Flowers, Swords and France

After patiently explaining the situation at home to Fran, Andrei Bezukhov was obviously in a bad mood and hurriedly said goodbye to them. Perhaps because of the dispute between the count and his daughter, the atmosphere in the whole mansion was quite depressing. Fran could not see the joy of the countess in other people - perhaps she was still kept in the dark.

Under the guidance of the silent servants, the two of them came to the room arranged for them in the mansion, settled their gifts and tidied themselves up again. Only after resting for a while, they swept away the fatigue of this journey and regained their spirits.

After the physical fatigue disappeared, they soon felt hungry. Fortunately, the host understood their hard work and had prepared a dinner long ago, so they did not suffer more.

When the sky began to darken, the count's family came to the dining table, and the two of them, as distinguished guests, were also taken to the dining room and sat next to the host. However, the countess was busy with other things, so she had not yet taken her seat. Only Count Bezukhov himself sat in the main seat with a stern face.

The manor was large, but the members of the host's family did not gather together. The count sat in the main seat, and their grandchildren sat on the other side. At the servants' invitation, they sat together as orderly as possible, and only two people sat in the middle.

Andrei Bezukhov sat on one side with a young woman. The young woman had a pretty face and a ruddy complexion. She looked young and energetic. She had golden hair, a bun behind her head, and a braid around her forehead, like a woven crown. She was also very slender, wearing a simple white dress, but she could not hide her natural beauty.

From her, you can see a little bit of the charm of her mother when she was young.

However, in stark contrast to her beautiful appearance, her expression was a little strange. Although she was smiling, she looked like she was mocking. Although she was sitting still, her eyes were wandering around, sometimes looking at her father and sometimes turning away, looking a little uneasy.

Although no one introduced her, Fran guessed that she was probably Count Bezukhov's youngest daughter, Ms. Natasha Bezukhova. However, since no one had formally introduced her, she did not greet her, but just nodded gently at her.

As if she felt her friendly attitude, the woman suddenly raised her head and smiled at her. This smile was very bright and made people feel happy.

Her performance surprised Fran a little. She felt that she was not the image she had described when she heard Andre's narration before.

She didn't seem to be a completely unreasonable person, Fran thought.

"This is Miss de Treville, who came from France to travel at my invitation." At this moment, Andrei Bezukhov, who was sitting next to her, introduced her, and then looked at Fran and Marie, "This is my sister Natasha whom I told you about..."

"Come on, Andrei, I'm not stupid, what guests, don't joke... It's just a messenger sent from there, right?" But before Andrei finished speaking, Natasha interrupted her brother with a sarcasm, and then she looked at the two women opposite.

"Oh, that's too crazy, they actually let two such beautiful ladies take risks to be messengers... Do they really think that Dad is just playing house?"

"Natasha!" Because of her impolite evaluation, Andrei was a little angry and interrupted her.

"Did I say something wrong?" Natasha glared at him without showing any weakness.

"...Don't be like this." After staring at each other for a moment, Andrei lowered his eyes, obviously not wanting to have a quarrel with his sister, "I know you are very angry now, but this will not do you any good."

"Is my current situation good? What's the difference between good and bad?" Natasha still retorted to her brother with disdain, "I am your prisoner now, don't I even have the right to say a few words?"

"Prisoner? Are there any prisoners treated like you?" At this time, Count Bezukhov finally couldn't help it. He looked at Natasha with anger on his face, "If I didn't still regard you as my daughter, I would have given you Punished! Do you think that people who betrayed our cause will have a good end? "

"Aren't you afraid that you won't be able to explain my whereabouts when others ask you, so you can't punish me?" However, in the face of her father's scolding, Natasha showed no sign of retreating, "In your eyes, ideals are the most important. To save Russia, everything is right. Do you care about your daughter?"

This blunt rebuttal made the count tremble with anger. He raised his wrinkled hand tremblingly, and then slammed it heavily on the table, "What's wrong with saving Russia? !"

"Yes, that's right, you are a saint, you will save the entire nation..." Seeing her father so angry, Natasha stiffened for a moment, but she was so arrogant that she still refused to give in, "But How many things do you want to sacrifice for this noble purpose? Obviously... obviously? You can take a much safer path and make everything better more easily, but what about you? You must turn everyone into enemies and let Russia shed blood because of your own bigotry. You just want to become a saint yourself! But has it ever occurred to you that you don’t have the right to let other people die because of your thoughts?”

"I...I only care about myself? I only want to make myself happy?" The count was so angry that he almost trembled. "Damn it! I actually gave birth to a daughter like this! Just for a wanderer, she actually disobeyed her father and used such vicious words to slander him!"

"No, it's not because of someone! But because I think what you did is wrong!" Perhaps because this accusation was too embarrassing, Natasha's face turned slightly red, "At this age, am I right? Do you think I will change it because of love? Change your opinion? No...I object to you because you ignore the reality and ignore that we now have a Crown Prince who is willing to reform and take Russia in the direction it should go. He can make your dreams come true. Let Russia suffer less!”

Then, she looked at Fran, as if she wanted to explain her position, "Miss Treville, my father and I turned against each other. It was not because I fell in love with His Highness Alexander as they said, but because of contact with such a person." After a long time, I have come to know him as a person and his lofty ideals. He sincerely wants to modernize Russia and reform all the old slavery and shackles. As long as he ascends the throne, he will definitely carry out reforms. Get rid of all bad government ...To make Russia rich and powerful, why do we need a revolution? Why do we have to let Russia bleed? You are a Frenchman and you seem to be an aristocrat. You must know what a revolution is. Right? If we really do what my father envisioned...our original hope for mild change will be gone, and there will be bloodshed and sacrifices everywhere. I...I just don't want to see this result. Am I wrong to do this?"

"Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince wants to reform?" Fran looked at the other party with some disbelief.

Like most Europeans, she had the impression that the Tsarist royal family was a group of superstitious, rude and bloodthirsty emperors who took pleasure in suppressing progressive elements and were extremely reactionary devils. As a result, Natasha actually She didn't quite believe that Alexander made him sound so reasonable. She always thought it was the beautification of people in love.

"Yes, he has said this countless times, not only to me, but also to others." Natasha nodded immediately, "As long as he can ascend the throne, he will carry out all these reforms and abolish slavery. Abolish the privileges and abolish everything that makes Russia backward, so that our motherland can get rid of all outdated old baggage and embark on a glorious tomorrow. You said, under such circumstances, what reason do we have to drag the Russian people to bleed. ? Shouldn’t we find ways to help him?”

"That's nonsense!" Before Fran could answer, the Earl directly interrupted his daughter, "I didn't expect that at this age you would still believe such nonsense! If you ask a person to give up their power, you will take his life. , but you still think that someone really wants to give up? "

"You don't understand him!" Natasha glared at her father angrily.

"Yeah...yeah! I don't know him, but I know you! I've seen through people like you! You people turn a blind eye to evil and don't dare to do anything to change the world. In the end, you hope to A good father came to change all this! I thought that as long as I knelt in front of the good father of the Tsar, he would be able to grant freedom to everyone," the count's expression suddenly changed. It’s hard to see. “But have you ever thought about the difference between any person, any person with a sound mind and body, as a human being, and a tsar or a crown prince? Why do you have to place all your happiness and hopes on A tsar? Does he think that the tsar is bound to him? Has he forgotten that the tsar is not the root of all slavery and bloodshed?"

Then, he sighed again, "It is this expectation of saints descending from heaven, worship of saint kings, fear of power, and fear of change. This is the source of the ruin and destruction of this nation! If we don't Get out of this superstition of good fathers as soon as possible, and the Russian nation will always be enslaved and never be freed!"

Then, Count Bezukhov raised his head and looked at his daughter with sorrow and earnestness, as if he wanted to wake her up, "Wake up, silly child, there are no saints in the world, and there is no need for saints! Russians can save themselves by themselves, and they don’t need a good czar or father! We can't place our hopes on our good father! I just want Russia to be free and slavery to disappear from this land. To achieve this goal, what does it mean to shed blood? What if blood can cleanse our nation? If it’s dirty, then I have to say it bleeds well!”

"Your rhetoric cannot convince me." Natasha remained unmoved. "I cannot agree that you reject all hope of reducing the bloodshed."

"That's why I say women can't do great things! As soon as feelings come into play, they forget everything!" The count couldn't help but raise his head and lament. "It's just a lump of wood, and I can't teach it no matter what!"

"This is what you taught me. A person must be loyal to his own ideals." Natasha turned her gaze away slightly, not wanting to see her father's sad look. "In short, I can no longer serve you, Dad."

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

"Well, I don't want your service anymore," the Count replied sullenly. "Now just stay at home and don't go anywhere."

"If you are worried about me snitching, then you are worried in vain. I will not do this. After all, you are my father and I respect you." Natasha shook her head slightly, "But I can't do it because of your If you lose your freedom with just one sentence, you can either kill me or let me go. I won’t do nothing and just stay here in silence.”

"Then I will kill you!" the earl roared loudly.

Then, he stood up unsteadily, as if he was really about to attack his daughter.

"Let me just say, in your eyes, ideals are higher than any of us." A little tear appeared in the corner of Natasha's eyes, but she sat still in her seat, as if she was letting her father handle her. , "But that's okay, let me be your first sacrifice, and it will save me the trouble of seeing the disasters later..."

"What crazy talk are you talking about!" Andrei Bezukhov, who was sitting on the side, finally couldn't bear it anymore. He pushed his sister away, then stood up and went over to hug his father.

"Dad, don't be angry...calm down!"

Under his strong embrace, the Count finally calmed down a little, and then sat back down in his seat.

"After eating, lock her up in the attic and don't allow anyone to see her." After breathing for a moment, he finally straightened his breathing, and then immediately gave an order to his son, "Now she is ours An enemy who has severed ties with us and is harmful. No one can guarantee that she will keep our secrets. Therefore, we must deal with her seriously if anyone comes to her in the future. If you are seriously ill, you can’t see anyone.”

Andre also wanted to persuade his father, but he also knew that now was not the time, so he had no choice but to nod.

"Okay, I understand, Father."

Just then, the countess appeared at the door of the restaurant and looked at them strangely.

"What are you doing? Are you arguing?"

The count waved his son to sit down, his face had returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.

"No, Mom, it's nothing. Dad just felt a little unwell suddenly." Natasha looked at her mother with a smile on her face. (~^~)