战争与和平(上)-第139部分

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。　But　that　lasted　only　one　second。　“I　mustn’t　think；　I　mustn’t　dare　to　think　about　that；”　she　said　to　herself；　and　smiling；　she　sat　down　again　near　the　uncle；　begging　him　to　play　them　something　more。
The　uncle　played　another　song　and　waltz。　Then；　after　a　pause；　he　cleared　his　throat　and　began　to　sing　his　favourite　hunting　song：—
“When　there　fall　at　evening　glow
The　first　flakes　of　winter　snow。”…
The　uncle　sang；　as　peasants　sing；　in　full　and　naive　conviction　that　in　a　song　the　whole　value　rests　in　the　words；　that　the　tune　comes　of　itself　and　that　a　tune　apart　is　nothing；　that　the　tune　is　only　for　the　sake　of　the　verse。　And　this　gave　the　uncle’s　unself…conscious　singing　a　peculiar　charm；　like　the　song　of　birds。　Natasha　was　in　ecstasies　over　the　uncle’s　singing。　She　made　up　her　mind　not　to　learn　the　harp　any　longer；　but　to　play　only　on　the　guitar。　She　asked　the　uncle　for　the　guitar　and　at　once　struck　the　chords　of　the　song。
At　ten　o’clock　there　arrived　the　wagonette；　a　trap；　and　three　men　on　horseback；　who　had　been　sent　to　look　for　Natasha　and　Petya。　The　count　and　countess　did　not　know　where　they　were　and　were　very　anxious；　so　said　one　of　the　men。
Petya　was　carried　out　and　laid　in　the　wagonette　as　though　he　had　been　a　corpse。　Natasha　and　Nikolay　got　into　the　trap。　The　uncle　wrapped　Natasha　up；　and　said　good…bye　to　her　with　quite　a　new　tenderness。　He　accompanied　them　on　foot　as　far　as　the　bridge　which　they　had　to　ride　round；　fording　the　stream；　and　bade　his　huntsmen　ride　in　front　with　lanterns。
“Farewell；　dear　little　niece！”　they　heard　called　in　the　darkness　by　his　voice；　not　the　one　Natasha　had　been　familiar　with　before；　but　the　voice　that　had　sung　“When　there　fall　at　evening　glow。”
There　were　red　lights　in　the　village　they　drove　through　and　a　cheerful　smell　of　smoke。
“What　a　darling　that　uncle　is！”　said　Natasha　as　they　drove　out　into　the　highroad。
“Yes；”　said　Nikolay。　“You’re　not　cold？”
“No；　I’m　very　comfortable；　very。　I　am　so　happy；”　said　Natasha；　positively　perplexed　at　her　own　well…being。　They　were　silent　for　a　long　while。
The　night　was　dark　and　damp。　They　could　not　see　the　horses；　but　could　only　hear　them　splashing　through　the　unseen　mud。
What　was　passing　in　that　childlike；　responsive　soul；　that　so　eagerly　caught　and　made　its　own　all　the　varied　impressions　of　life？　How　were　they　all　stored　away　in　her　heart？　But　she　was　very　happy。　They　were　getting　near　home　when　she　suddenly　hummed　the　air　of　“When　there　fall　at　evening　glow；”　which　she　had　been　trying　to　get　all　the　way；　and　had　only　just　succeeded　in　catching。
“Have　you　caught　it？”　said　Nikolay。
“What　are　you　thinking　of　just　now；　Nikolay？”　asked　Natasha。　They　were　fond　of　asking　each　other　that　question。
“I？”　said　Nikolay；　trying　to　recall。　“Well；　you　see；　at　first　I　was　thinking　that　Rugay；　the　red　dog；　is　like　the　uncle；　and　that　if　he　were　a　man　he　would　keep　uncle　always　in　the　house　with　him；　if　not　for　racing；　for　music　he’d　keep　him　anyway。　How　jolly　uncle　is！　Isn’t　he？　Well；　and　you？”
“I？　Wait　a　minute；　wait　a　minute！　Oh；　I　was　thinking　at　first　that　here　we　are　driving　and　supposing　that　we　are　going　home；　but　God　knows　where　we　are　going　in　this　darkness；　and　all　of　a　sudden　we　shall　arrive　and　see　we　are　not　at　Otradnoe　but　in　fairyland。　And　then　I　thought；　too　…　no；　nothing　more。”
“I　know；　of　course；　you　thought　of　him；”　said　Nikolay；　smiling；　as　Natasha　could　tell　by　his　voice。
“No；”　Natasha　answered；　though　she　really　had　been　thinking　at　the　same　time　of　Prince　Andrey　and　how　he　would　like　the　uncle。　“And　I　keep　repeating；　too；　all　the　way　I　keep　repeating：　how　nicely　Anisyushka　walked；　how　nicely…”　said　Natasha。　And　Nikolay　heard　her　musical；　causeless；　happy　laugh。
“And　do　you　know？”　she　said　suddenly。　“I　know　I　shall　never　be　as　happy；　as　peaceful　as　I　am　now…”
“What　nonsense；　idiocy；　rubbish！”　said　Nikolay；　and　he　thought：　“What　a　darling　this　Natasha　of　mine　is！　I　have　never　had；　and　never　shall　have；　another　friend　like　her。　Why　should　she　be　married？　I　could　drive　like　this　with　her　for　ever！”
“What　a　darling　this　Nikolay　of　mine　is！”　Natasha　was　thinking。
“Ah！　Still　a　light　in　the　drawing…room；”　she　said；　pointing　to　the　windows　of　their　house　gleaming　attractively　in　the　wet；　velvety　darkness　of　the　night。


Chapter　8
COUNT　ILYA　ANDREITCH　had　given　up　being　a　marshal　of　nobility；　because　that　position　involved　too　heavy　an　expenditure。　But　his　difficulties　were　not　removed　by　that。　Often　Natasha　and　Nikolay　knew　of　uneasy；　private　consultations　between　their　parents；　and　heard　talk　of　selling　the　sumptuous　ancestral　house　of　the　Rostovs　and　the　estate　near　Moscow。　When　the　count　was　no　longer　marshal　it　was　not　necessary　to　entertain　on　such　a　large　scale；　and　they　led　a　quieter　life　at　Otradnoe　than　in　former　years。　But　the　immense　house　and　the　lodges　were　still　full　of　people；　more　than　twenty　persons　still　sat　down　to　table　with　them。　These　were　all　their　own　people；　time…honoured　inmates　of　their　household；　almost　members　of　the　family；　or　persons　who　must；　it　seemed；　inevitably　live　in　the　count’s　house。　Such　were　Dimmler；　the　music…master；　and　his　wife；　Vogel　the　dancing…master；　with　his　family；　an　old　Madame　Byelov；　and　many　others　besides；　Petya’s　tutors；　the　girls’　old　governess；　and　persons　who　simply　found　it　better　or　more　profitable　to　live　at　the　count’s　than　in　a　house　of　their　own。　They　did　not　entertain　so　many　guests　as　before；　but　they　still　lived　in　that　manner；　apart　from　which　the　count　and　countess　could　not　have　conceived　of　life　at　all。　There　was　still　the　same　hunting　establishment；　increased　indeed　by　Nikolay。　There　were　still　the　same　fifty　horses　and　fifteen　grooms　in　the　stables；　the　same　costly　presents　on　name…days；　and　ceremonial　dinners　to　the　whole　neighbourhood。　There　were　still　the　count’s　games　of　whist　and　boston；　at　which；　letting　every　one　see　his　cards；　he　allowed　himself　to　be　plundered　every　day　of　hundreds　by　his　neighbours；　who　looked　upon　the　privilege　of　making　up　a　rubber　with　Count　Ilya　Andreitch　as　a　profitable　investment。
The　count　went　into　his　affairs　as　though　walking　into　a　huge　net；　trying　not　to　believe　that　he　was　entangled；　and　at　every　step　getting　more　and　more　entangled；　and　feeling　too　feeble　either　to　tear　the　nets　that　held　him　fast；　or　with　care　and　patience　to　set　about　disentangling　them。　The　countess　with　her　loving　heart　felt　that　her　children　were　being　ruined；　that　the　count　was　not　to　blame；　that　he　could　not　help　being　what　he　was；　that　he　was　distressed　himself　（though　he　tried　to　conceal　it）　at　the　consciousness　of　his　own　and　his　children’s　ruin；　and　was　seeking　means　to　improve　their　position。　To　her　feminine　mind　only　one　way　of　doing　so　occurred—that　was；　to　marry　Nikolay　to　a　wealthy　heiress。　She　felt　that　this　was　their　last　hope；　and　that　if　Nikolay　were　to　refuse　the　match　she　had　found　for　him　she　must　bid　farewell　for　ever　to　all　chance　of　improving　their　position。　This　match　was　Julie　Karagin；　the　daughter　of　excellent　and　virtuous　parents；　known　to　the　Rostovs　from　childhood；　and　now　left　a　wealthy　heiress　by　the　death　of　her　last　surviving　brother。
The　countess　wrote　directly　to　Madame　Karagin　in　Moscow；　suggesting　to　her　the　marriage　of　her　daughter　to　her　own　son；　and　received　a　favourable　reply　from　her。　Madame　Karagin　replied　that　she　was　quite　ready　for　her　part　to　consent　to　the　match；　but　everything　must　depend　on　her　daughter’s　inclinations。　Madame　Karagin　invited　Nikolay　to　come　to　Moscow。　Several　times　the　countess；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　had　told　her　son　that　now　that　both　her　daughters　were　settled；　her　only　wish　was　to　see　him　married。　She　said　that　she　could　rest　quietly　in　her　grave　if　this　were　settled。　Then　she　would　say　that　she　had　an　excellent　girl　in　her　eye；　and　would　try　and　get　from　him　his　views　on　matrimony。
On　other　occasions　she　praised　Julie　and　advised　Nikolay　to　go　to　Moscow　for　the　holidays　to　amuse　himself　a　little。　Nikolay　guessed　what　his　mother’s　hints　were　aiming　at；　and　on　one　such　occasion　he　forced　her　to　complete　frankness。　She　told　him　plainly　that　all　hope　of　improving　their　position　rested　now　on　his　marrying　Julie　Karagin。
“What；　if　I　loved　a　girl　with　no　fortune　would　you　really　desire　me；　mamma；　to　sacrifice　my　feeling　and　my　honour　for　the　sake　of　money？”　he　asked　his　mother；　with　no　notion　of　the　cruelty　of　his　question；　but　simply　wishing　to　show　his　noble　sentiments。
“No；　you　misunderstand　me；”　said　his　mother；　not　knowing　how　to　retrieve　her　mistake。　“You　misunderstand　me；　Nikolenka。　It　is　your　happiness　I　wish　for；”　she　added；　and　she　felt　she　was　speaking　falsely；　that　she　was　blundering。　She　burst　into　tears。
“Mamma；　don’t　cry；　and　only　tell　me　that　you　wish　it；　and　you　know　that　I　would　give　my　whole　life；　everything　for　your　peace　of　mind；”　said　Nikolay；　“I　will　sacrifice　everything　for　you；　even　my　feelings。”
But　the　countess　did　not　want　the　question　put　like　that；　she　did　not　want　to　receive　sacrifices　from　her　son；　she　would　have　liked　to　sacrifice　herself　to　him。
“No；　you　don’t　understand　me；　don’t　let　us　talk　of　it；”　she　said；　wiping　away　her　tears。
“Yes；　perhaps　I　really　do　love　a　poor　girl；”　Nikolay　said　to　himself；　“what；　am　I　to　sacrifice　my　feeling　and　my　honour　for　fortune？　I　wonder　how　mamma　could　say　such　a　thing。　Because　Sonya　is　poor　I　must　not　love　her；”　he　thought；　“I　must　not　respond　to　her　faithful；　devoted　love。　And　it　is　certain　I　should　be　happier　with　her　than　with　any　doll　of　a　Julie。　To　sacrifice　my　feelings　for　the　welfare　of　my　family　I　can　always　do；”　he　said　to　himself；　“but　I　can’t　control　my　feelings。　If　I　love　Sonya；　that　feeling　is　more　than　anything　and　above　anything　for　me。”
Nikolay　did　not　go　to　Moscow；　the　countess　did　not　renew　her　conversations　with　him　about　matrimony；　and　with　grief；　and　sometimes　with　exasperation；　saw　symptoms　of　a　growing　attachment　between　her　son　and　the　portionless　Sonya。　She　blamed　herself　for　it；　yet　could　not　refrain　from　scolding　and　upbraiding　Sonya；　often　reproving　her　without　cause　and　addressing　her　as　“my　good　girl。”　What　irritated　the　kind…hearted　countess　more　than　anything　was　that　this　poor；　dark…eyed　niece　w