first epilogue-第12部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



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

to　a　fellow　like　that　Schwa'tz！〃　he　cried。

　　Nicholas；　though　free　from　Denisov's　readiness　to　find　fault　with

everything；　also　thought　that　discussion　of　the　government　was　a

very　serious　and　weighty　matter；　and　the　fact　that　A　had　been

appointed　Minister　of　This　and　B　Governor　General　of　That；　and　that

the　Emperor　had　said　so…and…so　and　this　minister　so…and…so；　seemed

to　him　very　important。　And　so　he　thought　it　necessary　to　take　an

interest　in　these　things　and　to　question　Pierre。　The　questions　put

by　these　two　kept　the　conversation　from　changing　its　ordinary

character　of　gossip　about　the　higher　government　circles。

　　But　Natasha；　knowing　all　her　husband's　ways　and　ideas；　saw　that　he

had　long　been　wishing　but　had　been　unable　to　divert　the　conversation

to　another　channel　and　express　his　own　deeply　felt　idea　for　the　sake

of　which　he　had　gone　to　Petersburg　to　consult　with　his　new　friend

Prince　Theodore；　and　she　helped　him　by　asking　how　his　affairs　with

Prince　Theodore　had　gone。

　　〃What　was　it　about？〃　asked　Nicholas。

　　〃Always　the　same　thing；〃　said　Pierre；　looking　round　at　his

listeners。　〃Everybody　sees　that　things　are　going　so　badly　that　they

cannot　be　allowed　to　go　on　so　and　that　it　is　the　duty　of　all　decent

men　to　counteract　it　as　far　as　they　can。〃

　　〃What　can　decent　men　do？〃　Nicholas　inquired；　frowning　slightly。

〃What　can　be　done？〃

　　〃Why；　this。。。〃

　　〃Come　into　my　study；〃　said　Nicholas。

　　Natasha；　who　had　long　expected　to　be　fetched　to　nurse　her　baby；

now　heard　the　nurse　calling　her　and　went　to　the　nursery。　Countess　Mary

followed　her。　The　men　went　into　the　study　and　little　Nicholas

Bolkonski　followed　them　unnoticed　by　his　uncle　and　sat　down　at　the

writing　table　in　a　shady　corner　by　the　window。

　　〃Well；　what　would　you　do？〃　asked　Denisov。

　　〃Always　some　fantastic　schemes；〃　said　Nicholas。

　　〃Why　this；〃　began　Pierre；　not　sitting　down　but　pacing　the　room；

sometimes　stopping　short；　gesticulating；　and　lisping：　〃the　position　in

Petersburg　is　this：　the　Emperor　does　not　look　into　anything。　He　has

abandoned　himself　altogether　to　this　mysticism〃　（Pierre　could　not

tolerate　mysticism　in　anyone　now）。　〃He　seeks　only　for　peace；　and

only　these　people　sans　foi　ni　loi*　can　give　it　him…　people　who

recklessly　hack　at　and　strangle　everything…　Magnitski；　Arakcheev；

and　tutti　quanti。。。。　You　will　agree　that　if　you　did　not　look　after

your　estates　yourself　but　only　wanted　a　quiet　life；　the　harsher　your

steward　was　the　more　readily　your　object　might　be　attained；〃　he　said

to　Nicholas。



　　*Without　faith　or　law。



　　〃Well；　what　does　that　lead　up　to？〃　said　Nicholas。

　　〃Well；　everything　is　going　to　ruin！　Robbery　in　the　law　courts；　in

the　army　nothing　but　flogging；　drilling；　and　Military　Settlements；　the

people　are　tortured；　enlightenment　is　suppressed。　All　that　is　young

and　honest　is　crushed！　Everyone　sees　that　this　cannot　go　on。

Everything　is　strained　to　such　a　degree　that　it　will　certainly　break；〃

said　Pierre　（as　those　who　examine　the　actions　of　any　government　have

always　said　since　governments　began）。　〃I　told　them　just　one　thing　in

Petersburg。〃

　　〃Told　whom？〃

　　〃Well；　you　know　whom；〃　said　Pierre；　with　a　meaning　glance　from　under

his　brows。　〃Prince　Theodore　and　all　those。　To　encourage　culture　and

philanthropy　is　all　very　well　of　course。　The　aim　is　excellent　but　in

the　present　circumstances　something　else　is　needed。〃

　　At　that　moment　Nicholas　noticed　the　presence　of　his　nephew。　His　face

darkened　and　he　went　up　to　the　boy。

　　〃Why　are　you　here？〃

　　〃Why？　Let　him　be；〃　said　Pierre；　taking　Nicholas　by　the　arm　and

continuing。　〃That　is　not　enough；　I　told　them。　Something　else　is

needed。　When　you　stand　expecting　the　overstrained　string　to　snap　at

any　moment；　when　everyone　is　expecting　the　inevitable　catastrophe；

as　many　as　possible　must　join　hands　as　closely　as　they　can　to

withstand　the　general　calamity。　Everything　that　is　young　and　strong　is

being　enticed　away　and　depraved。　One　is　lured　by　women；　another　by

honors；　a　third　by　ambition　or　money；　and　they　go　over　to　that　camp。

No　independent　men；　such　as　you　or　I；　are　left。　What　I　say　is　widen

the　scope　of　our　society；　let　the　mot　d'ordre　be　not　virtue　alone

but　independence　and　action　as　well！〃

　　Nicholas；　who　had　left　his　nephew；　irritably　pushed　up　an

armchair；　sat　down　in　it；　and　listened　to　Pierre；　coughing

discontentedly　and　frowning　more　and　more。

　　〃But　action　with　what　aim？〃　he　cried。　〃And　what　position　will　you

adopt　toward　the　government？〃

　　〃Why；　the　position　of　assistants。　The　society　need　not　be　secret

if　the　government　allows　it。　Not　merely　is　it　not　hostile　to

government；　but　it　is　a　society　of　true　conservatives…　a　society　of

gentlemen　in　the　full　meaning　of　that　word。　It　is　only　to　prevent　some

Pugachev　or　other　from　killing　my　children　and　yours；　and　Arakcheev

from　sending　me　off　to　some　Military　Settlement。　We　join　hands　only

for　the　public　welfare　and　the　general　safety。〃

　　〃Yes；　but　it's　a　secret　society　and　therefore　a　hostile　and

harmful　one　which　can　only　cause　harm。〃

　　〃Why？　Did　the　Tugendbund　which　saved　Europe〃　（they　did　not　then

venture　to　suggest　that　Russia　had　saved　Europe）　〃do　any　harm？　The

Tugendbund　is　an　alliance　of　virtue：　it　is　love；　mutual　help。。。　it

is　what　Christ　preached　on　the　Cross。〃

　　Natasha；　who　had　come　in　during　the　conversation；　looked　joyfully　at

her　husband。　It　was　not　what　he　was　saying　that　pleased　her…　that

did　not　even　interest　her；　for　it　seemed　to　her　that　was　all　extremely

simple　and　that　she　had　known　it　a　long　time　（it　seemed　so　to　her

because　she　knew　that　it　sprang　from　Pierre's　whole　soul）；　but　it

was　his　animated　and　enthusiastic　appearance　that　made　her　glad。

　　The　boy　with　the　thin　neck　stretching　out　from　the　turn…down　collar…

whom　everyone　had　forgotten…　gazed　at　Pierre　with　even　greater　and

more　rapturous　joy。　Every　word　of　Pierre's　burned　into　his　heart；

and　with　a　nervous　movement　of　his　fingers　he　unconsciously　broke

the　sealing　wax　and　quill　pens　his　hands　came　upon　on　his　uncle's

table。

　　〃It　is　not　at　all　what　you　suppose；　but　that　is　what　the　German

Tugendbund　was；　and　what　I　am　proposing。〃

　　〃No；　my　fwiend！　The　Tugendbund　is　all　vewy　well　for　the　sausage

eaters；　but　I　don't　understand　it　and　can't　even　pwonounce　it；〃

interposed　Denisov　in　a　loud　and　resolute　voice。　〃I　agwee　that

evewything　here　is　wotten　and　howwible；　but　the　Tugendbund　I　don't

understand。　If　we're　not　satisfied；　let　us　have　a　bunt　of　our　own。

That's　all　wight。　Je　suis　vot'e　homme！〃*



　　*〃I'm　your　man。〃



　　Pierre　smiled；　Natasha　began　to　laugh；　but　Nicholas　knitted　his

brows　still　more　and　began　proving　to　Pierre　that　there　was　no

prospect　of　any　great　change　and　that　all　the　danger　he　spoke　of

existed　only　in　his　imagination。　Pierre　maintained　the　contrary；　and

as　his　mental　faculties　were　greater　and　more　resourceful；　Nicholas

felt　himself　cornered。　This　made　him　still　angrier；　for　he　was　fully

convinced；　not　by　reasoning　but　by　something　within　him　stronger

than　reason；　of　the　justice　of　his　opinion。

　　〃I　will　tell　you　this；〃　he　said；　rising　and　trying　with　nervously

twitching　fingers　to　prop　up　his　pipe　in　a　corner；　but　finally

abandoning　the　attempt。　〃I　can't　prove　it　to　you。　You　say　that

everything　here　is　rotten　and　that　an　overthrow　is　coming：　I　don't　see

it。　But　you　also　say　that　our　oath　of　allegiance　is　a　conditional

matter；　and　to　that　I　reply：　'You　are　my　best　friend；　as　you　know；　but

if　you　formed　a　secret　society　and　began　working　against　the

government…　be　it　what　it　may…　I　know　it　is　my　duty　to　obey　the

government。　And　if　Arakcheev　ordered　me　to　lead　a　squadron　against　you

and　cut　you　down；　I　should　not　hesitate　an　instant；　but　should　do　it。'

And　you　may　argue　about　that　as　you　like！〃

　　An　awkward　silence　followed　these　words。　Natasha　was　the　first　to

speak；　defending　her　husband　and　attacking　her　brother。　Her　defense

was　weak　and　inapt　but　she　attained　her　object。　The　conversation　was

resumed；　and　no　longer　in　the　unpleasantly　hostile　tone　of　Nicholas'

last　remark。

　　When　they　all　got　up　to　go　in　to　supper；　little　Nicholas　Bolkonski

went　up　to　Pierre；　pale　and　with　shining；　radiant　eyes。

　　〃Uncle　Pierre；　you。。。　no。。。　If　Papa　were　alive。。。　would　he　agree

with　you？〃　he　asked。

　　And　Pierre　suddenly　realized　what　a　special；　independent；　complex；

and　powerful　process　of　thought　and　feeling　must　have　been　going　on　in

this　boy　during　that　conversation；　and　remembering　all　he　had　said

he　regretted　that　the　lad　should　have　heard　him。　He　had；　however；　to

give　him　an　answer。

　　〃Yes；　I　think　so；〃　he　said　reluctantly；　and　left　the　study。

　　The　lad　looked　down　and　seemed　now　for　the　first　time　to　notice　what

he　had　done　to　the　things　on　the　table。　He　flushed　and　went　up　to

Nicholas。

　　〃Uncle；　forgive　me；　I　did　that。。。　unintentionally；〃　he　said；

pointing　to　the　broken　sealing　wax　and　pens。

　　Nicholas　started　angrily。

　　〃All　right；　all　right；〃　he　said；　throwing　the　bits　under　the　table。

　　And　evidently　suppressing　his　vexation　with　difficulty；　he　turned

away　from　the　boy。

　　〃You　ought　not　to　have　been　here　at　all；〃　he　said。

EP1｜CH15

　　CHAPTER　XV



　　The　conversation　at　supper　was　not　about　politics　or　societies；

but　turned　on　the　subject　Nicholas　liked　best…　recollections　of

1812。　Denisov　started　these　and　Pierre　was　particularly　agreeable

and　amusing　about　them。　The　family　separated　on　the　most　friendly

terms。

　　After　supper　Nicholas；　having　undressed　in　his　study　and　given

instructions　to　the　steward　who　had　been　waiting　for　him；　went　to

the　bedroom　in　his　dressing　gown；　where　he　found　his　wife　still　at　her

table；　writing。

　　〃What　are　you　writing；　Mary？〃　Nicholas　asked。

　　Countess　Mary　blushed。　She　was　afraid　that　what　she　was　writing

would　not　be　understood　or　approved　by　her　husband。

　　She　had　wanted　t