战争与和平(上)-第135章

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ld　ease　my　heart；”　she　was　thinking；　“if　I　could　make　up　my　mind　to　confide　all　I　am　feeling　to　some　one。　And　it　is　just　Pierre　I　should　like　to　tell　it　all　to。　He　is　so　kind　and　generous。　It　would　ease　my　heart。　He　would　give　me　advice。”
“Would　you　marry　him？”　asked　Pierre。
“O　my　God；　count！　there　are　moments　when　I　would　marry　any　one”—to　her　own　surprise　Princess　Marya　said；　with　tears　in　her　voice。　“Ah！　how　bitter　it　is　to　love　some　one　near　to　one　and　to　feel；”　she　went　on　in　a　shaking　voice；　“that　you　can　do　nothing　for　him；　but　cause　him　sorrow；　and　when　you　know　you　cannot　alter　it。　There’s　only　one　thing—to　go　away；　and　where　am　I　to　go？”
“What　is　wrong？　what　is　the　matter　with　you；　princess？”
But　Princess　Marya；　without　explaining　further；　burst　into　tears。
“I　don’t　know　what　is　the　matter　with　me　to…day。　Don’t　take　any　notice　of　me；　forget　what　I　said　to　you。”
All　Pierre’s　gaiety　had　vanished。　He　questioned　the　princess　anxiously；　begged　her　to　speak　out；　to　confide　her　trouble　to　him。　But　she　would　only　repeat　that　she　begged　him　to　forget　what　she　had　said；　that　she　did　not　remember　what　she　had　said；　and　that　she　had　no　trouble　except　the　one　he　knew—her　anxiety　lest　Prince　Andrey’s　marriage　should　cause　a　breach　between　him　and　his　father。
“Have　you　heard　anything　of　the　Rostovs？”　she　asked　to　change　the　subject。　“I　was　told　they　would　soon　be　here。　I　expect　Andrey；　too；　every　day。　I　should　have　liked　them　to　see　each　other　here。”
“And　how　does　he　look　at　the　matter　now？”　said　Pierre；　meaning　by　he　the　old　prince。　Princess　Marya　shook　her　head。
“But　it　can’t　be　helped。　There　are　only　a　few　months　left　now　before　the　year　is　over。　And　it　can’t　go　on　like　this。　I　should　only　have　liked　to　spare　my　brother　the　first　minutes。　I　could　have　wished　they　were　coming　sooner。　I　hope　to　get　to　know　her　well。…You　have　known　them　a　long　while；”　said　Princess　Marya。　“Tell　me　the　whole　truth；　speaking　quite　seriously。　What　sort　of　a　girl　is　she；　and　how　do　you　like　her？　But　the　whole　truth；　because；　you　see；　Andrey　is　risking　so　much　in　doing　this　against　our　father’s　will；　that　I　should　like　to　know　…”
A　vague　instinct　told　Pierre　that　these　pleas　and　repeated　requests　to　him　to　tell　her　the　whole　truth　betrayed　Princess　Marya’s　ill…will　towards　her　future　sister…in…law；　that　she　wanted　Pierre　not　to　approve　of　Prince　Andrey’s　choice；　but　Pierre　said　what　he　felt　rather　than　what　he　thought。　“I　don’t　know　how　to　answer　your　question；”　said　he；　blushing　though　he　could　not　have　said　why　himself。　“I　really　don’t　know　what　kind　of　girl　she　is。　I　can’t　analyse　her。　She’s　fascinating；　and　why　she　is；　I　don’t　know；　that’s　all　that　one　can　say　about　her。”
Princess　Marya　sighed；　and　her　face　expressed：　“Yes；　that’s　what　I　expected　and　feared。”
“Is　she　clever？”　asked　Princess　Marya。　Pierre　thought　a　moment。
“I　suppose　not；”　he　said。　“Yes；　though。　She　does　not　think　it　worth　while　to　be　clever。…Yes；　no；　she　is　fascinating；　and　nothing　more。”
Princess　Marya　again　shook　her　head　disapprovingly。
“Ah；　I　do　so　want　to　like　her！　You　tell　her　so　if　you　see　her　before　I　do。”
“I　have　heard　that　they　will　be　here　in　a　few　days；”　said　Pierre。
Princess　Marya　told　Pierre　her　plan　of　getting　to　know　her　future　sister…in…law　as　soon　as　the　Rostovs　arrived；　and　trying　to　get　the　old　prince　accustomed　to　her。


Chapter　5
BORIS　had　not　succeeded　in　marrying　a　wealthy　heiress　in　Petersburg；　and　it　was　with　that　object　that　he　had　come　to　Moscow。　In　Moscow　Boris　found　himself　hesitating　between　two　of　the　wealthiest　heiresses；—　Julie　and　Princess　Marya。　Though　Princess　Marya；　in　spite　of　her　plainness；　seemed　to　him　anyway　more　attractive　than　Julie；　he　felt　vaguely　awkward　in　paying　court　to　the　former。　In　his　last　conversation　with　her；　on　the　old　prince’s　name…day；　she　had　met　all　his　attempts　to　talk　of　the　emotions　with　irrelevant　replies；　and　had　obviously　not　heard　what　he　was　saying。
Julie；　on　the　contrary；　received　his　attentions　eagerly；　though　she　showed　it　in　a　peculiar　fashion　of　her　own。
Julie　was　seven…and…twenty。　By　the　death　of　her　two　brothers　she　had　become　extremely　wealthy。　She　had　by　now　become　decidedly　plain。　But　she　believed　herself　to　be　not　merely　as　pretty　as　ever；　but　actually　far　more　attractive　than　she　had　ever　been。　She　was　confirmed　in　this　delusion　by　having　become　a　very　wealthy　heiress；　and　also　by　the　fact　that　as　she　grew　older　her　society　involved　less　risk　for　men；　and　they　could　behave　with　more　freedom　in　their　intercourse　with　her；　and　could　profit　by　her　suppers；　her　soirées；　and　the　lively　society　that　gathered　about　her；　without　incurring　any　obligations　to　her。　A　man　who　would　have　been　afraid　of　going　ten　years　before　to　a　house　where　there　was　a　young　girl　of　seventeen；　for　fear　of　compromising　her　and　binding　himself；　would　now　boldly　visit　her　every　day；　and　treat　her　not　as　a　marriageable　girl；　but　as　an　acquaintance　of　no　sex。
The　Karagins’　house　was　that　winter　one　of　the　most　agreeable　and　hospitable　houses　in　Moscow。　In　addition　to　the　dinner…parties　and　soirées；　to　which　guests　came　by　invitation；　there　were　every　day　large　informal　gatherings　at　the　Karagins’；　principally　of　men；　who　had　supper　there　at　midnight　and　stayed　on　till　three　o’clock　in　the　morning。　Julie　did　not　miss　a　single　ball；　entertainment；　or　theatre。　Her　dresses　were　always　of　the　most　fashionable。　But　in　spite　of　that；　Julie　appeared　to　have　lost　all　illusions；　told　every　one　that　she　had　no　faith　in　love　or　friendship；　or　any　of　the　joys　of　life；　and　looked　for　consolation　only　to　the　realm　beyond。　She　had　adopted　the　tone　of　a　girl　who　has　suffered　a　great　disappointment；　a　girl　who　has　lost　her　lover　or　been　cruelly　deceived　by　him。　Though　nothing　of　the　kind　had　ever　happened　to　her；　she　was　looked　upon　as　having　been　disappointed　in　that　way；　and　she　did　in　fact　believe　herself　that　she　had　suffered　a　great　deal　in　her　life。　This　melancholy　neither　hindered　her　from　enjoying　herself　nor　hindered　young　men　from　spending　their　time　very　agreeably　in　her　society。　Every　guest　who　visited　at　the　house　paid　his　tribute　to　the　melancholy　temper　of　the　hostess；　and　then　proceeded　to　enjoy　himself　in　society　gossip；　dancing；　intellectual　games；　or　bouts　rimés　which　were　in　fashion　at　the　Karagins’。　A　few　young　men　only；　among　them　Boris；　entered　more　deeply　into　Julie’s　melancholy；　and　with　these　young　men　she　had　more　prolonged　and　secluded　conversations　on　the　nothingness　of　all　things　earthly；　and　to　them　she　opened　her　albums；　full　of　mournful　sketches；　sentences；　and　verses。
Julie　was　particularly　gracious　to　Boris。　She　deplored　his　early　disillusionment　with　life；　offered　him　those　consolations　of　friendship　she　was　so　well　able　to　offer；　having　herself　suffered　so　cruelly　in　life；　and　opened　her　album　to　him。　Boris　sketched　two　trees　in　her　album；　and　wrote　under　them：　“Rustic　trees；　your　gloomy　branches　shed　darkness　and　melancholy　upon　me。”
In　another　place　he　sketched　a　tomb　and　inscribed　below　it：—
“Death　is　helpful；　and　death　is　tranquil；
Ah；　there　is　no　other　refuge　from　sorrow！”
Julie　said　that　couplet　was　exquisite。
“There　is　something　so　ravishing　in　the　smile　of　melancholy；”　she　said　to　Boris；　repeating　word　for　word　a　passage　copied　from　a　book。　“It　is　a　ray　of　light　in　the　shadow；　a　blend　between　grief　and　despair；　which　shows　consolation　possible。”
Upon　that　Boris　wrote　her　the　following　verses　in　French：—
“Poisonous　nourishment　of　a　soul　too　sensitive；
Thou；　without　whom　happiness　would　be　impossible　to　me；
Tender　melancholy；　ah；　come　and　console　me；
Come；　calm　the　torments　of　my　gloomy　retreat；
And　mingle　a　secret　sweetness　with　the　tears　I　feel　flowing。”
Julie　played　to　Boris　the　most　mournful　nocturnes　on　the　harp。　Boris　read　aloud　to　her　the　romance　of　Poor　Liza；　and　more　than　once　broke　down　in　reading　it　from　the　emotion　that　choked　his　utterance。　When　they　met　in　general　society　Julie　and　Boris　gazed　at　one　another　as　though　they　were　the　only　people　existing　in　the　world；　disillusioned　and　comprehending　each　other。
Anna　Mihalovna；　who　often　visited　the　Karagins；　took　a　hand　at　cards　with　the　mother；　and　meanwhile　collected　trustworthy　information　as　to　the　portion　that　Julie　would　receive　on　her　marriage　（her　dowry　was　to　consist　of　two　estates　in　the　Penza　province　and　forests　in　the　Nizhnigorod　province）。　With　tender　emotion　and　deep　resignation　to　the　will　of　Providence；　Anna　Mihalovna　looked　on　at　the　refined　sadness　that　united　her　soul　to　the　wealthy　Julie。
“Still　as　charming　and　as　melancholy　as　ever；　my　sweet　Julie；”　she　would　say　to　the　daughter。　“Boris　says　he　finds　spiritual　refreshment　in　your　house。　He　has　suffered　such　cruel　disillusionment；　and　he　is　so　sensitive；”　she　would　say　to　the　mother。
“Ah；　my　dear；　how　attached　I　have　grown　to　Julie　lately；”　she　would　say　to　her　son；　“I　can’t　tell　you。　But；　indeed；　who　could　help　loving　her！　A　creature　not　of　this　earth！　Ah；　Boris！　Boris！”　She　paused　for　a　moment。　“And　how　I　feel　for　her　mother；”　she　would　go　on。　“She　showed　me　today　the　letters　and　accounts　from　Penza　（they　have　an　immense　estate　there）；　and　she；　poor　thing；　with　no　one　to　help　her。　They　do　take　such　advantage　of　her！”
Boris　heard　his　mother　with　a　faintly　perceptible　smile。　He　laughed　blandly　at　her　simple…hearted　wiles；　but　he　listened　to　her　and　sometimes　questioned　her　carefully　about　the　Penza　and　Nizhnigorod　estates。
Julie　had　long　been　expecting　an　offer　from　her　melancholy　adorer；　and　was　fully　prepared　to　accept　it。　But　a　sort　of　secret　feeling　of　repulsion　for　her；　for　her　passionate　desire　to　be　married；　for　her　affectation　and　a　feeling　of　horror　at　renouncing　all　possibility　of　real　love　made　Boris　still　delay。　The　term　of　his　leave　was　drawing　to　a　close。　Whole　days　at　a　time；　and　every　day　he　spent　at　the　Karagins’；　and　each　day　Boris　resolved；　as　he　thought　things　over；　that　he　would　make　an　offer　on　the　morrow。　But　in　Julie’s　presence；　as　he　watched　her　red　face　and　her　chin；　almost　always　sprinkled　with　powder；　her　moist　eyes；　and　the　expression　of　her　countenance；　which　betokened　a　continual　readiness　to　pass　at　once　from　melancholy　to　the　unnatural　ecstasies　of　conjugal　love；　Boris　could　not　utter　the　decisive　word；　although　in　imagination　he　had　long　regarded　himself　as　the　owner　of　the　Penza　and　Nizhnigorod　estates；　and　had　disposed　of　the　expenditure　of　their　several　revenues。　Julie　saw　the　hesitation　of　Boris；　and　the　idea　did　sometimes　occur　to　her　that　she　was　distasteful　to　him。　But　feminine　self…flattery　promptly　afforded　her　comfort；　and　she　assured　herself　that　it　was　love　that　made　him　retiring。　Her　melancholy　was；　however；　beginning　to　pass　into　irritability；　and　not　long　before　the　end　of　Boris’s　leave　she　adopted　a　decisive　plan　of　action。　Just　before　the　expiration　of　Boris’s　leave　there　appeared　in　Moscow；　and—it　need　hardly　be　said—also　in　the　drawing…room　of　the　Karagins’；　no　less　a　person　than　Anatole　Kuragin；　and　Julie；　abruptly　abandoning　her　melancholy；　became　exceedingly　lively　and　cordial　to　Kuragin。
“My　dear；”　said　Anna　Mihalovna　to　her　son；　“I　know　from　a　trust…worthy　source　that　Prince　Vassily　is　sendi