War and Peace

Chapter 6

[nineteen]
While Prince Vohile and the princess were talking in the room, the carriage in which Binair (who had been summoned) and Princess Talubinskoya (who thought she should accompany him) drove into the room. into the yard of the Binzokhov family.Bin-Air learned that the carriage did not stop at the gate, but rounded to the back door.Princess Talubinskaya hurried up a narrow, dimly lit staircase, and from time to time urged Bin-Air, who was behind her, although Bin-Air had no idea why he was in such a hurry to see the count, still less Why take the back stairs, but from the calmness and haste of Princess Talubinskaya, he saw that it was necessary to come here, so he followed his female guide obediently all the time. behind.

It can be seen from the face of Princess Talubinskaya that her consciousness has reached the most critical moment.She followed Bin-Air, and she walked into the room with the vigor of a Petersburg woman, her head held high, her expression fuller than in the morning.She felt that she had brought the person the dying earl wanted to see, so she was very sure that she would see the earl.She hurriedly looked around the people in the room and saw the count's priest. She didn't seem to bend down, but suddenly appeared to be half-lower. She hurriedly walked to the priest with small steps, and accepted the priest's blessing very solemnly.She lowered her voice again, and told the priest and the doctor in detail that Bin-Air was the earl's son, and told all the people waiting in the reception room.She pointed Bin Air to a small sofa by the side of the living room, and asked him to sit down and wait for her, while she herself walked towards the room that everyone was paying attention to, and with an almost inaudible door opening After that, she walked into the room.

All the people in the living room looked at Bin-Air with questioning and curious eyes, and showed him respect and respect.He sat silently on the seat vacated by a lady, took the gloves that an adjutant had picked up for him, put his big hands on the armrests of the sofa, and assumed a steady and simple posture like a sculpture. .A few minutes later, the Duke of Vauhilie came in with a big head and chest in a woolen coat with three gold stars on it.He seemed thinner again than he had been in the morning, and he glanced around the room, his eyes opening wider than usual when he saw Bin-Air.He came up to Bin-Air, took his hand (he had never done this before), and squeezed it hard, as if to test whether the hand was strong or not.

"Cheer up, cheer up, my friend, he sent someone to call you, that's all right..." He wanted to leave, but he said a few words to Roland as he walked, and then lifted his foot Go to that room.He could not walk on tiptoe, so his whole body throbbed awkwardly.After him came the princess, then the priests and the deacons of the church, and the servants rushed to the door.There was a noise of something being moved through the door, and at last Princess Talubinskoya ran outside, still pale, but with a calm expression, and pulled Binair's hand. arm, said:

"The goodness of God knows no bounds. The anointing is about to begin, come in."

Bin-Air entered the door and stepped on the soft carpet. He found that the adjutant who picked up the gloves for him, the strange lady who gave up his seat for him, and several servants all followed in, as if they could do it without permission now. came in.

[twenty]
Bin-Air was very familiar with this large room.At one end of the room stood a tall oak bed, and at the other stood a shining golden shrine.Beneath the altar, there was a couch with brand new, snow-white pillows, on which lay the tall figure of his father, Count Binzokhov, who was so familiar to Bin-Air. Covered with a light green silk quilt, the long white hair on his broad forehead seems to be a lion's mane, and his broad forehead is covered with wrinkles that are still noble.Priests, dressed in stately robes and holding lighted candles, prayed slowly and solemnly.

Princess Tarubinskaya crossed the room with that air of pride that showed she knew what to do, came up to Binair, and handed him a lighted candle.Bin-air took the candle in his hand and began to cross himself.

The prayers were over, and the count was carried into the high bed.Bin-Air was brought to bed by Princess Talubinskaya.When Bin-Air came to him, the count looked straight at him, but the thoughts and meanings contained in the count's eyes were hard for ordinary people to understand. Perhaps, there might be no other meanings in the eyes.At the gesture of Princess Talubinskoya, Binair stepped forward very cautiously, kissed the count's broad-boned hand, and then sat down on the chair next to the bed without saying a word. He remained motionless, looking intently at the Count.After a few minutes like this, suddenly, twitches flashed across the count's face and eyebrows, and the twitches became more and more intense, and the corners of his handsome mouth trembled (Bin-Air had no idea until now how close his father was to death) close), a few indistinct moans came out from the crooked mouth, and there was an impatient look in his eyes and face. "The old man wants to turn around." The servant standing aside said.When the count was turned over, one of his arms hung limply behind him, and he tried to raise it, but failed.I don't know if the Earl saw it, but Bin-Air looked at the powerless hand with such a sad expression. Perhaps, other thoughts flashed in the Earl's mind at this time, but he looked at the hand that moved He didn't move his hands, looked at the sad expression on Bin-Air's face, and then looked at his own hands, so there was a wry smile on his face that didn't match his expression, as if he was laughing at himself of powerlessness.Upon seeing this, Bin-Air suddenly trembled in his heart, his nose began to sore, and tears filled his eyes.

[21]

There were no other guests in the living room except the Duke of Vauchille and the Grand Duchess. They all got the will and the letter and were chatting happily.They fell silent at the sight of Bin-Air and his female guide.

The princess got up and tried to get around Princess Talubinskoya, but the lady stepped forward and stopped her.

"I know, dear and warm-hearted princess." The duchess said, while firmly grasping the folder in the princess's hand, she held it hard, obviously not letting go immediately.

The princess was silent.The only sound that can be heard is the struggle for folders.

"Bin-Air, come here quickly. I think he should have a place in this family, don't you think so, Duke?" "Hi!" Duke Vohiel reprimanded, standing up, "This way you won't be afraid of being laughed at. , let go of your hand, do you hear me clearly?" The princess let go of her hand, but the princess didn't listen to him. "Remember, you are fully responsible," Duke Vauchille snapped, "you know what you are doing." "Shameless woman!" shouted the princess, and suddenly rushed to the princess to grab the documents folder.At that very moment the terrible door, which always opened softly, was thrown open with a bang, and the princess's sister rushed out, saying without hesitation: "He is dying, and you have left me alone." People stay there!" The Grand Duchess let go of the folder.Princess Talubinskaya stooped quickly to pick up the stolen folder, and then went to the bedroom.The Grand Duchess and Duke Vauchile also followed.After a while, the Grand Duchess had no blood on her face, bit her lower lip tightly, and ran out first.Seeing Bin-Air, she immediately burst into a rage, and smoke rose from her orifices. "Now you are satisfied," she said, "you are happy." Sobbing, she ran out, covering her face with her handkerchief.Duke Vauchille came out with his head bowed.He staggered up to Bin-Air, collapsed on the sofa, and covered his eyes with his hands.The Duchess came out at last, and she came to Bin-Air with steady, brisk steps. "Bin-Air..." She kissed the young man's forehead, and her tears welled up and wet his face.Getting up early the next day, Princess Talubinskaya told Bin-Air:

"Heaven will help you. I hope that you will be the master of everyone now. You must stand up straight and be a dignified man." She also urged: "Do you know, my uncle promised me the day before yesterday , saying that he will never forget Bolitz. But it is too late. I hope that you can inherit your father's business and fulfill your father's last wish."

[22]

In the Bald Hill estate of Prince Maral Bolkonski, people were looking forward to the arrival of Duke André and his wife every day, but the hope did not change the orderly life in the old prince's house.Duke Maral Balkonski, nicknamed "King of Prussia" in social circles, was exiled to the countryside a few years ago. live in their estates.After Emperor Paul stepped down, although he was allowed to travel to and from the capital, he still lived in the manor.He often said that there are two sources of human vices: laziness and superstition; human virtues also have two down-to-earth sources: work and wisdom.He often educated his daughter, and in order to cultivate these two virtues in his daughter, he taught her mathematics and physics, and arranged her life to the full.He himself was busy all day long, either writing memoirs or novels and essays, or sitting under the fruit trees smoking a cigarette, or working in the fields, supervising the uninterrupted construction work on his estate.The Duke was strict with those around him, from his daughter to his servants. Therefore, he was very kind, but it seemed that even the most ruthless people could not get the kind of awe that people treated him with.Although he has retired and has little power in state affairs, the governor of the province to which his estate belongs still considers it his natural duty to see the duke, and like everyone else, he must wait in the spacious living room The Duke came out at the appointed time for an interview.

On the day the young couple came back, the old prince was still doing everything as usual, and Molière was listening to his math lessons in his father's room as before.But on this day, Moliye received a letter from her friend Sorin, which contained major news in the capital: the emperor had left Petersburg and led the army to fight in person; Russian rich man.The letter also reminded Moliye that the Vauxille Duke's family wanted to choose Moliye as their daughter-in-law.Molière immediately wrote back a passionate and heartfelt letter to her friend in French.

[23]

The duke had just fallen asleep.Mollyer is practicing playing the piano.At this time, a four-wheeled carriage came to the door, and Duke Andrele stepped out of the carriage to help out his petite wife.The old gray-haired servant Jayho poked his head out from the door of the antechamber, whispered, "The Duke is sleeping," and hastily closed the door.Both Andre and Jiehuo knew that neither the return of their son nor any special events could change the normal life order of the old earl.André turned his head to his wife.

"He won't wake up until another quarter of an hour. Let's go to Molier's room and have a look." They walked to the door of the living room, and familiar phrases were played repeatedly in the room.Duke Andrele stopped in his tracks and frowned, as if he expected something unpleasant to happen.

The Duchess went in.The phrase stopped in the middle, and there was a fright, followed by the heavy footsteps of Princess Molière, and the sound of kisses.The duchess and princess (who had known each other only once before at the wedding of the duke d'Andrele) were embracing each other, their lips still pressed together, when the duke d'Andrew entered the room.The princess's friend, the French lady Pollière, stood beside them, with her hands on her chest, her lips pursed into a smile, and it was obvious that she was prepared to be sad or happy.Duke Andrei shrugged his shoulders, and frowned like a music expert who suddenly heard that he had played a wrong piece of music.The two women let go of their hands, and then, as if afraid of missing the moment, took each other's hand again, kissed, let go and kissed each other's cheeks again.At last, quite to the surprise of the Duke Andryl, they burst into tears, sobbed and kissed.Miss Pollylove wiped her tears too.Duke Andrée obviously felt uncomfortable.

"Have you decided to go to war, Andret?" Molière asked his brother in the interval of his sister-in-law's chatter, and breathed a sigh of relief.Lynn sighed too.

"And leave tomorrow." Brother replied. "He's going to leave me at home, who knows how he..." Half an hour later, Jiehuo asked Andre to see his father.In order to welcome his son back, the old man allowed his son to come to his room before his meal for the first time.

"Ah! Soldiers are coming! Do you want to defeat Napoleon?" said the old man. "You must fight seriously, or we will soon become his subjects. Hello son!" He gave his face to his son and kissed it.

"Yes, Dad, I greeted you and brought my pregnant wife. How is your health recently?"

"Son, only people who are greedy for enjoyment will get sick. I work from morning till night, and I am restrained. Of course I am healthy."

"Thank God, good health." The son said with a smile. "This health has nothing to do with God. Come on, let's talk about how the Germans trained you to defeat Napoleon." André listened with a smile, which indicated that he understood his father's weakness, but his father's weakness did not affect him. He respected and loved his father.Seeing that his father insisted on it, the Duke of Andrele began to talk about their battle plan. He talked reluctantly at first, but then he talked more and more vigorously.He preached that an army of 8 men would certainly force Prussia to give up the middle ground and enter the war. The bulk of this army would meet the Swedish army at Stralsund, 22 Austrians and 50 Russians, It will fight in Italy and on the Rhine, [-] Russian troops and [-] British troops will fight side by side in Naples, and a total of [-] troops will besiege the French army from all directions.The old prince showed no interest in his son's narration, seemed not to be listening, and kept walking and dressing.At the end, he said: "Well, you're still talking the same old way. Well, let's eat in the restaurant."

[24]

The old earl arrived at the dining room on time. When he walked to the dining table, the wall clock on the wall rang twice, and the clock in the living room rang twice in response.The old man looked at his daughter-in-law who came to the restaurant.

"I'm very glad to see you," he said, then watched her eyes carefully, and sat down on his chair, "Sit down, please sit down too!" He pointed to the chair beside him to his daughter-in-law.

The petite and dainty Duchess didn't speak, looking restless.But in a short while she brightened up again, and chattered on to the old prince about other people's greetings, and reported the latest news.She grew more and more cheerful, while the old prince looked at her very severely, as if studying her seriously, and when he knew her thoroughly, he turned his head away suddenly.

"Ah, our Napoleon is going to be completely ruined." The conversation turned to the war, Napoleon and the officials and generals of the government.The old prince also seemed to believe that all modern romantics are kids who know little about politics and military affairs. He won a few battles by luck, just because he didn't meet masters like Potemkin and Suvorov.He even believed that there were no major political disputes or formal wars in Europe, but that some people had nothing to do and wanted to find something to do, so they came to put on a puppet show.Duke Andrée happily tolerated his father's evaluation of the new character, encouraged his father to continue with an excited face, and listened carefully.

(End of this chapter)