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first epilogue-第11章

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reasons to rejoice or grieve over that occurrence independently of the

others。

  For instance; Pierre's return was a joyful and important event and

they all felt it to be so。

  The servants… the most reliable judges of their masters because they

judge not by their conversation or expressions of feeling but by their

acts and way of life… were glad of Pierre's return because they knew

that when he was there Count Nicholas would cease going every day

attend to the estate; and would would be in better spirits and temper;

and also because they would all receive handsome presents for the

holidays。

  The children and their governesses were glad of Pierre's return

because no one else drew them into the social life of the household as

he did。 He alone could play on the clavichord that ecossaise (his only

piece) to which; as he said; all possible dances could be danced;

and they felt sure he had brought presents for them all。

  Young Nicholas; now a slim lad of fifteen; delicate and intelligent;

with curly light…brown hair and beautiful eyes; was delighted

because Uncle Pierre as he called him was the object of his

rapturous and passionate affection。 No one had instilled into him this

love for Pierre whom he saw only occasionally。 Countess Mary who had

brought him up had done her utmost to make him love her husband as she

loved him; and little Nicholas did love his uncle; but loved him

with just a shade of contempt。 Pierre; however; he adored。 He did

not want to be an hussar or a Knight of St。 George like his uncle

Nicholas; he wanted to be learned; wise; and kind like Pierre。 In

Pierre's presence his face always shone with pleasure and he flushed

and was breathless when Pierre spoke to him。 He did not miss a

single word he uttered; and would afterwards; with Dessalles or by

himself; recall and reconsider the meaning of everything Pierre had

said。 Pierre's past life and his unhappiness prior to 1812 (of which

young Nicholas had formed a vague poetic picture from some words he

had overheard); his adventures in Moscow; his captivity; Platon

Karataev (of whom he had heard from Pierre); his love for Natasha

(of whom the lad was also particularly fond); and especially

Pierre's friendship with the father whom Nicholas could not

remember… all this made Pierre in his eyes a hero and a saint。

  From broken remarks about Natasha and his father; from the emotion

with which Pierre spoke of that dead father; and from the careful;

reverent tenderness with which Natasha spoke of him; the boy; who

was only just beginning to guess what love is; derived the notion that

his father had loved Natasha and when dying had left her to his

friend。 But the father whom the boy did not remember appeared to him a

divinity who could not be pictured; and of whom he never thought

without a swelling heart and tears of sadness and rapture。 So the

boy also was happy that Pierre had arrived。

  The guests welcomed Pierre because he always helped to enliven and

unite any company he was in。

  The grown…up members of the family; not to mention his wife; were

pleased to have back a friend whose presence made life run more

smoothly and peacefully。

  The old ladies were pleased with the presents he brought them; and

especially that Natasha would now be herself again。

  Pierre felt the different outlooks of these various worlds and

made haste to satisfy all their expectations。

  Though the most absent…minded and forgetful of men; Pierre; with the

aid of a list his wife drew up; had now bought everything; not

forgetting his mother… and brother…in…law's commissions; nor the dress

material for a present to Belova; nor toys for his wife's nephews。

In the early days of his marriage it had seemed strange to him that

his wife should expect him not to forget to procure all the things

he undertook to buy; and he had been taken aback by her serious

annoyance when on his first trip he forgot everything。 But in time

he grew used to this demand。 Knowing that Natasha asked nothing for

herself; and gave him commissions for others only when he himself

had offered to undertake them; he now found an unexpected and

childlike pleasure in this purchase of presents for everyone in the

house; and never forgot anything。 If he now incurred Natasha's censure

it was only for buying too many and too expensive things。 To her other

defects (as most people thought them; but which to Pierre were

qualities) of untidiness and neglect of herself; she now added

stinginess。

  From the time that Pierre began life as a family man on a footing

entailing heavy expenditure; he had noticed to his surprise that he

spent only half as much as before; and that his affairs… which had

been in disorder of late; chiefly because of his first wife's debts…

had begun to improve。

  Life was cheaper because it was circumscribed: that most expensive

luxury; the kind of life that can be changed at any moment; was no

longer his nor did he wish for it。 He felt that his way of life had

now been settled once for all till death and that to change it was not

in his power; and so that way of life proved economical。

  With a merry; smiling face Pierre was sorting his purchases。

  〃What do you think of this?〃 said he; unrolling a piece of stuff

like a shopman。

  Natasha; who was sitting opposite to him with her eldest daughter on

her lap; turned her sparkling eyes swiftly from her husband to the

things he showed her。

  〃That's for Belova? Excellent!〃 She felt the quality of the

material。 〃It was a ruble an arshin; I suppose?〃

  Pierre told her the price。

  〃Too dear!〃 Natasha remarked。 〃How pleased the children will be

and Mamma too! Only you need not have bought me this;〃 she added;

unable to suppress a smile as she gazed admiringly at a gold comb

set with pearls; of a kind then just coming into fashion。

  〃Adele tempted me: she kept on telling me to buy it;〃 returned

Pierre。

  〃When am I to wear it?〃 and Natasha stuck it in her coil of hair。

〃When I take little Masha into society? Perhaps they will be

fashionable again by then。 Well; let's go now。〃

  And collecting the presents they went first to the nursery and

then to the old countess' rooms。

  The countess was sitting with her companion Belova; playing

grand…patience as usual; when Pierre and Natasha came into the drawing

room with parcels under their arms。

  The countess was now over sixty; was quite gray; and wore a cap with

a frill that surrounded her face。 Her face had shriveled; her upper

lip had sunk in; and her eyes were dim。

  After the deaths of her son and husband in such rapid succession;

she felt herself a being accidentally forgotten in this world and left

without aim or object for her existence。 She ate; drank; slept; or

kept awake; but did not live。 Life gave her no new impressions。 She

wanted nothing from life but tranquillity; and that tranquillity

only death could give her。 But until death came she had to go on

living; that is; to use her vital forces。 A peculiarity one sees in

very young children and very old people was particularly evident in

her。 Her life had no external aims… only a need to exercise her

various functions and inclinations was apparent。 She had to eat;

sleep; think; speak; weep; work; give vent to her anger; and so on;

merely because she had a stomach; a brain; muscles; nerves; and a

liver。 She did these things not under any external impulse as people

in the full vigor of life do; when behind the purpose for which they

strive that of exercising their functions remains unnoticed。 She

talked only because she physically needed to exercise her tongue and

lungs。 She cried as a child does; because her nose had to be

cleared; and so on。 What for people in their full vigor is an aim

was for her evidently merely a pretext。

  Thus in the morning… especially if she had eaten anything rich the

day before… she felt a need of being angry and would choose as the

handiest pretext Belova's deafness。

  She would begin to say something to her in a low tone from the other

end of the room。

  〃It seems a little warmer today; my dear;〃 she would murmur。

  And when Belova replied: 〃Oh yes; they've come;〃 she would mutter

angrily: 〃O Lord! How stupid and deaf she is!〃

  Another pretext would be her snuff; which would seem too dry or

too damp or not rubbed fine enough。 After these fits of irritability

her face would grow yellow; and her maids knew by infallible

symptoms when Belova would again be deaf; the snuff damp; and the

countess' face yellow。 Just as she needed to work off her spleen so

she had sometimes to exercise her still…existing faculty of

thinking… and the pretext for that was a game of patience。 When she

needed to cry; the deceased count would be the pretext。 When she

wanted to be agitated; Nicholas and his health would be the pretext;

and when she felt a need to speak spitefully; the pretext would be

Countess Mary。 When her vocal organs needed exerc
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