战争与和平(下)-第4部分

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l　as　a　slur　on　the　honoured　memory　of　his　father；　and　so　he　would　not　hear　of　such　a　course；　and　accepted　the　inheritance　with　the　obligation　of　paying　the　debts。
The　creditors；　who　had　so　long　been　silent；　held　in　check　during　the　old　count’s　lifetime　by　the　vague　but　powerful　influence　of　his　easy　good…nature；　all　beset　Nikolay　at　once。　There　seemed；　as　so　often　happens；　a　sort　of　rivalry　among　them；　which　should　get　paid　first；　and　the　very　people；　such　as　Mitenka　and　others；　who　held　promissory　notes；　not　received　in　discharge　of　debts；　but　as　presents；　were　now　the　most　importunate　of　the　creditors。　They　would　give　Nikolay　no　peace　and　no　respite；　and　those　who　had　shown　pity　for　the　old　man；　who　was　responsible　for　their　losses　（if　they　really　had　lost　money　by　him）；　were　now　ruthless　in　their　persecution　of　the　young　heir；　who　was　obviously　guiltless　as　far　as　they　were　concerned；　and　had　voluntarily　undertaken　to　pay　them。
Not　one　of　the　plans　that　Nikolay　resorted　to　was　successful：　the　estate　was　sold　by　auction　at　half　its　value；　and　half　the　debts　remained　still　unpaid。　Nikolay　accepted　a　loan　of　thirty　thousand　roubles　offered　him　by　his　brother…in…law　Bezuhov；　and　paid　that　portion　of　the　debts　that　he　recognised　as　genuine　obligations。　And　to　avoid　being　thrown　into　prison　for　the　remainder；　as　the　creditors　threatened；　he　once　more　entered　the　government　service。
To　return　to　the　army；　where　at　the　next　promotion　he　would　have　been　colonel；　was　out　of　the　question；　because　his　mother　now　clung　to　her　son　as　her　one　hold　on　life。　And　so　in　spite　of　his　disinclination　to　remain　in　Moscow；　in　the　midst　of　a　circle　of　acquaintances　who　had　known　him　in　former　days；　in　spite　of　his　distaste　for　the　civil　service；　he　accepted　a　civilian　post　in　Moscow；　and　taking　off　his　beloved　uniform；　established　himself　in　a　little　lodging　in　Sivtsevoy　Vrazhok　with　his　mother　and　Sonya。
Natasha　and　Pierre　were　living　at　this　period　in　Petersburg；　and　had　no　very　distinct　idea　of　Nikolay’s　position。　After　having　borrowed　money　from　his　brother…in…law；　Nikolay　did　his　utmost　to　conceal　his　poverty…stricken　position　from　him。　His　situation　was　rendered　the　more　difficult；　as　with　his　twelve　hundred　roubles　of　salary　he　had　not　only　to　keep　himself；　Sonya；　and　his　mother；　but　to　keep　his　mother　in　such　a　way　that　she　would　not　be　sensible　of　their　poverty。　The　countess　could　not　conceive　of　life　being　possible　without　the　luxurious　surroundings　to　which　she　had　been　accustomed　from　her　childhood；　and　without　any　idea　of　its　being　difficult　for　her　son；　she　was　continually　insisting　on　having　a　carriage；　which　they　had　not；　to　send　for　a　friend；　or　an　expensive　delicacy　for　herself；　or　wine　for　her　son；　or　money　to　buy　a　present；　as　a　surprise　for　Natasha；　for　Sonya；　or　for　Nikolay　himself。
Sonya　kept　house；　waited　on　her　aunt；　read　aloud　to　her；　bore　with　her　caprices　and　her　secret　dislike；　and　helped　Nikolay　to　conceal　from　the　old　countess　their　poverty…stricken　position。　Nikolay　felt　himself　under　a　debt　of　gratitude　to　Sonya　that　he　could　never　repay；　for　all　she　did　for　his　mother；　he　admired　her　patience　and　devotion；　but　he　tried　to　keep　himself　aloof　from　her。
In　his　heart　he　seemed　to　feel　a　sort　of　grudge　against　her　for　being　too　perfect；　and　for　there　being　no　fault　to　find　with　her。　She　had　all　the　good　qualities　for　which　people　are　valued；　but　little　of　what　would　have　made　him　love　her。　And　he　felt　that　the　more　he　valued　her　the　less　he　loved　her。　He　had　taken　her　at　her　word　when　she　had　written　to　him　giving　him　his　freedom；　and　now　he　behaved　with　her　as　though　what　had　passed　between　them　had　been　long；　long　ago　forgotten；　and　could　never　under　any　circumstances　be　renewed。
Nikolay’s　position　was　becoming　worse　and　worse。　His　hope　of　laying　by　something　out　of　his　salary　proved　to　be　an　idle　dream。　Far　from　saving　anything；　he　was　even　running　up　some　small　debts　to　satisfy　his　mother’s　exigencies。　There　seemed　no　means　of　escape　from　his　position。　The　idea　of　marrying　a　rich　heiress；　which　his　female　relatives　suggested；　was　repulsive　to　him。　The　only　other　solution　of　his　difficulties—the　death　of　his　mother—never　entered　his　head。　He　desired　nothing；　and　hoped　for　nothing；　and　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart　he　took　a　stern　and　gloomy　satisfaction　in　the　unrepining　endurance　of　his　position。　He　tried　to　avoid　his　old　acquaintances；　with　their　commiseration　and　their　mortifying　offers　of　assistance；　shunned　every　sort　of　entertainment　and　amusement；　and　even　at　home　did　nothing　but　play　patience　with　his　mother；　pace　silently　about　the　room；　and　smoke　pipe　after　pipe。　He　seemed　studiously　to　maintain　in　himself　that　gloomy　temper；　which　alone　enabled　him　to　bear　his　position。


Chapter　6
AT　THE　BEGINNING　of　the　winter　Princess　Marya　arrived　in　Moscow。　From　the　gossip　of　the　town　she　heard　of　the　position　of　the　Rostovs；　and　of　how　‘‘the　son　was　sacrificing　himself　for　his　mother；’’　as　the　gossips　said。　‘‘It　is　just　what　I　expected　of　him；’’　Princess　Marya　said　to　herself；　finding　in　it　a　delightful　confirmation　of　her　love　for　him。　Remembering　her　intimate　relations　with　the　whole　family—almost　as　one　of　themselves—she　thought　it　her　duty　to　call　on　them。　But　thinking　of　her　relations　with　Nikolay　in　Voronezh；　she　was　afraid　of　doing　so。　A　few　weeks　after　her　arrival　in　Moscow；　she　did；　however；　make　an　effort；　and　went　to　see　the　Rostovs。
Nikolay　was　the　first　to　meet　her；　since　it　was　impossible　to　reach　the　countess’s　room　without　passing　through　his　room。　Instead　of　the　expression　of　delight　Princess　Marya　had　expected　to　see　on　his　face　at　the　first　glance　at　her；　he　met　her　with　a　look　of　chilliness；　stiffness；　and　pride　that　she　had　never　seen　before。　Nikolay　inquired　after　her　health；　conducted　her　to　his　mother；　and；　after　staying　five　minutes；　went　out　of　the　room。
When　Princess　Marya　left　the　countess；　Nikolay　again　met　her；　and　with　marked　formality　and　stiffness　led　her　to　the　hall。　He　made　no　reply　to　her　remarks　about　the　countess’s　health。　‘‘What　is　it　to　you？　Leave　me　in　peace；’’　his　expression　seemed　to　say。
‘‘And　why　should　she　stroll　in　here？　What　does　she　want？　I　can’t　endure　these　ladies　and　all　these　civilities！’’　he　said　aloud　before　Sonya；　obviously　unable　to　restrain　his　vexation；　after　the　princess’s　carriage　had　rolled　away　from　the　house。
‘‘Oh；　how　can　you　talk　like　that；　Nicolas；’’　said　Sonya；　hardly　able　to　conceal　her　delight。　‘‘She　is　so　kind；　and　maman　is　so　fond　of　her。’’
Nikolay　made　no　reply；　and　would　have　liked　to　say　no　more　about　Princess　Marya。　But　after　her　visit　the　old　countess　talked　about　her　several　times　every　day。
She　sang　her　praises；　insisted　that　her　son　should　go　and　see　her；　expressed　a　wish　to　see　more　of　her；　and　yet　was　always　out　of　temper　when　she　had　been　talking　of　her。
Nikolay　tried　to　say　nothing　when　his　mother　talked　of　Princess　Marya；　but　his　silence　irritated　her。
‘‘She　is　a　very　good　and　conscientious　girl；’’　she　would　say；　‘‘and　you　must　go　and　call　on　her。　Anyway；　you　will　see　some　one；　and　it　is　dull　for　you；　I　expect；　with　us。’’
‘‘But　I　don’t　at　all　wish　to；　mamma。’’
‘‘Why；　you　wanted　to　see　people　and　now　you　don’t　wish　it。　I　really　don’t　understand　you；　my　dear。　At　one　minute　you　are　dull；　and　the　next　you　suddenly　don’t　care　to　see　any　one。’’
‘‘Why；　I　never　said　I　was　dull。’’
‘‘Why；　you　said　yourself　you　did　not　even　wish　to　see　her。　She　is　a　very　good　girl；　and　you　always　liked　her；　and　now　all　of　a　sudden　you　have　some　reasons　or　other。　Everything　is　kept　a　secret　from　me。’’
‘‘Not　at　all；　mamma。’’
‘‘If　I　were　to　beg　you　to　do　something　unpleasant；　but　as　it　is；　I　simply　beg　you　to　drive　over　and　return　her　call。　Why；　civility　demands　it；　I　should　suppose　…　I　have　begged　you　to　do　so；　and　now　I　will　meddle　no　further　since　you　have　secrets　from　your　mother。’’
‘‘But　I　will　go；　if　you　wish　it。’’
‘‘It’s　nothing　to　me；　it’s　for　your　sake　I　wish　it。’’
Nikolay　sighed；　and　bit　his　moustache；　and　dealt　the　cards；　trying　to　draw　his　mother’s　attention　to　another　subject。
Next　day；　and　the　third；　and　the　fourth；　the　same　conversation　was　repeated　again　and　again。
After　her　visit　to　the　Rostovs；　and　the　unexpectedly　cold　reception　she　had　met　with　from　Nikolay；　Princess　Marya　acknowledged　to　herself　that　she　had　been　right　in　not　wanting　to　be　the　first　to　call。
‘‘It　was　just　what　I　expected；’’　she　said　to　herself；　summoning　her　pride　to　her　aid。　‘‘I　have　no　concern　with　him；　and　I　only　wanted　to　see　the　old　lady；　who　was　always　kind　to　me；　and　to　whom　I　am　under　obligation　for　many　things。’’
But　she　could　not　tranquillise　herself　with　these　reflections：　a　feeling　akin　to　remorse　fretted　her；　when　she　thought　of　her　visit。　Although　she　was　firmly　resolved　not　to　call　again　on　the　Rostovs；　and　to　forget　all　about　it；　she　was　continually　feeling　herself　in　an　undefined　position。　And　when　she　asked　herself　what　it　was　that　worried　her；　she　was　obliged　to　admit　that　it　was　her　relation　to　Rostov。　His　cold；　ceremonious　tone　did　not　proceed　from　his　feeling　for　her　（of　that　she　was　convinced）；　but　that　tone　covered　something。　What　that　something　was；　she　wanted　to　see　clearly；　and　till　then　she　felt　that　she　could　not　be　at　peace。
In　the　middle　of　the　winter　she　was　sitting　in　the　schoolroom；　supervising　her　nephew’s　lessons；　when　the　servant　announced　that　Rostov　was　below。　With　the　firm　determination　not　to　betray　her　secret；　and　not　to　manifest　any　embarrassment；　she　summoned　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　and　with　her　went　into　the　drawing…room。
At　the　first　glance　at　Nikolay’s　face；　she　saw　that　he　had　come　merely　to　perform　the　obligations　of　civility；　and　she　determined　to　keep　to　the　tone　he　adopted　towards　her。
They　talked　of　the　health　of　the　countess；　of　common　acquaintances；　of　the　latest　news　of　the　war；　and　when　the　ten　minutes　required　by　propriety　had　elapsed；　Nikolay　got　up　to　say　good…bye。
With　the　aid　of　Mademoiselle　Bourienne；　Princess　Marya　had　kept　up　the　conversation　very　well。　But　at　the　very　last　moment；　just　when　he　was　getting　up；　she　was　so　weary　of　talking　of　what　did　not　interest　her；　and　she　was　so　absorbed　in　wondering