战争与和平(上)-第6部分

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猦e　did　not　remove　his　arms　for　a　long　while　after　the　shawl　had　been　put　on；　as　it　were　holding　the　young　woman　in　his　embrace。
Gracefully；　but　still　smiling；　she　moved　away；　turned　round　and　glanced　at　her　husband。　Prince　Andrey’s　eyes　were　closed：　he　seemed　weary　and　drowsy。
“Are　you　ready？”　he　asked　his　wife；　avoiding　her　eyes。
Prince　Ippolit　hurriedly　put　on　his　redingote；　which　in　the　latest　mode　hung　down　to　his　heels；　and　stumbling　over　it；　ran　out　on　to　the　steps　after　the　princess；　whom　the　footman　was　assisting　into　the　carriage。
“Princesse；　au　revoir；”　he　shouted；　his　tongue　tripping　like　his　legs。
The　princess；　picking　up　her　gown；　seated　herself　in　the　darkness　of　the　carriage；　her　husband　was　arranging　his　sabre；　Prince　Ippolit；　under　the　pretence　of　assisting；　was　in　every　one’s　way。
“Allow　me；　sir；”　Prince　Andrey　said　in　Russian　drily　and　disagreeably　to　Prince　Ippolit；　who　prevented　his　passing。
“I　expect　you；　Pierre；”　the　same　voice　called　in　warm　and　friendly　tones。
The　postillion　started　at　a　trot；　and　the　carriage　rumbled　away。　Prince　Ippolit　gave　vent　to　a　short；　jerky　guffaw；　as　he　stood　on　the　steps　waiting　for　the　vicomte；　whom　he　had　promised　to　take　home。
“Well；　my　dear　fellow；　your　little　princess　is　very　good…looking；　very　good…looking；”　said　the　vicomte；　as　he　sat　in　the　carriage　with　Ippolit。　“Very　good…looking　indeed；”　he　kissed　his　finger　tips。　“And　quite　French。”
Ippolit　snorted　and　laughed。
“And；　do　you　know；　you　are　a　terrible　fellow　with　that　little　innocent　way　of　yours；”　pursued　the　vicomte。　“I　am　sorry　for　the　poor　husband；　that　officer　boy　who　gives　himself　the　airs　of　a　reigning　prince。”
Ippolit　guffawed　again；　and　in　the　middle　of　a　laugh　articulated：
“And　you　said　that　the　Russian　ladies　were　not　equal　to　the　French　ladies。　You　must　know　how　to　take　them。”
Pierre；　arriving　first；　went　to　Prince　Andrey’s　study；　like　one　of　the　household；　and　at　once　lay　down　on　the　sofa；　as　his　habit　was；　and　taking　up　the　first　book　he　came　upon　in　the　shelf　（it　was　C？sar’s　Commentaries）　he　propped　himself　on　his　elbow；　and　began　reading　it　in　the　middle。
“What　a　shock　you　gave　Mlle。　Scherer！　She’ll　be　quite　ill　now；”　Prince　Andrey　said；　as　he　came　into　the　study　rubbing　his　small　white　hands。
Pierre　rolled　his　whole　person　over　so　that　the　sofa　creaked；　turned　his　eager　face　to　Prince　Andrey；　smiled　and　waved　his　hand　to　him。
“Oh；　that　abbé　was　very　interesting；　only　he’s　got　a　wrong　notion　about　it。…To　my　thinking；　perpetual　peace　is　possible；　but　I　don’t　know　how　to　put　it。…Not　by　means　of　the　balance　of　political　power。…”
Prince　Andrey　was　obviously　not　interested　in　these　abstract　discussions。
“One　can’t　always　say　all　one　thinks　everywhere；　mon　cher。　Come　tell　me；　have　you　settled　on　anything　at　last？　Are　you　going　into　the　cavalry　or　the　diplomatic　service？”　asked　Prince　Andrey；　after　a　momentary　pause。
Pierre　sat　on　the　sofa　with　his　legs　crossed　under　him。
“Can　you　believe　it；　I　still　don’t　know。　I　don’t　like　either。”
“But　you　must　decide　on　something；　you　know　your　father’s　expecting　it。”
At　ten　years　old　Pierre　had　been　sent　with　an　abbé　as　tutor　to　be　educated　abroad；　and　there　he　remained　till　he　was　twenty。　When　he　returned　to　Moscow；　his　father　had　dismissed　the　tutor　and　said　to　the　young　man：　“Now　you　go　to　Petersburg；　look　about　you　and　make　your　choice。　I　agree　to　anything。　Here　is　a　letter　to　Prince　Vassily　and　here　is　money。　Write　and　tell　me　everything；　I　will　help　you　in　everything。”　Pierre　had　been　three　months　already　choosing　a　career　and　had　not　yet　made　his　choice。　It　was　of　this　choice　Prince　Andrey　spoke　to　him　now。　Pierre　rubbed　his　forehead。
“But　he　must　be　a　freemason；”　he　said；　meaning　the　abbé　he　had　seen　that　evening。
“That’s　all　nonsense；”　Prince　Andrey　pulled　him　up　again；　“we’d　better　talk　of　serious　things。　Have　you　been　to　the　Horse　Guards？”
“No；　I　haven’t；　but　this　is　what　struck　me　and　I　wanted　to　talk　to　you　about　it。　This　war　now　is　against　Napoleon。　If　it　were　a　war　for　freedom；　I　could　have　understood　it；　I　would　have　been　the　first　to　go　into　the　army；　but　to　help　England　and　Austria　against　the　greatest　man　in　the　world—that’s　not　right。”
Prince　Andrey　simply　shrugged　his　shoulders　at　Pierre’s　childish　words。　He　looked　as　though　one　really　could　not　answer　such　absurdities。　But　in　reality　it　was　hard　to　find　any　answer　to　this　na？ve　question　other　than　the　answer　Prince　Andrey　made。　“If　every　one　would　only　fight　for　his　own　convictions；　there’d　be　no　war；”　he　said。
“And　a　very　good　thing　that　would　be　too；”　said　Pierre。
Prince　Andrey　smiled　ironically。　“Very　likely　it　would　be　a　good　thing；　but　it　will　never　come　to　pass…”
“Well；　what　are　you　going　to　the　war　for？”　asked　Pierre。
“What　for？　I　don’t　know。　Because　I　have　to。　Besides；　I’m　going…”　he　stopped。　“I’m　going　because　the　life　I　lead　here；　this　life　is—not　to　my　taste！”


Chapter　6
THERE　was　the　rustle　of　a　woman’s　dress　in　the　next　room。　Prince　Andrey　started　up；　as　it　were　pulling　himself　together；　and　his　face　assumed　the　expression　it　had　worn　in　Anna　Pavlovna’s　drawing…room。　Pierre　dropped　his　legs　down　off　the　sofa。　The　princess　came　in。　She　had　changed　her　gown；　and　was　wearing　a　house　dress　as　fresh　and　elegant　as　the　other　had　been。　Prince　Andrey　got　up　and　courteously　set　a　chair　for　her。
“Why　is　it；　I　often　wonder；”　she　began　in　French　as　always；　while　she　hurriedly　and　fussily　settled　herself　in　the　low　chair；　“why　is　it　Annette　never　married？　How　stupid　you　gentlemen　all　are　not　to　have　married　her。　You　must　excuse　me；　but　you　really　have　no　sense　about　women。　What　an　argumentative　person　you　are；　Monsieur　Pierre！”
“I’m　still　arguing　with　your　husband；　I　can’t　make　out　why　he　wants　to　go　to　the　war；”　said　Pierre；　addressing　the　princess　without　any　of　the　affectation　so　common　in　the　attitude　of　a　young　man　to　a　young　woman。
The　princess　shivered。　Clearly　Pierre’s　words　touched　a　tender　spot。
“Ah；　that’s　what　I　say；”　she　said。　“I　can’t　understand；　I　simply　can’t　understand　why　men　can’t　get　on　without　war。　Why　is　it　we　women　want　nothing　of　the　sort？　We　don’t　care　for　it。　Come；　you　shall　be　the　judge。　I　keep　saying　to　him：　here　he　is　uncle’s　adjutant；　a　most　brilliant　position。　He’s　so　well　known；　so　appreciated　by　every　one。　The　other　day　at　the　Apraxins’　I　heard　a　lady　ask：　‘So　that　is　the　famous　Prince　André？　Upon　my　word！’　”　She　laughed。　“He’s　asked　everywhere。　He　could　very　easily　be　a　flügel…adjutant。　You　know　the　Emperor　has　spoken　very　graciously　to　him。　Annette　and　I　were　saying　it　would　be　quite　easy　to　arrange　it。　What　do　you　think？”
Pierre　looked　at　Prince　Andrey；　and；　noticing　that　his　friend　did　not　like　this　subject；　made　no　reply。
“When　are　you　starting？”　he　asked。
“Ah；　don’t　talk　to　me　about　that　going　away；　don’t　talk　about　it。　I　won’t　even　hear　it　spoken　of；”　said　the　princess　in　just　the　capriciously　playful　tone　in　which　she　had　talked　to　Ippolit　at　the　soirée；　a　tone　utterly　incongruous　in　her　own　home　circle；　where　Pierre　was　like　one　of　the　family。　“This　evening　when　I　thought　all　these　relations　so　precious　to　me　must　be　broken　off。…And　then；　you　know；　André？”　She　looked　significantly　at　her　husband。　“I’m　afraid！　I’m　afraid！”　she　whispered；　twitching　her　shoulder。　Her　husband　looked　at　her　as　though　he　were　surprised　to　observe　that　there　was　some　one　in　the　room　beside　himself　and　Pierre；　and　with　frigid　courtesy　he　addressed　an　inquiry　to　his　wife。
“What　are　you　afraid　of；　Liza？　I　don’t　understand；”　he　said。
“See　what　egoists　all　men　are；　they　are　all；　all　egoists！　Of　his　own　accord；　for　his　own　whim；　for　no　reason　whatever；　he　is　deserting　me；　shutting　me　up　alone　in　the　country。”
“With　my　father　and　sister；　remember；”　said　Prince　Andrey　quietly。
“It’s　just　the　same　as　alone；　without　my　friends。…And　he　doesn’t　expect　me　to　be　afraid。”　Her　tone　was　querulous　now；　her　upper　lip　was　lifted；　giving　her　face　not　a　joyous　expression；　but　a　wild…animal　look；　like　a　squirrel。　She　paused　as　though　feeling　it　indecorous　to　speak　of　her　condition　before　Pierre；　though　the　whole　gist　of　the　matter　lay　in　that。
“I　still　don’t　understand　what　you　are　afraid　of；”　Prince　Andrey　said　deliberately；　not　taking　his　eyes　off　his　wife。　The　princess　flushed　red；　and　waved　her　hands　despairingly。
“No；　André；　I　say　you　are　so　changed；　so　changed…”
“Your　doctor’s　orders　were　that　you　were　to　go　to　bed　earlier；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“It’s　time　you　were　asleep。”
The　princess　said　nothing；　and　suddenly　her　short；　downy　lip　began　to　quiver；　Prince　Andrey　got　up　and　walked　about　the　room；　shrugging　his　shoulders。
Pierre　looked　over　his　spectacles　in　na？ve　wonder　from　him　to　the　princess；　and　stirred　uneasily　as　though　he　too　meant　to　get　up；　but　had　changed　his　mind。
“What　do　I　care　if　Monsieur　Pierre　is　here；”　the　little　princess　said　suddenly；　her　pretty　face　contorted　into　a　tearful　grimace；　“I　have　long　wanted　to　say　to　you；　Andrey；　why　are　you　so　changed　to　me？　What　have　I　done？　You　go　away　to　the　war；　you　don’t　feel　for　me。　Why　is　it？”
“Liza！”　was　all　Prince　Andrey　said；　but　in　that　one　word　there　was　entreaty　and　menace；　and；　most　of　all；　conviction　that　she　would　herself　regret　her　words；　but　she　went　on　hurriedly。
“You　treat　me　as　though　I　were　ill；　or　a　child。　I　see　it　all。　You　weren’t　like　this　six　months　ago。”
“Liza；　I　beg　you　to　be　silent；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　still　more　expressively。
Pierre；　who　had　been　growing　more　and　more　agitated　during　this　conversation；　got　up　and　went　to　the　princess。　He　seemed　unable　to　endure　the　sight　of　her　tears；　and　was　ready　to　weep　himself。
“Please　don’t　distress　yourself；　princess。　You　only　fancy　that　because　…I　assure　you；　I’ve　felt　so　myself…because…through…oh；　excuse　me；　an　outsider　has　no　business…Oh；　don’t　distress　yourself…goodbye。”
Prince　Andrey　held　his　hand　and　stopped　him。
“No；　stay　a　little；　Pierre。　The　princess　is　so　good；　she　would　not　wish　to　deprive　me　of　the　pleasure　of　spending　an　evening　with　you。”
“No；　he　thinks　of　nothing　but　himself；”　the　princess　declared；　not　attempting　to　check　her　tears　of　anger