　to　answer　inopportune

questions　and　to　repeat　what　they　had　already　told　her　many　times：

that　so…and…so　was　dead　and　so…and…so　was　married；　which　she　would

again　be　unable　to　remember…　yet　they　sat　at　tea　round　the　samovar

in　the　drawing　room　from　habit；　and　Pierre　answered　the　countess'

questions　as　to　whether　Prince　Vasili　had　aged　and　whether　Countess

Mary　Alexeevna　had　sent　greetings　and　still　thought　of　them；　and　other

matters　that　interested　no　one　and　to　which　she　herself　was

indifferent。

　　Conversation　of　this　kind；　interesting　to　no　one　yet　unavoidable；

continued　all　through　teatime。　All　the　grown…up　members　of　the

family　were　assembled　near　the　round　tea　table　at　which　Sonya　presided

beside　the　samovar。　The　children　with　their　tutors　and　governesses　had

had　tea　and　their　voices　were　audible　from　the　next　room。　At　tea　all

sat　in　their　accustomed　places：　Nicholas　beside　the　stove　at　a　small

table　where　his　tea　was　handed　to　him；　Milka；　the　old　gray　borzoi

bitch　（daughter　of　the　first　Milka）；　with　a　quite　gray　face　and

large　black　eyes　that　seemed　more　prominent　than　ever；　lay　on　the

armchair　beside　him；　Denisov；　whose　curly　hair；　mustache；　and　whiskers

had　turned　half　gray；　sat　beside　countess　Mary　with　his　general's

tunic　unbuttoned；　Pierre　sat　between　his　wife　and　the　old　countess。　He

spoke　of　what　he　knew　might　interest　the　old　lady　and　that　she　could

understand。　He　told　her　of　external　social　events　and　of　the　people

who　had　formed　the　circle　of　her　contemporaries　and　had　once　been　a

real；　living；　and　distinct　group；　but　who　were　now　for　the　most　part

scattered　about　the　world　and　like　herself　were　garnering　the　last

ears　of　the　harvests　they　had　sown　in　earlier　years。　But　to　the　old

countess　those　contemporaries　of　hers　seemed　to　be　the　only　serious

and　real　society。　Natasha　saw　by　Pierre's　animation　that　his　visit　had

been　interesting　and　that　he　had　much　to　tell　them　but　dare　not　say　it

before　the　old　countess。　Denisov；　not　being　a　member　of　the　family；

did　not　understand　Pierre's　caution　and　being；　as　a　malcontent；　much

interested　in　what　was　occurring　in　Petersburg；　kept　urging　Pierre

to　tell　them　about　what　had　happened　in　the　Semenovsk　regiment；　then

about　Arakcheev；　and　then　about　the　Bible　Society。　Once　or　twice

Pierre　was　carried　away　and　began　to　speak　of　these　things；　but

Nicholas　and　Natasha　always　brought　him　back　to　the　health　of　Prince

Ivan　and　Countess　Mary　Alexeevna。

　　〃Well；　and　all　this　idiocy…　Gossner　and　Tatawinova？〃　Denisov

asked。　〃Is　that　weally　still　going　on？〃

　　〃Going　on？〃　Pierre　exclaimed。　〃Why　more　than　ever！　The　Bible　Society

is　the　whole　government　now！〃

　　　〃What　is　that；　mon　cher　ami？〃　asked　the　countess；　who　had

finished　her　tea　and　evidently　needed　a　pretext　for　being　angry

after　her　meal。　〃What　are　you　saying　about　the　government？　I　don't

understand。〃

　　〃Well；　you　know；　Maman；〃　Nicholas　interposed；　knowing　how　to

translate　things　into　his　mother's　language；　〃Prince　Alexander

Golitsyn　has　founded　a　society　and　in　consequence　has　great　influence；

they　say。〃

　　〃Arakcheev　and　Golitsyn；〃　incautiously　remarked　Pierre；　〃are　now　the

whole　government！　And　what　a　government！　They　see　treason　everywhere

and　are　afraid　of　everything。〃

　　〃Well；　and　how　is　Prince　Alexander　to　blame？　He　is　a　most

estimable　man。　I　used　to　meet　him　at　Mary　Antonovna's；〃　said　the

countess　in　an　offended　tone；　and　still　more　offended　that　they　all

remained　silent；　she　went　on：　〃Nowadays　everyone　finds　fault。　A　Gospel

Society！　Well；　and　what　harm　is　there　in　that？〃　and　she　rose

（everybody　else　got　up　too）　and　with　a　severe　expression　sailed　back

to　her　table　in　the　sitting　room。

　　The　melancholy　silence　that　followed　was　broken　by　the　sounds　of　the

children's　voices　and　laughter　from　the　next　room。　Evidently　some

jolly　excitement　was　going　on　there。

　　〃Finished；　finished！〃　little　Natasha's　gleeful　yell　rose　above

them　all。

　　Pierre　exchanged　glances　with　Countess　Mary　and　Nicholas　（Natasha　he

never　lost　sight　of）　and　smiled　happily。

　　〃That's　delightful　music！〃　said　he。

　　〃It　means　that　Anna　Makarovna　has　finished　her　stocking；〃　said

Countess　Mary。

　　〃Oh；　I'll　go　and　see；〃　said　Pierre；　jumping　up。　〃You　know；〃　he

added；　stopping　at　the　door；　〃why　I'm　especially　fond　of　that　music？

It　is　always　the　first　thing　that　tells　me　all　is　well。　When　I　was

driving　here　today；　the　nearer　I　got　to　the　house　the　more　anxious　I

grew。　As　I　entered　the　anteroom　I　heard　Andrusha's　peals　of　laughter

and　that　meant　that　all　was　well。〃

　　〃I　know！　I　know　that　feeling；〃　said　Nicholas。　〃But　I　mustn't　go

there…　those　stockings　are　to　be　a　surprise　for　me。〃

　　Pierre　went　to　the　children；　and　the　shouting　and　laughter　grew

still　louder。

　　〃Come；　Anna　Makarovna；〃　Pierre's　voice　was　heard　saying；　〃come

here　into　the　middle　of　the　room　and　at　the　word　of　command；　'One；

two；'　and　when　I　say　'three'。。。　You　stand　here；　and　you　in　my　arms…

well　now！　One；　two！。。。〃　said　Pierre；　and　a　silence　followed：

〃three！〃　and　a　rapturously　breathless　cry　of　children's　voices

filled　the　room。　〃Two；　two！〃　they　shouted。

　　This　meant　two　stockings；　which　by　a　secret　process　known　only　to

herself　Anna　Makarovna　used　to　knit　at　the　same　time　on　the　same

needles；　and　which；　when　they　were　ready；　she　always　triumphantly

drew；　one　out　of　the　other；　in　the　children's　presence。

EP1｜CH14

　　CHAPTER　XIV



　　Soon　after　this　the　children　came　in　to　say　good　night。　They

kissed　everyone；　the　tutors　and　governesses　made　their　bows；　and

they　went　out。　Only　young　Nicholas　and　his　tutor　remained。　Dessalles

whispered　to　the　boy　to　come　downstairs。

　　〃No；　Monsieur　Dessalles；　I　will　ask　my　aunt　to　let　me　stay；〃　replied

Nicholas　Bolkonski　also　in　a　whisper。

　　〃Ma　tante；　please　let　me　stay；〃　said　he；　going　up　to　his　aunt。

　　His　face　expressed　entreaty；　agitation；　and　ecstasy。　Countess　Mary

glanced　at　him　and　turned　to　Pierre。

　　〃When　you　are　here　he　can't　tear　himself　away；〃　she　said。

　　〃I　will　bring　him　to　you　directly；　Monsieur　Dessalles。　Good

night！〃　said　Pierre；　giving　his　hand　to　the　Swiss　tutor；　and　he　turned

to　young　Nicholas　with　a　smile。　〃You　and　I　haven't　seen　anything　of

one　another　yet。。。　How　like　he　is　growing；　Mary！〃　he　added；　addressing

Countess　Mary。

　　〃Like　my　father？〃　asked　the　boy；　flushing　crimson　and　looking　up

at　Pierre　with　bright；　ecstatic　eyes。

　　Pierre　nodded；　and　went　on　with　what　he　had　been　saying　when　the

children　had　interrupted。　Countess　Mary　sat　down　doing　woolwork；

Natasha　did　not　take　her　eyes　off　her　husband。　Nicholas　and　Denisov

rose；　asked　for　their　pipes；　smoked；　went　to　fetch　more　tea　from

Sonya…　who　sat　weary　but　resolute　at　the　samovar…　and　questioned

Pierre。　The　curly…headed；　delicate　boy　sat　with　shining　eyes　unnoticed

in　a　corner；　starting　every　now　and　then　and　muttering　something　to

himself；　and　evidently　experiencing　a　new　and　powerful　emotion　as　he

turned　his　curly　head；　with　his　thin　neck　exposed　by　his　turn…down

collar；　toward　the　place　where　Pierre　sat。

　　The　conversation　turned　on　the　contemporary　gossip　about　those　in

power；　in　which　most　people　see　the　chief　interest　of　home　politics。

Denisov；　dissatisfied　with　the　government　on　account　of　his　own

disappointments　in　the　service；　heard　with　pleasure　of　the　things　done

in　Petersburg　which　seemed　to　him　stupid；　and　made　forcible　and

sharp　comments　on　what　Pierre　told　them。

　　〃One　used　to　have　to　be　a　German…　now　one　must　dance　with　Tatawinova

and　Madame　Kwudener；　and　wead　Ecka'tshausen　and　the　bwethwen。　Oh；　they

should　let　that　fine　fellow　Bonaparte　lose…　he'd　knock　all　this

nonsense　out　of　them！　Fancy　giving　the　command　of　the　Semenov　wegiment

to　a　fellow　like　that　Schwa'tz！〃　he　crie