战争与和平(上)-第143部分

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An　hour　later　all　the　fancy　dresses　were　crumpled　and　untidy。　The　corked　moustaches　and　eyebrows　were　wearing　off　the　heated；　perspiring；　and　merry　faces。　Pelagea　Danilovna　began　to　recognise　the　mummers。　She　was　enthusiastic　over　the　cleverness　of　the　dresses　and　the　way　they　suited　them；　especially　the　young　ladies；　and　thanked　them　all　for　giving　them　such　good　fun。　The　guests　were　invited　into　the　drawing…room　for　supper；　while　the　servants　were　regaled　in　the　hall。
“Oh；　trying　one’s　fate　in　the　bath…house；　that’s　awful！”　was　said　at　the　supper…table　by　an　old　maiden　lady　who　lived　with　the　Melyukovs。
“Why　so？”　asked　the　eldest　daughter　of　the　Melyukovs。
“Well；　you　won’t　go　and　try。　It　needs　courage…”
“I’ll　go；”　said　Sonya。
“Tell　us　what　happened　to　the　young　lady；”　said　the　second　girl。
“Well；　it　was　like　this；”　said　the　old　maid。　“The　young　lady　went　out；　she　took　a　cock；　two　knives　and　forks；　and　everything　proper；　and　sat　down。　She　sat　a　little　while；　and　all　of　a　sudden　she　hears　some　one　coming—a　sledge　with　bells　driving　up。　She　hears　him　coming。　He　walks　in；　precisely　in　the　shape　of　a　man；　like　an　officer；　and　sat　down　beside　her　at　the　place　laid　for　him。”
“Ah！　ah！…”　screamed　Natasha；　rolling　her　eyes　with　horror。
“But　what　did　he　do？　Did　he　talk　like　a　man？”
“Yes；　like　a　man。　Everything　as　it　should　be；　and　began　to　try　and　win　her　over；　and　she　should　have　kept　him　in　talk　till　the　cock　crew；　but　she　got　frightened；—simply　took　fright；　and　hid　her　face　in　her　hands。　And　he　caught　her　up。　Luckily　the　maids　ran　in　that　minute…”
“Come；　why　are　you　scaring　them？”　said　Pelagea　Danilovna。
“Why；　mamma；　you　tried　your　fate　yourself…”　said　her　daughter。
“And　how　do　they　try　fate　in　a　granary？”　asked　Sonya。
“Why；　at　a　time　like　this　they　go　to　the　granary　and　listen。　And　according　to　what　you　hear；—if　there’s　a　knocking　and　a　tapping；　it’s　bad；　but　if　there’s　a　sound　of　sifting　corn；　it　is　good。　But　sometimes　it　happens…”
“Mamma；　tell　us　what　happened　to　you　in　the　granary？”
Pelagea　Danilovna　smiled。
“Why；　I　have　forgotten…”　she　said。　“I　know　none　of　you　will　go。”
“No；　I’ll　go。　Pelagea　Danilovna；　do　let　me；　and　I’ll　go；”　said　Sonya。
“Oh；　well；　if　you’re　not　afraid。”
“Luisa　Ivanovna；　may　I？”　asked　Sonya。
Whether　they　were　playing　at　the　ring　and　string　game；　or　the　rouble　game；　or　talking　as　now；　Nikolay　did　not　leave　Sonya’s　side；　and　looked　at　her　with　quite　new　eyes。　It　seemed　to　him　as　though　to…day；　for　the　first　time；　he　had；　thanks　to　that　corked　moustache；　seen　her　fully　as　she　was。　Sonya　certainly　was　that　evening　gay；　lively；　and　pretty；　as　Natasha　had　never　seen　her　before。
“So；　this　is　what　she　is；　and　what　a　fool　I　have　been！”　he　kept　thinking；　looking　at　her　sparkling　eyes；　at　the　happy；　ecstatic　smile　dimpling　her　cheeks　under　the　moustache。　He　had　never　seen　that　smile　before。
“I’m　not　afraid　of　anything；”　said　Sonya。　“May　I　go　at　once？”　She　got　up。　They　told　Sonya　where　the　granary　was；　how　she　was　to　stand　quite　silent　and　listen；　and　they　gave　her　a　cloak。　She　threw　it　over　her　head　and　glanced　at　Nikolay。
“How　exquisite　that　girl　is！”　he　thought。　“And　what　have　I　been　thinking　about　all　this　time？”
Sonya　went　out　into　the　corridor　to　go　to　the　granary。　Nikolay　hastily　went　out　to　the　front　porch；　saying　he　was　too　hot。　It　certainly　was　stuffy　indoors　from　the　crowd　of　people。
Outside　there　was　the　same　still　frost；　the　same　moonlight；　only　even　brighter　than　before。　The　light　was　so　bright；　and　there　were　so　many　stars　sparkling　in　the　snow；　that　the　sky　did　not　attract　the　eye；　and　the　real　stars　were　hardly　noticeable。　The　sky　was　all　blackness　and　dreariness；　the　earth　all　brightness。
“I’m　a　fool；　a　fool！　What　have　I　been　waiting　for　all　this　time？”　thought　Nikolay；　and　running　out　into　the　porch　he　went　round　the　corner　of　the　house　along　the　path　leading　to　the　back　door。　He　knew　Sonya　would　come　that　way。　Half…way　there　was　a　pile　of　logs　of　wood；　seven　feet　long。　It　was　covered　with　snow　and　cast　a　shadow。　Across　it　and　on　one　side　of　it　there　fell　on　the　snow　and　the　path　a　network　of　shadows　from　the　bare　old　lime…trees。　The　wall　and　roof　of　the　granary　glittered　in　the　moonlight；　as　though　hewn　out　of　some　precious　stone。　There　was　the　sound　of　the　snapping　of　wood　in　the　garden；　and　all　was　perfect　stillness　again。　The　lungs　seemed　breathing　in；　not　air；　but　a　sort　of　ever…youthful　power　and　joy。
From　the　maid…servants’　entrance　came　the　tap　of　feet　on　the　steps；　there　was　a　ringing　crunch　on　the　last　step　where　the　snow　was　heaped；　and　the　voice　of　the　old　maid　said：
“Straight　on；　along　this　path；　miss。　Only　don’t　look　round！”
“I’m　not　afraid；”　answered　Sonya’s　voice；　and　Sonya’s　little　feet　in　their　dancing…shoes　came　with　a　ringing；　crunching　sound　along　the　path　towards　Nikolay。
Sonya　was　muffled　up　in　the　cloak。　She　was　two　paces　away　when　she　saw　him。　She　saw　him；　too；　not　as　she　knew　him；　and　as　she　was　always　a　little　afraid　of　him。　He　was　in　a　woman’s　dress；　with　towzled　hair；　and　a　blissful　smile　that　was　new　to　Sonya。　She　ran　quickly　to　him。
“Quite　different；　and　still　the　same；”　thought　Nikolay；　looking　at　her　face；　all　lighted　up　by　the　moon。　He　slipped　his　hands　under　the　cloak　that　covered　her　head；　embraced　her；　drew　her　to　him；　and　kissed　the　lips　that　wore　a　moustache　and　smelt　of　burnt　cork。　Sonya　kissed　him　full　on　the　lips；　and　putting　out　her　little　hands　held　them　against　his　cheeks　on　both　sides。
“Sonya！…Nikolenka！…”　was　all　they　said。　They　ran　to　the　granary　and　went　back　to　the　house；　each　at　their　separate　door。


Chapter　12
WHEN　THEY　WERE　ALL　DRIVING　BACK　from　Pelagea　Danilovna’s；　Natasha；　who　always　saw　and　noticed　everything；　managed　a　change　of　places；　so　that　Luisa　Ivanovna　and　she　got　into　the　sledge　with　Dimmler；　while　Sonya　was　with　Nikolay　and　the　maids。
Nikolay　drove　smoothly　along　the　way　back；　making　no　effort　now　to　get　in　front。　He　kept　gazing　in　the　fantastic　moonlight　at　Sonya；　and　seeking；　in　the　continually　shifting　light　behind　those　eyebrows　and　moustaches；　his　own　Sonya；　the　old　Sonya；　and　the　Sonya　of　to…day；　from　whom　he　had　resolved　now　never　to　be　parted。　He　watched　her　intently；　and　when　he　recognised　the　old　Sonya　and　the　new　Sonya；　and　recalled；　as　he　smelt　it；　that　smell　of　burnt　cork　that　mingled　with　the　thrill　of　the　kiss；　he　drew　in　a　deep　breath　of　the　frosty　air；　and　as　he　saw　the　earth　flying　by　them；　and　the　sky　shining　above；　he　felt　himself　again　in　fairyland。
“Sonya；　is　it　well　with　thee？”　he　asked　her　now　and　then。
“Yes；”　answered　Sonya。　“And　thee？”
Half…way　home；　Nikolay　let　the　coachman　hold　the　horses；　ran　for　a　moment　to　Natasha’s　sledge；　and　stood　on　the　edge　of　it。
“Natasha；”　he　whispered　in　French；　“do　you　know　I　have　made　up　my　mind　about　Sonya？”
“Have　you　told　her？”　asked　Natasha；　beaming　all　over　at　once　with　pleasure。
“Ah；　how　strange　you　look　with　that　moustache　and　those　eyebrows；　Natasha！　Are　you　glad？”
“I’m　so　glad；　so　glad！　I　was　beginning　to　get　cross　with　you。　I　never　told　you　so；　but　you　have　not　been　treating　her　nicely。　Such　a　heart　as　she　has；　Nikolenka。　I　am　so　glad！　I’m　horrid　sometimes；　but　I　felt　ashamed　of　being　happy　without　Sonya；”　Natasha　went　on。　“Now；　I’m　so　glad；　there；　run　back　to　her。”
“No；　wait　a　moment。　Oh；　how　funny　you　look！”　said　Nikolay；　still　gazing　intently　at　her；　and　in　his　sister；　too；　finding　something　new；　extraordinary；　and　tenderly　bewitching　that　he　had　never　seen　in　her　before。　“Natasha；　isn’t　it　fairylike？　Eh？”
“Yes；”　she　answered；　“you　have　done　quite　rightly。”
“If　I　had　seen　her　before　as　she　is　now；”　Nikolay　was　thinking；　“I　should　have　asked　her　long　ago　what　to　do；　and　should　have　done　anything　she　told　me；　and　it　would　have　been　all　right。”
“So　you’re　glad；”　he　said；　“and　I　have　done　right？”
“Oh；　quite　right！　I　had　a　quarrel　with　mamma　about　it　a　little　while　age。　Mamma　said　she　was　trying　to　catch　you。　How　could　she　say　such　a　thing！　I　almost　stormed　at　mamma。　I　will　never　let　any　one　say　or　think　any　harm　of　her；　for　there’s　nothing　but　good　in　her。”
“So　it’s　all　right？”　said　Nikolay；　once　more　gazing　intently　at　his　sister’s　expression　to　find　out　whether　that　were　the　truth。　Then　he　jumped　off　the　sledge　and　ran；　his　boots　crunching　over　the　wet　snow；　to　his　sledge。　The　same　happy；　smiling　Circassian；　with　a　moustache　and　sparkling　eyes；　peeping　from　under　the　sable　hood；　was　still　sitting　there；　and　that　Circassian　was　Sonya；　and　that　Sonya　was　for　certain　now　his　happy　and　loving　future　wife。
On　reaching　home；　the　young　ladies　told　the　countess　how　they　had　spent　the　time　at　the　Melyukov’s；　and　then　went　to　their　room。　They　changed　their　dresses；　but　without　washing　off　their　moustaches；　sat　for　a　long　while　talking　of　their　happiness。　They　talked　of　how　they　would　live　when　they　were　married；　how　their　husbands　would　be　friends；　and　they　would　be　happy。　Looking…glasses　were　standing　on　Natasha’s　table；　set　there　earlier　in　the　evening　by　Dunyasha；　and　arranged　in　the　traditional　way　for　looking　into　the　future。
“Only　when　will　that　be？　I’m　so　afraid　it　never　will　be。…It　would　be　too　happy！”　said　Natasha；　getting　up　and　going　to　the　looking…glasses。
“Sit　down；　Natasha；　perhaps　you　will　see　him；”　said　Sonya。
Natasha　lighted　the　candles　and　sat　down。　“I　do　see　some　one　with　a　moustache；”　said　Natasha；　seeing　her　own　face。
“You　mustn’t　laugh；　miss；”　said　Dunyasha。
With　the　assistance　of　Sonya　and　the　maid；　Natasha　got　the　mirrors　into　the　correct　position。　Her　face　took　a　serious　expression；　and　she　was　silent。　For　a　long　while　she　went　on　sitting；　watching　the　series　of　retreating　candles　reflected　in　the　looking…glasses；　and　expecting　（in　accordance　with　the　tales　she　had　heard）　at　one　minute　to　see　a　coffin；　at　the　next　to　see　him；　Prince　Andrey；　in　the　furthest；　dimmest；　indistinct　square。　But　ready　as　she　was　to　accept　the　slightest　blur　as　the　form　of　a　man　or　of　a　coffin；　she　saw　nothing。　She　began　to　blink；　and　moved　away　from　the　looking…glass。
“Why　is　it　other　people　see　things　and　I　never　see　anything？”　she　said。　“Come；　you　sit　down；　Sonya；　to…day　you　really　mus