War and Peace

Chapter 38

In recalling the whole process of her father's illness and death, the only thing that frightened Princess Molière was the scene of his death.But all the scenes are so real and completely presented in front of her eyes that sometimes it is almost impossible for her to tell whether it happened in the past, the present moment, or the future.She recalled vividly the first time he fell ill. "He just wanted to say what he said to me on the day he died." Then, she recalled all the details of the night before his illness.She had sensed the impending doom then, and had stayed by his side against his advice.That night, she came to the door where her father stayed overnight and listened to his conversation with Jae-ho. "Why didn't I go in? If I had gone in, maybe he would have told me what he said on the day he died. He wanted to see me, because he mentioned me twice when he talked to Jeho." She Think so.Princess Molière repeated aloud the dear word he had spoken to her on the day of his death. "My dear!" she repeated, crying loudly, tears that relieved the soul.Immediately before her eyes was a frightened, timid face, the face she had actually seen on the last day of his life, wrinkled and finely lined, but not the one she had known since she was a child and had often The face seen in the distance.

"What was he thinking when he said this?" When he was thinking about this question, he appeared in front of her with the expression of lying in a coffin, the feeling of panic she felt that chilled her heart that day Hold her down again.She could not escape this timidity, distractions and prayers did not help.

"Dunyasha!" she whispered first, then shouted in a rude voice, and went to the maid's room.

[Thirteen]
On August [-]th, Rostaff, Ilyin and others left their garrison in Jankovo, which was twelve miles away from Burg Charova, and rode for a stroll, checking whether there was any hay in the village.

For the last few days Berg-Charlevoir had been caught between opposing armies, and Rostaff, a manipulative cavalry commander, wanted to get ahead of the French and seize the rations left at Berg-Charlevoir.

They had a lot of fun along the way.It did not occur to Rostaf that the village to which he was going was the home of Prince Andrei Bolkonski, to whom his sister had been betrothed.

They walked slowly to the granary, where many farmers stood. "Why are you all here?" asked Rosetaffer. "The gathering of the old people is because of something in the village." A farmer replied.At this moment, on the way to the master's house, two women and a man in a white cap approached the officer.

"The princess wants me to ask, which unit are you in? What's your surname?" Dunyasha ran over and said.Alpatych took off his hat at a distance, and after Dunyasha came up to Rostav.

"I offend my lord, my mistress, the daughter of the admiral Duke Nicolaus Andrée, Duke Ichy Balkonski, who died half a month ago, is in a desperate situation because of the stupidity and ignorance of these people." Continuing he continued Said: "I am rude to report to my lord. The rude peasants here will not let the mistress leave the manor, and will leave the horse. Although we packed things in the morning, the mistress can't leave until now."

Indeed, yesterday the princess was going to distribute grain to the farmers, and ended up making things so bad that Danron finally handed over the key.In the morning the princess ordered the carts to be set off, and many peasants gathered in front of the granary, claiming that they would not let the princess leave the village, saying that they were not allowed to take away things because they had asked, and they wanted to unload their horses.

When Rostaff and the others came, the princess and the others thought they were French, and the coachmen fled, and there were women's cries in the house.

Princess Molière was sitting in the drawing-room, bewildered and aimless, when Rostaff was led to her.From the way he looked, how he behaved, how he talked, she knew that he belonged to her class.Her bright eyes looked at him deeply, and her speech became incoherent with excitement.Rose Tapher listened to her talk, watched her silently, and was deeply attracted by her gentle and noble appearance and expression.

When Princess Molière spoke of her father's death, her voice trembled, and she noticed that Rostaff was also in tears.Lostaff expressed with his respect that, even though he thought it a pleasure to know her, he did not wish to exploit her misfortune for his own.The Duchess understands and cherishes this attitude very much.Rostaff frowned, bowed deeply again, and went out of the house.

[fourteen]
"I want them to know how powerful they are, and I must beat them up, these bandits!" Coming out from Princess Molier, Rostaff said to himself.

"Call the troops and beat them...I'll take them on." Malal said something meaningless, breathless with this irrational bestial rage and need to vent his anger.

He didn't think about what to do or how to do it, he just walked towards the crowd quickly and firmly.Seeing him approaching the crowd, Alpatitch became more uneasy.The peasants in the crowd were also deeply disturbed when they saw his angry and sullen face.

"Hey, who's the headman here?" cried Lostaff, hurrying up to the crowd.

"Village Chief, I'm calling the village chief...Danron Zakharech, I'm calling you." An impatient and obedient voice came from the crowd, and the hats were taken off the heads of those people.

"We will never rebel, we abide by the rules," Karp said, and at this moment, several voices sounded behind him: "It's the rules of the old people..." Lostav shouted, his voice changed, He grabbed Karp by the neck and shouted: "Tie him up!" Alpatych called out the names of two peasants who obediently stepped out of the crowd and unfastened their belts. "Where's the Mayor?" cried Rosettalf.Dan Long frowned, his face was pale, and he walked out from the crowd. "Are you the village chief? Tie it up, Lavrushka!" Sure enough, two more peasants came to tie up Danron, and Danron almost helped them by taking off his belt and giving it to them.

Two hours later, several large vehicles had parked in the courtyard of Berg Charlevois.Danlong, who had just been released, was leading the farmers to move the master's luggage vigorously.

Lostaff didn't want to bother the princess all the time, but waited for her to come out in the village.He then sent her on the road our army passed thirteen miles from Berg Charlevoix.In front of the Jankovo ​​Inn he parted with her respectfully and kissed her hand for the first time.

She thanked him with all the expression on her face, brightened with emotion.Without him, she felt, she would have died at the hands of rioting peasants or the French.The fact that he risked himself to save her shows how noble, kind and selfless he is.

On the way to Moscow, Dunyasha saw more than once that although the princess was not happy, she often leaned out of the window, smiling anxiously and joyfully.

"I fell in love with him, so what?" the princess thought in the car.

Duchess Moliere had made a deep impression on Rostaff.Even when he was happy to think of her, he was annoyed when people joked with him that he went looking for hay and found one of the richest betrotheds in Russia.Because he did have the idea of ​​marrying the wealthy and gentle Princess Molière, and he also thought of the various advantages of marrying the Duchess Molière, his mother and father would be happy about it, and he was sure that , this marriage can still make Princess Molière happy.

So what about Martha?That's why he was annoyed.

[fifteen]
Kotusov, who had taken command of the corps, thought of Duke Andrey and asked him to come to the general headquarters.

On the day Prince Andrey arrived at Tsarevo-Zaymich, Kotusov was just in time to inspect the troops.

There, Duke André met Lieutenant-Colonel of the Hussars Jackoff.Duke Andrele knew from Natess that Jackoff was her first suitor.Although he tried his best not to think about the painful wound, deep down in his heart was still painful.After the loss of Smolensk, the trip to the Bald Mountains, and the death of my father, the previous impressions had faded.But for Jackoff, the rather poetic scene and his love for the 16-year-old Natess made him smile involuntarily.What he is most concerned about at the moment is the strategy he mentioned to Barclays before, and now he wants to propose to Kotusov.Its main content is to block the enemy's too long front and fight guerrilla warfare.He explained his thoughts to Duke Andrele.As they were talking, Kotusov rode down the street on a bay pony, crowded by many adjutants.After recognizing the Duke of Andrele, he questioned the old prince. When he knew the news of the death of the old prince, he opened his eyes and looked at the Duke of Andrele in surprise, then took off his hat and made the sign of the cross.He said to Duke Andryle: "I love him, I respect him, and I sympathize with you with all my heart." He put his arms around Duke Andryle, and held him to his fat chest, and did not let go for a long time.When he let go of him, Prince Andrei saw his soft lips quivering, and tears in his eyes.

Just as they were about to leave, Jackoff, who was as unafraid before the officer as he was the enemy, stepped boldly onto the porch.He declared that he wanted to report a great event in the interest of the motherland to His Highness, and Kotusov began to look at him with weary eyes, raised his hands in a disgusted gesture, and then folded them on his stomach.Jackoff blushed like a girl, and began to boldly describe his plan.His plan is undoubtedly good, especially the firm tone in his words.

During the conversation, Duke Andryl heard the murmur of the woman at the door and the shuddering of the woman's silk dress.When the adjutant introduced to Kotusov that the pretty mistress, the priest's wife, was ready to receive him, Kotusov looked back.

As if listening to Jackoff, as if listening to a debate at the Austerlitz military council, Kotusov listened to the report of the general on duty.But it is obvious that first of all he knows everything he has to say to him, and he listens only because he has to.It was obvious that he despised talent and tact, and he knew that something else determined things, something else that had nothing to do with wisdom or knowledge.

The only order Kotusov gave while listening to the report was how to stop the looting by the Russian army.

[sixteen]
"It's all over now." Kotusov signed the last document, stood up with difficulty, the wrinkles on his fat, white neck unfolded, and walked towards the door with a happy look.

The priest's wife blushed and quickly picked up the plate. Even though she had been preparing for a long time, she still didn't have time to hand it over.With a low bow, she handed the plate to Kotusov.

Kotusov squinted his eyes, smiled, touched her chin with his hand, and said:
"How beautiful! Thank you, dear!" He took some notes from his trouser pocket and put them on the plate.After lunch, Prince Andrey saw Kotusov again.Kotusov, still with his clothes uncovered, was lying on a chair with a French book in his hand, which was Madame Jean Lis's masterpiece "The Swan Knight".

Duke Andrée described to him all about his father's death, and what he had seen and heard when he passed Bald Mountain.

Kotusov cut off a conversation about the situation in Russia, and said to Prince Andrey: "I have come to keep you by my side."

When his proposal was euphemistically rejected by Duke Andrele, a talented, kind, and slightly sarcastic expression appeared on his face. He stopped Balkonski and said: "Unfortunately, I need you, but you You're right, you're right. It's not that we don't have people here, there are always plenty of advisers, but no talent. If all the advisers worked in the army like you, the army wouldn't be like this. I remember you at Austerlitz . . . I remember, I remember you carrying a flag." A blush of joy came over Duke Andryl's face at this memory.He saw tears again in the old man's eyes.

"God bless you, go your own way. I understand that your way is a fair way." After a while Kotusov changed the subject and talked about the Turkish war and the conclusion of the peace treaty. "If everyone listens, then the peace treaty will not be concluded, and the war will not be stopped. If Kamensky does not die, he will be defeated. He rushed to the key with 3 people, and all I need is patience and time. This This attack took more ground than Kamensky's and forced the Turks to eat horse meat. The French will do the same! Believe me, I will make them eat horse meat!" He patted his chest excitedly, There were tears in my eyes again.

"In times of doubt, my dear, restrain yourself," said Kotussov at last in French to Duke Andryl; "remember, I sympathize with your misfortune from the bottom of my heart, and that I am no gentleman to you, no Duke, not Commander-in-Chief, but your father. If you need anything, come to me directly. Good-bye, my boy." He sighed reassuringly before Duke Andréet went out, and took another Started Madame Jeanlis's book.Prince Andrey, returning to his regiment after his meeting with Kotusov, felt relieved in the face of the general situation and the man who was in charge of it, but he could not explain why he felt this way.The more he understood that the old man had no personal purpose, the more assured he was that everything would be as it should be.The old man retained almost only the habits of emotion, and had only a capacity for calmly considering the situation, without the wisdom to gather events and draw conclusions.However, he arranged everything properly, never hindered the beneficial things, and never indulged the harmful things.

It is precisely because people have this more or less confused feeling that when he was elected commander-in-chief, there was unanimous approval. Although this choice violated the intention of the court, it was deeply popular. of.

[seventeen]
The emperor left Moscow, and life in Moscow returned to normal.Such a quiet and ordinary life makes it hard to believe that it is in danger.The only thing that reminds people of the patriotic fervor that aroused in Moscow at that time was that after making a promise to give money and people, you had to do what you promised.

When the French approached Moscow, people resigned themselves to their situation. They probably thought that the misery they were going to face was inevitable and unimaginable, and they simply did not think about it, but thought of something pleasant.

There was a leaflet circulated by Rushdoppich, in which the greedy Moscow petty bourgeois, Chigirin, came out of a tavern and was cursing the Frenchman with obscenities, and it was widely circulated and discussed.In the room around the corner of the club, people gathered to read leaflets and tell jokes.

Sorin Talubinskoya is leaving Moscow tomorrow and is having a farewell ball.

In Sorin's circle, as in many circles in Moscow, the rule was that only Russian could be spoken, French was punished, and the fine was handed over to the Contribution Committee.

Just as Sorin and a young man in military uniform were discussing Bin-Air in a sarcastic tone, Bin-Air appeared.Though he was a careless and benevolent man, his character at once checked any attempt to ridicule him in his face.

Sorin's social circle also talked about the Rostaff family, and they especially talked about Natess, who had regained her youthful charm. Sorin hinted that Bin-Air was in love with Natess, and jealously blamed Natess for forgetting easily. everything.When talking about Nates, Thorin deliberately talked about Willie. Bin-Air was very angry at Thorin's sarcasm. The role of knights, I have not been to their house for nearly 30 days. However, I do not understand this practice...”

(End of this chapter)