战争与和平(上)-第154章

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After　dinner　they　went　to　drink　coffee　in　Napoleon’s　study；　which　had　four　days　before　been　the　study　of　the　Emperor　Alexander。　Napoleon　sat　down；　stirring　his　coffee　in　a　Sèvres　cup；　and　motioned　Balashov　to　a　seat　beside　him。
There　is　a　well…known　after…dinner　mood　which　is　more　potent　than　any　rational　consideration　in　making　a　man　satisfied　with　himself　and　disposed　to　regard　every　one　as　a　friend。　Napoleon　was　under　the　influence　of　this　mood。　He　fancied　himself　surrounded　by　persons　who　adored　him。　He　felt　no　doubt　that　Balashov　too　after　his　dinner　was　his　friend　and　his　worshipper。　Napoleon　addressed　him　with　an　amicable　and　rather　ironical　smile。
“This　is　the　very　room；　I　am　told；　in　which　the　Emperor　Alexander　used　to　sit。　Strange；　isn’t　it；　general？”　he　said；　obviously　without　the　slightest　misgiving　that　this　remark　could　be　other　than　agreeable　to　the　Russian；　since　it　afforded　a　proof　of　his；　Napoleon’s；　superiority　over　Alexander。
Balashov　could　make　no　reply　to　this；　and　he　bowed　in　silence。
“Yes；　four　days　ago；　Wintzengerode　and　Stein　were　deliberating　in　this　very　room；”　Napoleon　continued；　with　the　same　confident　and　ironical　smile。　“What　I　can’t　understand；”　he　said；　“is　the　Emperor　Alexander’s　gathering　round　him　all　my　personal　enemies。　That　I　do　not　understand。　Didn’t　he　consider　that　I　might　do　the　same？”　he　asked　Balashov；　and　obviously　the　question　brought　him　back　to　a　reminiscence　of　the　morning’s　anger；　which　was　still　fresh　in　him。　“And　let　him　know　that　I　will　do　so；”　Napoleon　said；　getting　up　and　pushing　away　his　cup。　“I’ll　drive　all　his　kith　and　kin　out　of　Germany—the　Würtembergs　and　Badens　and　Weimars…Yes；　I’ll　drive　them　out。　Let　him　get　a　refuge　ready　for　them　in　Russia。”
Balashov　bowed　his　head；　with　an　air　that　indicated　that　he　would　be　glad　to　withdraw；　and　was　simply　listening　because　he　had　no　alternative　but　to　listen　to　what　was　said　to　him。　Napoleon　did　not　notice　this　expression。　He　was　addressing　Balashov　now；　not　as　the　envoy　of　his　enemy；　but　as　a　man　now　quite　devoted　to　him　and　certain　to　rejoice　at　the　humiliation　of　his　former　master。
“And　why　has　the　Emperor　Alexander　taken　the　command　of　his　troops？　What’s　that　for？　War　is　my　profession；　but　his　work　is　to　reign　and　not　to　command　armies。　What　has　induced　him　to　take　such　a　responsibility　on　himself？”
Napoleon　again　took　his　snuff…box；　walked　several　times　in　silence　up　and　down　the　room；　and　all　at　once　surprised　Balashov　by　coming　close　up　to　him。　And　with　a　faint　smile；　as　confidently；　rapidly；　and　swiftly；　as　though　he　were　doing　something　that　Balashov　could　not　but　regard　as　an　honour　and　a　pleasure；　he　put　his　hand　up　to　the　face　of　the　Russian　general　of　forty；　and　gave　him　a　little　pinch　on　the　ear　with　a　smile　on　his　lips。
To　have　the　ear　pulled　by　the　Emperor　was　regarded　as　the　greatest　honour　and　mark　of　favour　at　the　French　court。
“Well；　you　say　nothing；　admirer　and　courtier　of　the　Emperor　Alexander；”　he　said；　as　though　it　were　comic　that　there　should　be　in　his　presence　a　courtier　and　worshipper　of　any　man　other　than　him；　Napoleon。　“Are　the　horses　ready　for　the　general？”　he　added；　with　a　slight　nod　in　acknowledgment　of　Balashov’s　bow。　“Give　him　mine；　he　has　a　long　way　to　go。…”
The　letter　taken　back　by　Balashov　was　Napoleon’s　last　letter　to　Alexander。　Every　detail　of　the　conversation　was　transmitted　to　the　Russian　Emperor；　and　the　war　began。


Chapter　8
AFTER　HIS　INTERVIEW　with　Pierre　in　Moscow；　Prince　Andrey　went　away　to　Petersburg；　telling　his　family　that　he　had　business　there。　In　reality　his　object　was　to　meet　Anatole　Kuragin　there。　He　thought　it　necessary　to　meet　him；　but　on　inquiring　for　him　when　he　reached　Petersburg；　he　found　he　was　no　longer　there。　Pierre　had　let　his　brother…in…law　know　that　Prince　Andrey　was　on　his　track。　Anatole　Kuragin　had　promptly　obtained　a　commission　from　the　minister　of　war；　and　had　gone　to　join　the　army　in　Moldavia。　While　in　Petersburg　Prince　Andrey　met　Kutuzov；　his　old　general；　who　was　always　friendly　to　him；　and　Kutuzov　proposed　that　he　should　accompany　him　to　Moldavia；　where　the　old　general　was　being　sent　to　take　command　of　the　army。　Prince　Andrey　received　an　appointment　on　the　staff　of　the　commander；　and　went　to　Turkey。
Prince　Andrey　did　not　think　it　proper　to　write　to　Kuragin　to　challenge　him　to　a　duel。　He　thought　that　a　challenge　coming　from　him；　without　any　new　pretext　for　a　duel；　would　be　compromising　for　the　young　Countess　Rostov；　and　therefore　he　was　seeking　to　encounter　Kuragin　in　person　in　order　to　pick　a　quarrel　with　him　that　would　serve　as　a　pretext　for　a　duel。　But　in　the　Turkish　army　too　Prince　Andrey　failed　to　come　across　Kuragin。　The　latter　had　returned　to　Russia　shortly　after　Prince　Andrey　reached　the　Turkish　army。　In　a　new　country；　amid　new　surroundings；　Prince　Andrey　found　life　easier　to　bear。　After　his　betrothed’s　betrayal　of　him；　which　he　felt　the　more　keenly；　the　more　studiously　he　strove　to　conceal　its　effect　on　him　from　others；　he　found　it　hard　to　bear　the　conditions　of　life　in　which　he　had　been　happy；　and　felt　still　more　irksome　the　freedom　and　independence　he　had　once　prized　so　highly。　He　could　not　now　think　the　thoughts　that　had　come　to　him　for　the　first　time　on　the　field　of　Austerlitz；　that　he　had　loved　to　develop　with　Pierre；　and　that　had　enriched　his　solitude　at　Bogutcharovo；　and　later　on　in　Switzerland　and　in　Rome。　Now　he　dreaded　indeed　those　ideas　that　had　then　opened　to　him　boundless　vistas　of　light。　Now　he　was　occupied　only　with　the　most　practical　interests　lying　close　at　hand；　and　in　no　way　associated　with　those　old　ideals。　He　clutched　at　these　new　interests　the　more　eagerly　the　more　the　old　ideals　were　hidden　from　him。　It　was　as　though　the　infinite；　fathomless　arch　of　heaven　that　had　once　stood　over　him　had　been　suddenly　transformed　into　a　low；　limited　vault　weighing　upon　him；　with　everything　in　it　clear；　but　nothing　eternal　and　mysterious。
Of　the　pursuits　that　presented　themselves；　military　service　was　the　simplest　and　the　most　familiar　to　him。　He　performed　the　duties　of　a　general　on　duty　on　Kutuzov’s　staff　with　zeal　and　perseverance；　surprising　Kutuzov　by　his　eagerness　for　work　and　his　conscientiousness。　When　he　missed　Kuragin　in　Turkey；　Prince　Andrey　did　not　feel　it　necessary　to　gallop　back　to　Russia　in　search　of　him。　Yet　in　spite　of　all　his　contempt　for　Kuragin；　in　spite　of　all　the　arguments　by　which　he　sought　to　persuade　himself　that　Kuragin　was　not　worth　his　stooping　to　quarrel　with　him；　he　knew　that　whatever　length　of　time　might　elapse；　when　he　did　meet　him；　he　would　be　unable　to　help　challenging　him　as　a　starving　man　cannot　help　rushing　upon　food。　And　the　consciousness　that　the　insult　was　not　yet　avenged；　that　his　wrath　had　not　been　expended；　but　was　still　stored　up　in　his　heart；　poisoned　the　artificial　composure；　which　Prince　Andrey　succeeded　in　obtaining　in　Turkey　in　the　guise　of　studiously　busy　and　somewhat　ambitious　and　vain　energy。
In　1812；　when　the　news　of　the　war　with　Napoleon　reached　Bucharest　（where　Kutuzov　had　been　fourteen　months；　spending　days　and　nights　together　with　his　Wallachian　mistress）；　Prince　Andrey　asked　to　be　transferred　to　the　western　army。　Kutuzov；　who　was　by　now　sick　of　Bolkonsky’s　energy；　and　felt　it　a　standing　reproach　to　his　sloth；　was　very　ready　to　let　him　go；　and　gave　him　a　commission　for　Barclay　de　Tolly。
Before　joining　the　army　of　the　west；　which　was　in　May　encamped　at　Drissa；　Prince　Andrey　went　to　Bleak　Hills；　which　was　directly　in　his　road；　only　three　versts　from　the　Smolensk　high…road。　The　last　three　years　of　Prince　Andrey’s　life　had　been　so　full　of　vicissitudes；　he　had　passed　through　such　changes　of　thought　and　feeling；　and　seen　such　varied　life　（he　had　travelled　both　in　the　east　and　the　west）；　that　it　struck　him　as　strange　and　amazing　to　find　at　Bleak　Hills　life　going　on　in　precisely　the　same　routine　as　ever。　He　rode　up　the　avenue　to　the　stone　gates　of　the　house；　feeling　as　though　it　were　the　enchanted；　sleeping　castle。　The　same　sedateness；　the　same　cleanliness；　the　same　silence　reigned　in　the　house；　there　was　the　same　furniture；　the　same　walls；　the　same　sounds；　the　same　smell；　and　the　same　timid　faces；　only　a　little　older。　Princess　Marya　was　just　the　same　timid；　plain　girl；　no　longer　in　her　first　youth；　wasting　the　best　years　of　her　life　in　continual　dread　and　suffering；　and　getting　no　benefit　or　happiness　out　of　her　existence。　Mademoiselle　Bourienne　was　just　the　same　self…satisfied；　coquettish　girl；　enjoying　every　moment　of　her　life；　and　filled　with　the　most　joyous　hopes　for　the　future。　She　seemed　only　to　have　gained　boldness；　so　Prince　Andrey　thought。　The　tutor　he　had　brought　back　from　Switzerland；　Dessalle；　was　wearing　a　coat　of　Russian　cut；　and　talked　broken　Russian　to　the　servants；　but　he　was　just　the　same　narrow…minded；　cultivated；　conscientious；　pedantic　preceptor。　The　only　physical　change　apparent　in　the　old　prince　was　the　loss　of　a　tooth；　that　left　a　gap　at　the　side　of　his　mouth。　In　character　he　was　the　same　as　ever；　only　showing　even　more　irritability　and　scepticism　as　to　everything　that　happened　in　the　world。　Nikolushka　was　the　only　one　who　had　changed：　he　had　grown　taller；　and　rosy；　and　had　curly　dark　hair。　When　he　was　merry　and　laughing；　he　unconsciously　lifted　the　upper　lip　of　his　pretty　little　mouth；　just　as　his　dead　mother；　the　little　princess；　used　to　do。　He　was　the　only　one　not　in　bondage　to　the　law　of　sameness　that　reigned　in　that　spellbound　sleeping　castle。　But　though　externally　all　was　exactly　as　of　old；　the　inner　relations　of　all　the　persons　concerned　had　changed　since　Prince　Andrey　had　seen　them　last。　The　household　was　split　up　into　two　hostile　camps；　which　held　aloof　from　one　another；　and　only　now　came　together　in　his　presence；　abandoning　their　ordinary　habits　on　his　account。　To　one　camp　belonged　the　old　prince；　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　and　the　architect；　to　the　other—Princess　Marya；　Dessalle；　Nikolushka；　and　all　the　nurses。
During　his　stay　at　Bleak　Hills　all　the　family　dined　together；　but　every　one　was　ill　at　ease；　and　Prince　Andrey　felt　that　he　was　being　treated　as　a　guest　for　whom　an　exception　was　being　made；　and　that　his　presence　made　all　of　them　feel　awkward。　The　first　day　Prince　Andrey　could　not　help　being　aware　of　this　at　dinner；　and　sat　in　silence。　The　old　prince　noticed　his　unnatural　dumbness；　and　he；　too；　preserved　a　sullen　silence；　and　immediately　after　dinner　withdrew　to　his　own　room。　Later　in　the　evening　when　Prince　Andrey　went　in　to　him；　and　began　telling　him　about　the　campaign　of　the　young　Prince　Kamensky　to　try　and　rouse　him；　the　old　prince；　to　his　surprise；　began　talking　about　Princess　Marya；　grumbling　at　her　superstitiousness；　and　her　dislike　of　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　who　was；　he　said；　the　only　person　really　attached　to　him。
The　old　prince　declared　that　it　was　all　Princess　Marya’s　doing　if　he　were　ill；　that　she　plagued　and　worried　him　on　purpose；　and　that　she　was　spoiling　little　Prince　Nikolay　by　the　way　she　petted　him；　and　the　silly　tales　she　told　him。　The　old　prince　knew　very　well　that　he　tormented　his　daughter；　and　that　her　life　was　a　very　hard　one。　But　he　knew；　too；　that　he　could　not　help　tormenting　her；　and　considered　that　she　deserved　it。　“Why　is　it　Andrey；　who　sees　it；　says　nothing　about　his　sister？”　the