first epilogue-第7部分

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bailiff's　accounts　of　the　village　in　Ryazan　which　belonged　to　his

wife's　nephew；　wrote　two　business　letters；　and　walked　over　to　the

granaries；　cattle　yards　and　stables　before　dinner。　Having　taken

precautions　against　the　general　drunkenness　to　be　expected　on　the

morrow　because　it　was　a　great　saint's　day；　he　returned　to　dinner；

and　without　having　time　for　a　private　talk　with　his　wife　sat　down　at

the　long　table　laid　for　twenty　persons；　at　which　the　whole　household

had　assembled。　At　that　table　were　his　mother；　his　mother's　old　lady

companion　Belova；　his　wife；　their　three　children　with　their

governess　and　tutor；　his　wife's　nephew　with　his　tutor；　Sonya；　Denisov；

Natasha；　her　three　children；　their　governess；　and　old　Michael

Ivanovich；　the　late　prince's　architect；　who　was　living　on　in

retirement　at　Bald　Hills。

　　Countess　Mary　sat　at　the　other　end　of　the　table。　When　her　husband

took　his　place　she　concluded；　from　the　rapid　manner　in　which　after

taking　up　his　table　napkin　he　pushed　back　the　tumbler　and　wineglass

standing　before　him；　that　he　was　out　of　humor；　as　was　sometimes　the

case　when　he　came　in　to　dinner　straight　from　the　farm…　especially

before　the　soup。　Countess　Mary　well　knew　that　mood　of　his；　and　when

she　herself　was　in　a　good　frame　of　mind　quietly　waited　till　he　had　had

his　soup　and　then　began　to　talk　to　him　and　make　him　admit　that　there

was　no　cause　for　his　ill…humor。　But　today　she　quite　forgot　that　and

was　hurt　that　he　should　be　angry　with　her　without　any　reason；　and

she　felt　unhappy。　She　asked　him　where　he　had　been。　He　replied。　She

again　inquired　whether　everything　was　going　well　on　the　farm。　Her

unnatural　tone　made　him　wince　unpleasantly　and　he　replied　hastily。

　　〃Then　I'm　not　mistaken；〃　thought　Countess　Mary。　〃Why　is　he　cross

with　me？〃　She　concluded　from　his　tone　that　he　was　vexed　with　her　and

wished　to　end　the　conversation。　She　knew　her　remarks　sounded

unnatural；　but　could　not　refrain　from　asking　some　more　questions。

　　Thanks　to　Denisov　the　conversation　at　table　soon　became　general

and　lively；　and　she　did　not　talk　to　her　husband。　When　they　left　the

table　and　went　as　usual　to　thank　the　old　countess；　Countess　Mary

held　out　her　hand　and　kissed　her　husband；　and　asked　him　why　he　was

angry　with　her。

　　〃You　always　have　such　strange　fancies！　I　didn't　even　think　of

being　angry；〃　he　replied。

　　But　the　word　always　seemed　to　her　to　imply：　〃Yes；　I　am　angry　but　I

won't　tell　you　why。〃

　　Nicholas　and　his　wife　lived　together　so　happily　that　even　Sonya

and　the　old　countess；　who　felt　jealous　and　would　have　liked　them　to

disagree；　could　find　nothing　to　reproach　them　with；　but　even　they

had　their　moments　of　antagonism。　Occasionally；　and　it　was　always

just　after　they　had　been　happiest　together；　they　suddenly　had　a

feeling　of　estrangement　and　hostility；　which　occurred　most

frequently　during　Countess　Mary's　pregnancies；　and　this　was　such　a

time。

　　〃Well；　messieurs　et　mesdames；〃　said　Nicholas　loudly　and　with

apparent　cheerfulness　（it　seemed　to　Countess　Mary　that　he　did　it　on

purpose　to　vex　her）；　〃I　have　been　on　my　feet　since　six　this　morning。

Tomorrow　I　shall　have　to　suffer；　so　today　I'll　go　and　rest。〃

　　And　without　a　word　to　his　wife　he　went　to　the　little　sitting　room

and　lay　down　on　the　sofa。

　　〃That's　always　the　way；〃　thought　Countess　Mary。　〃He　talks　to

everyone　except　me。　I　see。。。　I　see　that　I　am　repulsive　to　him；

especially　when　I　am　in　this　condition。〃　She　looked　down　at　her

expanded　figure　and　in　the　glass　at　her　pale；　sallow；　emaciated　face

in　which　her　eyes　now　looked　larger　than　ever。

　　And　everything　annoyed　her…　Denisov's　shouting　and　laughter；

Natasha's　talk；　and　especially　a　quick　glance　Sonya　gave　her。

　　Sonya　was　always　the　first　excuse　Countess　Mary　found　for　feeling

irritated。

　　Having　sat　awhile　with　her　visitors　without　understanding　anything

of　what　they　were　saying；　she　softly　left　the　room　and　went　to　the

nursery。

　　The　children　were　playing　at　〃going　to　Moscow〃　in　a　carriage　made　of

chairs　and　invited　her　to　go　with　them。　She　sat　down　and　played　with

them　a　little；　but　the　thought　of　her　husband　and　his　unreasonable

crossness　worried　her。　She　got　up　and；　walking　on　tiptoe　with

difficulty；　went　to　the　small　sitting　room。

　　〃Perhaps　he　is　not　asleep；　I'll　have　an　explanation　with　him；〃　she

said　to　herself。　Little　Andrew；　her　eldest　boy；　imitating　his

mother；　followed　her　on　tiptoe。　She　not　notice　him。

　　〃Mary；　dear；　I　think　he　is　asleep…　he　was　so　tired；〃　said　Sonya；

meeting　her　in　the　large　sitting　room　（it　seemed　to　Countess　Mary　that

she　crossed　her　path　everywhere）。　〃Andrew　may　wake　him。〃

　　Countess　Mary　looked　round；　saw　little　Andrew　following　her；　felt

that　Sonya　was　right；　and　for　that　very　reason　flushed　and　with

evident　difficulty　refrained　from　saying　something　harsh。　She　made

no　reply；　but　to　avoid　obeying　Sonya　beckoned　to　Andrew　to　follow

her　quietly　and　went　to　the　door。　Sonya　went　away　by　another　door。

From　the　room　in　which　Nicholas　was　sleeping　came　the　sound　of　his

even　breathing；　every　slightest　tone　of　which　was　familiar　to　his

wife。　As　she　listened　to　it　she　saw　before　her　his　smooth　handsome

forehead；　his　mustache；　and　his　whole　face；　as　she　had　so　often　seen

it　in　the　stillness　of　the　night　when　he　slept。　Nicholas　suddenly

moved　and　cleared　his　throat。　And　at　that　moment　little　Andrew　shouted

from　outside　the　door：　〃Papa！　Mamma's　standing　here！〃　Countess　Mary

turned　pale　with　fright　and　made　signs　to　the　boy。　He　grew　silent；　and

quiet　ensued　for　a　moment；　terrible　to　Countess　Mary。　She　knew　how

Nicholas　disliked　being　waked。　Then　through　the　door　she　heard

Nicholas　clearing　his　throat　again　and　stirring；　and　his　voice　said

crossly：

　　〃I　can't　get　a　moment's　peace。。。。　Mary；　is　that　you？　Why　did　you

bring　him　here？〃

　　〃I　only　came　in　to　look　and　did　not　notice。。。　forgive　me。。。〃

　　Nicholas　coughed　and　said　no　more。　Countess　Mary　moved　away　from　the

door　and　took　the　boy　back　to　the　nursery。　Five　minutes　later　little

black…eyed　three…year…old　Natasha；　her　father's　pet；　having　learned

from　her　brother　that　Papa　was　asleep　and　Mamma　was　in　the　sitting

room；　ran　to　her　father　unobserved　by　her　mother。　The　dark…eyed　little

girl　boldly　opened　the　creaking　door；　went　up　to　the　sofa　with

energetic　steps　of　her　sturdy　little　legs；　and　having　examined　the

position　of　her　father；　who　was　asleep　with　his　back　to　her；　rose　on

tiptoe　and　kissed　the　hand　which　lay　under　his　head。　Nicholas　turned

with　a　tender　smile　on　his　face。

　　〃Natasha；　Natasha！〃　came　Countess　Mary's　frightened　whisper　from　the

door。　〃Papa　wants　to　sleep。〃

　　〃No；　Mamma；　he　doesn't　want　to　sleep；〃　said　little　Natasha　with

conviction。　〃He's　laughing。〃

　　Nicholas　lowered　his　legs；　rose；　and　took　his　daughter　in　his　arms。

　　〃Come　in；　Mary；〃　he　said　to　his　wife。

　　She　went　in　and　sat　down　by　her　husband。

　　〃I　did　not　notice　him　following　me；〃　she　said　timidly。　〃I　just

looked　in。〃

　　Holding　his　little　girl　with　one　arm；　Nicholas　glanced　at　his　wife

and；　seeing　her　guilty　expression；　put　his　other　arm　around　her　and

kissed　her　hair。

　　〃May　I　kiss　Mamma？〃　he　asked　Natasha。

　　Natasha　smiled　bashfully。

　　〃Again！〃　she　commanded；　pointing　with　a　peremptory　gesture　to　the

spot　where　Nicholas　had　placed　the　kiss。

　　〃I　don't　know　why　you　think　I　am　cross；〃　said　Nicholas；　replying

to　the　question　he　knew　was　in　his　wife's　mind。

　　〃You　have　no　idea　how　unhappy；　how　lonely；　I　feel　when　you　are

like　that。　It　always　seems　to　me。。。　〃

　　〃Mary；　don't　talk　nonsense。　You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself！〃　he

said　gaily。

　　〃It　seems　to　be　that　you　can't　love　me；　that　I　am　so　plain。。。

always。。。　and　now。。。　in　this　cond。。。〃

　　〃Oh；　how　absurd　you　are！　It　is　not　beauty　that　endears；　it's　love

that　makes　us　see　beauty。　It　is　only　Malvinas　and　women　of　that　kind

who　are　loved　for　their　beauty。　But　do　I　love　my　wife？　I　don't　love

her；　but。。。　I　don't　know　how　to　put　it。　Without　you；　or　when　something

comes　between　us　like　this；　I　seem　lost　and　can't　do　anything。　Now

do　I　love　my　finger？　I　don't　love　it；　but　just　try　to　cut　it　off！

　　〃I'm　not　like　that　myself；　but　I　understand。　So　you're　not　angry

with　me？〃

　　〃Awfully　angry！〃　he　said；　smiling　and　getting　up。　And　smoothing

his　hair　he　began　to　pace　the　room。

　　〃Do　you　know；　Mary；　what　I've　been　thinking？〃　he　began；

immediately　thinking　aloud　in　his　wife's　presence　now　that　they　had

made　it　up。

　　He　did　not　ask　if　she　was　ready　to　listen　to　him。　He　did　not　care。　A

thought　had　occurred　to　him　and　so　it　belonged　to　her　also。　And　he

told　her　of　his　intention　to　persuade　Pierre　to　stay　with　them　till

spring。

　　Countess　Mary　listened　till　he　had　finished；　made　some　remark；　and

in　her　turn　began　thinking　aloud。　Her　thoughts　were　about　the

children。

　　〃You　can　see　the　woman　in　her　already；〃　she　said　in　French；　pointing

to　little　Natasha。　〃You　reproach　us　women　with　being　illogical。　Here

is　our　logic。　I　say：　'Papa　wants　to　sleep！'　but　she　says；　'No；　he's

laughing。'　And　she　was　right；〃　said　Countess　Mary　with　a　happy　smile。

　　〃Yes；　yes。〃　And　Nicholas；　taking　his　little　daughter　in　his　strong

hand；　lifted　her　high；　placed　her　on　his　shoulder；　held　her　by　the

legs；　and　paced　the　room　with　her。　There　was　an　expression　of　carefree

happiness　on　the　faces　of　both　father　and　daughter。

　　〃But　you　know　you　may　be　unfair。　You　are　too　fond　of　this　one；〃

his　wife　whispered　in　French。

　　〃Yes；　but　what　am　I　to　do？。。。　I　try　not　to　show。。。〃

　　At　that　moment　they　heard　the　sound　of　the　door　pulley　and　footsteps

in　the　hall　and　anteroom；　as　if　someone　had　arrived。

　　〃Somebody　has　come。〃

　　〃I　am　sure　it　is　Pierre。　I　will　go　and　see；〃　said　Countess　Mary

and　left　the　room。

　　In　her　absence　Nicholas　allowed　himself　to　give　his　little

daughter　a　gallop　round　the　room。　Out　of　breath；　he　took　the

laughing　child　quickly　from　his　shoulder　and　pressed　her　to　his　heart。

His　capers　reminded　h