战争与和平(上)-第119章

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　has　become　very　weak　physically。　He　is　thinner　than　ever　and　more　nervous。　I　feel　anxious　about　him　and　glad　that　he　is　taking　this　tour　abroad；　which　the　doctors　prescribed　long　ago。　I　hope　that　it　will　cure　him。　You　write　to　me　that　he　is　spoken　of　in　Petersburg　as　one　of　the　most　capable；　cultivated；　and　intellectual　young　men。　Forgive　me　for　the　pride　of　family—I　never　doubted　it。　The　good　he　did　here　to　every　one—from　his　peasants　to　the　local　nobility—is　incalculable。　When　he　went　to　Petersburg　he　was　received　as　he　deserved。　I　wonder　at　the　way　reports　fly　from　Petersburg　to　Moscow；　and　especially　such　groundless　ones　as　the　rumour　you　wrote　to　me　about；　of　my　brother’s　supposed　engagement　to　the　little　Rostov　girl。　I　don’t　imagine　that　Andrey　will　ever　marry　any　one　at　all；　and　certainly　not　her。　And　I　will　tell　you　why。　In　the　first　place；　I　know　that　though　he　rarely　speaks　of　his　late　wife；　the　grief　of　his　loss　has　penetrated　too　deeply　into　his　heart　for　him　ever　to　be　ready　to　give　her　a　successor；　and　our　little　angel　a　step…mother。　Secondly；　because；　as　far　as　I　can　ascertain；　that　girl　is　not　one　of　the　kind　of　women　who　could　attract　my　brother　Andrey。　I　do　not　believe　that　Andrey　has　chosen　her　for　his　wife；　and　I　will　frankly　confess；　I　should　not　wish　for　such　a　thing。　But　how　I　have　been　running　on；　I　am　finishing　my　second　sheet。　Farewell；　my　sweet　friend；　and　may　God　keep　you　in　His　holy　and　mighty　care。　My　dear　companion；　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　sends　you　kisses。
MARIE。”


Chapter　26
IN　THE　MIDDLE　of　the　summer　Princess　Marya；　to　her　surprise；　received　a　letter　from　Prince　Andrey；　who　was　in　Switzerland。　In　it　he　told　her　strange　and　surprising　news。　He　informed　his　sister　of　his　engagement　to　the　younger　Rostov。　His　whole　letter　was　full　of　loving　enthusiasm　for　his　betrothed；　and　tender　and　confiding　affection　for　his　sister。　He　wrote　that　he　had　never　loved　as　he　loved　now；　and　that　it　was　only　now　that　he　saw　all　the　value　and　meaning　of　life。　He　begged　his　sister　to　forgive　him　for　having　said　nothing　of　his　plans　to　her　on　his　last　visit　to　Bleak　Hills；　though　he　had　spoken　of　it　to　his　father。　He　had　said　nothing　to　her　for　fear　Princess　Marya　would　beg　her　father　to　give　his　consent；　and；　without　attaining　her　object；　would　irritate　her　father　and　draw　all　the　weight　of　his　displeasure　upon　herself。　The　matter　was　not；　however；　then；　he　wrote　to　her；　so　completely　settled　as　now。　“At　that　time　our　father　insisted　on　a　delay　of　a　year；　and　now　six　months；　half　of　the　period　specified；　is　over；　and　I　remain　firmer　than　ever　in　my　resolution。　If　it　were　not　for　the　doctors　keeping　me　here　at　the　waters　I　should　be　back　in　Russia　myself；　but；　as　it　is；　I　must　put　off　my　return　for　another　three　months。　You　know　me　and　my　relations　with　our　father。　I　want　nothing　from　him。　I　have　been；　and　always　shall　be；　independent；　but　to　act　in　opposition　to　his　will；　to　incur　his　anger　when　he　has　perhaps　not　long　left　to　be　with　us；　would　destroy　half　my　happiness。　I　am　writing　a　letter　to　him　now；　and　I　beg　you　to　choose　a　favourable　moment　to　give　him　the　letter；　and　to　let　me　know　how　he　looks　at　the　whole　matter；　and　if　there　is　any　hope　of　his　agreeing　to　shorten　the　year　by　three　months。”
After　long　hesitations；　doubts；　and　prayers；　Princess　Marya　gave　the　letter　to　her　father。　The　next　day　the　old　prince　said　to　her　calmly：
“Write　to　your　brother　to　wait　till　I’m　dead。…　He　won’t　have　long　to　wait。　I　shall　soon　set　him　free。”
The　princess　tried　to　make　some　reply；　but　her　father　would　not　let　her　speak；　and　went　on；　getting　louder　and　louder。　“Let　him　marry；　let　him　marry；　the　dear　fellow。…　A　nice　connection！…　Clever　people；　eh？　Rich；　eh？　Oh　yes；　a　fine　stepmother　for　Nikolushka　she’ll　make！　You　write　to　him　he　can　marry　her　to…morrow。　Nikolushka　shall　have　her　for　a　stepmother；　and　I’ll　marry　little　Bourienne！…　Ha；　ha；　ha；　and　so　he　shall　have　a　stepmother　too！　Only　there’s　one　thing；　I　won’t　have　any　more　women…folk　about　my　house；　he　may　marry　and　go　and　live　by　himself。　Perhaps　you’ll　go　and　live　with　him　too？”　He　turned　to　Princess　Marya：　“You’re　welcome　to；　and　good　luck　to　you！”
After　this　outburst　the　prince　did　not　once　allude　to　the　subject　again。　But　his　repressed　anger　at　his　son’s　poor…spirited　behaviour　found　a　vent　in　his　treatment　of　his　daughter。　He　now　added　to　his　former　subjects　for　jeering　and　annoying　her　a　new　one—allusions　to　a　stepmother　and　gallantries　to　Mademoiselle　Bourienne。
“Why　shouldn’t　I　marry　her？”　he　would　say　to　his　daughter。　“A　capital　princess　she　will　make！”　And　latterly；　to　her　perplexity　and　amazement；　Princess　Marya　began　to　notice　that　her　father　was　really　beginning　to　attach　himself　more　and　more　closely　to　the　French…woman。　Princess　Marya　wrote　to　Prince　Andrey　and　told　him　how　their　father　had　taken　the　letter；　but　comforted　her　brother　with　hopes　that　he　would　become　reconciled　to　the　idea。
Nikolushka　and　his　education；　her　brother　Andrey　and　religion；　were　Princess　Marya’s　joys　and　consolations。　But　apart　from　those；　since　every　one　must　have　personal　hopes；　Princess　Marya　cherished；　in　the　deepest　secrecy　of　her　heart；　a　hidden　dream　and　hope　that　was　the　source　of　the　chief　comfort　in　her　life。　This　comforting　dream　and　hope　was　given　her　by　“God’s　folk”—the　crazy　prophets　and　the　pilgrims；　who　visited　her　without　the　prince’s　knowledge。　The　longer　Princess　Marya　lived；　the　more　experience　and　observation　she　had　of　life；　the　more　she　wondered　at　the　shortsightedness　of　men；　who　seek　here　on　earth　for　enjoyment；　toil；　suffer；　strive　and　do　each　other　harm　to　attain　that　impossible；　visionary；　and　sinful　happiness。　Prince　Andrey　had　loved　a　wife；　she　died；　that　was　not　enough　for　him；　he　wanted　to　bind　his　happiness　to　another　woman。　Her　father　did　not　want　that；　because　he　coveted　a　more　distinguished　or　a　wealthier　match　for　Andrey。　And　they　were　all　striving；　and　suffering；　and　in　torment；　and　sullying　their　souls；　their　eternal　souls；　to　attain　a　bliss　the　duration　of　which　was　but　a　moment。　Not　only　do　we　know　that　for　ourselves。　Christ；　the　Son　of　God；　came　down　upon　earth　and　told　us　that　this　life　is　but　for　a　moment；　is　but　a　probation；　yet　we　still　cling　to　it　and　think　to　find　happiness　in　it。　“How　is　it　no　one　has　realised　that？”　Princess　Marya　wondered。　“No　one　but　these　despised　people　of　God　who；　with　wallets　over　their　shoulders；　come　to　me　by　the　back　stairs；　afraid　of　the　prince　catching　sight　of　them；　and　not　from　fear　of　ill…usage；　but　from　fear　of　tempting　him　to　sin。　To　leave　home　and　country；　give　up　all　thoughts　of　worldly　blessings；　and　clinging　to　nothing；　to　wander　from　place　to　place　in　a　home…spun　smock　under　a　different　name；　doing　people　no　harm；　but　praying　for　them；　praying　equally　for　those　who　drive　them　away　and　those　who　succour　them：　higher　than　that　truth　and　that　life　there　is　no　truth　and　no　life！”
There　was　one　Pilgrim…woman；　Fedosyushka；　a　quiet；　little　woman　of　about　fifty；　marked　by　smallpox；　who　had　been　wandering　for　over　thirty　years　barefooted　and　wearing　chains。　Princess　Marya　was　particularly　fond　of　her。　One　day　when　sitting　in　a　dark　room；　by　the　light　only　of　the　lamp　before　the　holy　picture；　Fedosyushka　told　her　about　her　life。　Princess　Marya　felt　all　at　once　so　strongly　that　Fedosyushka　was　the　one　person　who　had　found　the　right　way　of　life；　that　she　resolved　to　go　on　a　pilgrimage　herself。　When　Fedosyushka　had　gone　to　bed　Princess　Marya　pondered　a　long　while　over　it；　and　at　last　made　up　her　mind　that—however　strange　it　might　be—she　must　go　on　a　pilgrimage。　She　confided　her　intention　to　no　one　but　a　monk；　Father　Akinfy；　and　this　priest　approved　of　her　project。　On　the　pretence　of　getting　presents　for　pilgrim　women；　Princess　Marya　had　prepared　for　herself　the　complete　outfit　of　a　pilgrim—a　smock；　plaited　shoes；　a　full…skirted　coat；　and　a　black　kerchief。　Often　she　went　to　her　secret　wardrobe；　where　she　kept　them；　and　stood　in　uncertainty　whether　the　time　to　carry　out　her　plan　had　come　or　not。
Often　as　she　listened　to　the　pilgrims’　tales；　their　simple　phrases—that　had　become　mechanical　to　them；　but　were　to　her　ears　full　of　the　deepest　significance—worked　upon　her　till　she　was　several　times　ready　to　throw　up　everything　and　run　away　from　home。　In　imagination　she　already　saw　herself　with　Fedosyushka　in　a　coarse　smock；　trudging　along　the　dusty　road　with　her　wallet　and　her　staff；　going　on　her　pilgrimage；　free　from　envy；　free　from　earthly　love；　free　from　all　desires；　from　one　saint　to　another；　and　at　last　thither　where　there　is　neither　sorrow　nor　sighing；　but　everlasting　joy　and　blessedness。
“I　shall　come　to　one　place。　I　shall　pray　there；　and　before　I　have　time　to　grow　used　to　it；　to　love　it；　I　shall　go　on　further。　And　I　shall　go　on　till　my　legs　give　way　under　me　and　I　lie　down　and　die　somewhere；　and　reach　at　last　that　quiet；　eternal　haven；　where　is　neither　sorrow　nor　sighing！…”　thought　Princess　Marya。
But　then　at　the　sight　of　her　father；　and　still　more　of　little　Nikolushka；　she　wavered　in　her　resolution；　wept　in　secret；　and　felt　that　she　was　a　sinner；　that　she　loved　her　father　and　her　nephew　more　than　God。


Part　Seven
Chapter　1
THE　BIBLICAL　TRADITION　tells　us　that　the　absence　of　work—idleness—was　a　condition　of　the　first　man’s　blessedness　before　the　Fall。　The　love　of　idleness　has　remained　the　same　in　fallen　man；　but　the　curse　still　lies　heavy　upon　man；　and　not　only　because　in　the　sweat　of　our　brow　we　must　eat　bread；　but　because　from　our　moral　qualities　we　are　unable　to　be　idle　and　at　peace。　A　secret　voice　tells　us　that　we　must　be　to　blame　for　being　idle。　If　a　man　could　find　a　state　in　which　while　being　idle　he　could　feel　himself　to　be　of　use　and　to　be　doing　his　duty；　he　would　have　attained　to　one　side　of　primitive　blessedness。　And　such　a　state　of　obligatory　and　irreproachable　idleness　is　enjoyed　by　a　whole　class—the　military　class。　It　is　in　that　obligatory　and　irreproachable　idleness　that　the　chief　attraction　of　military　service　has　always　consisted；　and　will　always　consist。
Nikolay　Rostov　was　enjoying　this　blessed　privilege　to　the　full；　as　after　the　year　1807　he　remained　in　the　Pavlograd　regiment；　in　command　of　the　squadron　that　had　been　Denisov’s。
Rostov　had　become　a　bluff；　good…natured　fellow；　who　would　have　been　thought　rather　bad　form　by　his　old　acquaintances　in　Moscow；　though　he　was　loved　and　respected　by　his　comrades；　his　subordinates；　and　his　superior　officers；　and　was　well　content　with　his　life。　Of　late—in　the　year　1809—he　had　found　more　and　more　frequently　in　letters　from　home　complaints　on　the　part　of　his　mother　that　their　pecuniary　position　was　going　from　bad　to　worse；　and　that　it　was　high　time　for　him　to　come　home；　to　gladden　and　comfort　the　hearts　of　his　old　parents。
As　he　read　those　letters；　Nikolay　felt　a　pang　of　dread　at　their　wanting　to　drag　him　out　of　the　surroundings　in　which；　by　fencing　himself　off　from　all　the　complexities　of　existence；　he　was　living　so　quietly　and　peacefully。　He　felt　that　sooner　or　later　he　would　have　to　plunge　again　into　that　whirlpool　of　life；　with　many　difficulties　and　business　to　attend　to；　with　the　steward’s　accounts；　with　quarrels　and　intrigues；　and　ties；　with　society；　with　Sonya’s　love　and　his　pro