战争与和平(上)-第226部分

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cted　it。　Those　who　left　the　city　with　what　they　could　carry　away；　abandoning　their　houses　and　half　their　property；　did　so　in　consequence　of　that　latent　patriotism；　which　finds　expression；　not　in　phrases；　not　in　giving　one’s　children　to　death　for　the　sake　of　the　fatherland；　and　such　unnatural　exploits；　but　expresses　itself　imperceptibly　in　the　most　simple；　organic　way；　and　so　always　produces　the　most　powerful　results。
“It’s　a　disgrace　to　fly　from　danger；　only　the　cowards　are　flying　from　Moscow；”　they　were　told。　Rastoptchin；　in　his　placards；　urged　upon　them　that　it　was　base　to　leave　Moscow。　They　were　ashamed　at　hearing　themselves　called　cowards；　they　were　ashamed　of　going　away；　but　still　they　went　away；　knowing　that　it　must　be　so。　Why　did　they　go　away？　It　cannot　be　supposed　that　Rastoptchin　had　scared　them　with　tales　of　the　atrocities　perpetrated　by　Napoleon　in　the　countries　he　conquered。　The　first　to　leave　were　the　wealthy；　educated　people；　who　knew　very　well　that　Vienna　and　Berlin　remained　uninjured；　and　that　the　inhabitants　of　those　cities；　when　Napoleon　was　in　occupation　of　them；　had　spent　their　time　gaily　with　the　fascinating　Frenchmen；　of　whom　all　Russians；　and　especially　the　ladies；　had　at　that　period　been　so　fond。
They　went　away　because　to　Russians　the　question　whether　they　would　be　comfortable　or　not　under　the　government　of　the　French　in　Moscow　could　never　occur。　To　be　under　the　government　of　the　French　was　out　of　the　question；　it　was　worse　than　anything。　They　were　going　away　even　before　Borodino；　and　still　more　rapidly　after　Borodino；　regardless　of　the　calls　to　defend　the　city；　regardless　of　the　proclamations　of　the　governor　of　Moscow；　of　his　intention　of　going　with　the　Iversky　Virgin　into　battle；　and　of　the　air…balloons　which　were　to　demolish　the　French；　and　all　the　nonsense　with　which　Rastoptchin　filled　his　placards。　They　knew　that　it　was　for　the　army　to　fight；　and　if　the　army　could　not；　it　would　be　of　no　use　to　rush　out　with　young　ladies　and　house…serfs　to　fight　Napoleon　on　the　Three　Hills；　and　so　they　must　make　haste　and　get　away；　sorry　as　they　were　to　leave　their　possessions　to　destruction。　They　drove　away　without　a　thought　of　the　vast　consequences　of　this　immense　wealthy　city　being　abandoned　by　its　inhabitants；　and　being　inevitably　thereby　consigned　to　the　flames。　To　abstain　from　destroying　and　burning　empty　houses　would　never　occur　to　the　Russian　peasantry。　They　drove　away；　each　on　his　own　account；　and　yet　it　was　only　in　consequence　of　their　action　that　the　grand　event　came　to　pass　that　is　the　highest　glory　of　the　Russian　people。　The　lady　who　in　June　set　off　with　her　Negroes　and　her　buffoons　from　Moscow　for　her　Saratov　estates；　with　a　vague　feeling　that　she　was　not　going　to　be　a　servant　of　Bonaparte’s；　and　a　vague　dread　that　she　might　be　hindered　from　going　by　Rastoptchin’s　orders；　was　simply　and　genuinely　doing　the　great　deed　that　saved　Russia。
Count　Rastoptchin　at　one　time　cried　shame　on　those　who　were　going；　then　removed　all　the　public　offices；　then　served　out　useless　weapons　to　the　drunken　rabble；　then　brought　out　the　holy　images；　and　prevented　Father　Augustin　from　removing　the　holy　relics　and　images；　then　got　hold　of　all　the　private　conveyances　that　were　in　Moscow；　then　in　one　hundred　and　thirty…six　carts　carried　out　the　air…balloon　made　by　Leppich；　at　one　time　hinted　that　he　should　set　fire　to　Moscow；　at　one　time　described　how　he　had　burnt　his　own　house；　and　wrote　a　proclamation　to　the　French　in　which　he　solemnly　reproached　them　for　destroying　the　home　of　his　childhood。　He　claimed　the　credit　of　having　set　fire　to　Moscow；　then　disavowed　it；　he　commanded　the　people　to　capture　all　spies；　and　bring　them　to　him；　then　blamed　the　people　for　doing　so；　he　sent　all　the　French　residents　out　of　Moscow；　and　then　let　Madame　Aubert…Chalmey；　who　formed　the　centre　of　French　society　in　Moscow；　remain。　For　no　particular　reason　he　ordered　the　respected　old　postmaster；　Klucharov；　to　be　seized　and　banished。　He　got　the　people　together　on　the　Three　Hills　to　fight　the　French；　and　then；　to　get　rid　of　them；　handed　a　man　over　to　them　to　murder；　and　escaped　himself　by　the　back　door。　He　vowed　he　would　never　survive　the　disaster　of　Moscow；　and　later　on　wrote　French　verses　in　albums　on　his　share　in　the　affair。
This　man　had　no　inkling　of　the　import　of　what　was　happening。　All　he　wanted　was　to　do　something　himself；　to　astonish　people；　to　perform　some　heroic　feat　of　patriotism；　and；　like　a　child；　he　frolicked　about　the　grand　and　inevitable　event　of　the　abandonment　and　burning　of　Moscow；　trying　with　his　puny　hand　first　to　urge　on；　and　then　to　hold　back；　the　tide　of　the　vast　popular　current　that　was　bearing　him　along　with　it。


Chapter　6
ELLEN　had　accompanied　the　court　on　its　return　from　Vilna　to　Petersburg；　and　there　found　herself　in　a　difficult　position。
In　Petersburg　Ellen　had　enjoyed　the　special　patronage　of　a　great　personage；　who　occupied　one　of　the　highest　positions　in　the　government。　In　Vilna　she　had　formed　a　liaison　with　a　young　foreign　prince。
When　she　returned　to　Petersburg　the　prince　and　the　great　dignitary　were　both　in　that　town；　both　claimed　their　rights；　and　Ellen　was　confronted　with　a　problem　that　had　not　previously　arisen　in　her　career—the　preservation　of　the　closest　relations　with　both；　without　giving　offence　to　either。
What　might　have　seemed　to　any　other　woman　a　difficult　or　impossible　task　never　cost　a　moment’s　thought　to　Countess　Bezuhov；　who　plainly　deserved　the　reputation　she　enjoyed　of　being　a　most　intelligent　woman。　Had　she　attempted　concealment；　had　she　allowed　herself　to　get　out　of　her　awkward　position　by　subterfuges；　she　would　have　spoilt　her　own　case　by　acknowledging　herself　the　guilty　party。　But　like　a　truly　great　man；　who　can　always　do　everything　he　chooses；　Ellen　at　once　assumed　the　rectitude　of　her　own　position；　of　which　she　was　indeed　genuinely　convinced；　and　the　guilty　responsibility　of　every　one　else　concerned。
The　first　time　the　young　foreign　prince　ventured　to　reproach　her；　she　lifted　her　beautiful　head；　and；　with　a　haughty　tone　towards　him；　said　firmly：
“This　is　the　egoism　and　the　cruelty　of　men。　I　expected　nothing　else。　Woman　sacrifices　herself　for　you；　she　suffers；　and　this　is　her　reward。　What　right　have　you；　your　highness；　to　call　me　to　account　for　my　friendships；　my　affections？　He　is　a　man　who　has　been　more　than　a　father　to　me！”
The　prince　would　have　said　something。　Ellen　interrupted　him。
“Well；　yes；　perhaps　he　has　sentiments　for　me　other　than　those　of　a　father；　but　that　is　not　a　reason　I　should　shut　my　door　on　him。　I　am　not　a　person　to　be　ungrateful。　Know；　your　highness；　that　in　all　that　relates　to　my　private　sentiments　I　will　account　only　to　God　and　to　my　conscience！”　she　concluded；　laying　her　hand　on　her　beautiful；　heaving　bosom；　and　looking　up　to　heaven。
“But　listen　to　me；　in　God’s　name！”…
“Marry　me；　and　I　will　be　your　slave！”
“But　it　is　impossible。”
“You　do　not　deign　to　stoop　to　me；　you…”　Ellen　burst　into　tears。
The　prince　attempted　to　console　her。　Ellen；　as　though　utterly　distraught；　declared　through　her　tears　that　there　was　nothing　to　prevent　her　marrying；　that　there　were　precedents　（they　were　but　few　at　that　time；　but　Ellen　quoted　the　case　of　Napoleon　and　some　other　persons　of　exalted　rank）；　that　she　had　never　been　a　real　wife　to　her　husband；　that　she　had　been　dragged　an　unwilling　victim　into　the　marriage。
“But　the　law；　religion　…”　murmured　the　prince；　on　the　point　of　yielding。
“Religion；　laws　…　what　can　they　have　been　invented　for；　if　they　are　unable　to　manage　that？”　said　Ellen。
The　prince　was　astonished　that　so　simple　a　reflection　had　never　occurred　to　him；　and　applied　to　the　council　of　the　brotherhood　of　the　Society　of　Jesus；　with　which　he　was　in　close　relations。
A　few　days　later；　at　one　of　the　fascinating　fêtes　Ellen　used　to　give　at　her　summer　villa　at　Kamenny　Ostrov；　a　certain　fascinating　M。　Jobert　was　presented　to　her；　a　man　no　longer　young；　with　snow…white　hair　and　brilliant　black　eyes；　un　Fésuite　à　robe　courte；　who　walked　for　a　long　while　with　Ellen　among　the　illuminations　in　the　garden　to　the　strains　of　music；　conversing　with　her　of　the　love　of　God；　of　Christ；　of　the　heart　of　the　Holy　Mother；　and　of　the　consolations　afforded　in　this　life　and　the　next　by　the　one　true　Catholic　faith。　Ellen　was　touched；　and　several　times　tears　stood　both　in　her　eyes　and　in　M。　Jobert’s；　and　their　voices　trembled。　A　dance；　to　which　her　partner　fetched　Ellen　away；　cut　short　her　conversation　with　the　future　“director　of　her　conscience；”　but　the　next　evening　M。　Jobert　came　alone　to　see　Ellen；　and　from　that　day　he　was　a　frequent　visitor。
One　day　he　took　the　countess　into　a　Catholic　church；　where　she　fell　on　her　knees　before　the　altar；　up　to　which　she　was　conducted。　The　fascinating；　middle…aged　Frenchman　laid　his　hands　on　her　head；　and　as　she　herself　afterwards　described　it；　she　felt　something　like　a　breath　of　fresh　air；　which　seemed　wafted　into　her　soul。　It　was　explained　to　her　that　this　was　the　“grace　of　God。”
Then　an　abbé　à　robe　longue　was　brought　to　her；　he　confessed　her；　and　absolved　her　from　her　sins。　Next　day　a　box　was　brought　containing　the　Sacred　Host；　and　left　for　her　to　partake　of　at　her　house。　Several　days　later　Ellen　learned　to　her　satisfaction　that　she　had　now　been　admitted　into　the　true　Catholic　Church；　and　that　in　a　few　days　the　Pope　himself　would　hear　of　her　case；　and　send　her　a　document　of　some　sort。
All　that　was　done　with　her　and　around　her　at　this　period；　the　attention　paid　her　by　so　many　clever　men；　and　expressed　in　such　agreeable　and　subtle　forms；　and　her　dovelike　purity　during　her　conversion　（she　wore　nothing　but　white　dresses　and　white　ribbons　all　the　time）—all　afforded　her　gratification。　But　this　gratification　never　led　her　for　one　instant　to　lose　sight　of　her　object。　And；　as　always　happens　in　contests　of　cunning；　the　stupid　person　gains　more　than　the　cleverer；　Ellen；　fully　grasping　that　the　motive　of　all　these　words　and　all　this　man？uvring　was　by　her　conversion　to　Catholicism　to　get　a　round　sum　from　her　for　the　benefit　of　the　Jesuit　order　（this　was　hinted　at；　indeed）；　held　back　the　money；　while　insisting　steadily　on　the　various　operations　that　would　set　her　free　from　her　conjugal　bonds。　To　her　notions；　the　real　object　of　every　religion