按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
cess’s sorrow； making herself a partner in that sorrow。 She said that her only consolation in her sorrow was that the princess permitted her to share it with her。 She said that all their former misunderstandings must sink into nothing before their great sorrow： that she felt herself guiltless in regard to every one； and that he from above saw her love and gratitude。 The princess heard her without heeding her words； though she looked at her now and then and listened to the sound of her voice。
“Your position is doubly dreadful； dear princess；” said Mademoiselle Bourienne。 “I know you could not and cannot think of yourself； but with my love for you I am bound to do so。…Has Alpatitch been with you？ Has he spoken to you of moving？” she asked。
Princess Marya did not answer。 She did not understand who was to move and where。 “Was it possible to undertake anything now； to think of anything？ Could anything matter？” she wondered。 She made no reply。
“Do you know； chère Marie；” said Mademoiselle Bourienne； “that we are in danger； that we are surrounded by the French； it is dangerous to move now。 If we move； we are almost certain to be taken prisoner； and God knows …”
Princess Marya looked at her companion； with no notion what she was saying。
“Oh； if any one knew how little anything matters to me now；” she said。 “Of course； I would not on any account move away from him…Alpatitch said something about going away。…You talk to him … I can’t do anything； and I don’t want …”
“I have been talking to him。 He hopes that we may manage to get away to…morrow； but I think it would be better now to remain here；” said Mademoiselle Bourienne。 “Because you will agree； chère Marie； that to fall into the hands of the soldiers or of rioting peasants on the road would be awful。”
Mademoiselle Bourienne took out of her reticule a document； not on the usual Russian paper。 It was the proclamation of General Rameau； announcing that protection would be given by the French commanders to all inhabitants who did not abandon their homes。 She handed it to the princess。
“I imagine the best thing would be to appeal to this general；” said Mademoiselle Bourienne。 “I am convinced that all proper respect would be shown you。”
Princess Marya read the document and her face worked with tearless sobs。
“Through whom did you get this？” she asked。
“They probably found out I was French from my name；” said Mademoiselle Bourienne； flushing。
With the proclamation in her hand； Princess Marya got up from the window； and with a pale face walked out of the room into Prince Andrey’s former study。
“Dunyasha！ send Alpatitch to me； Dronushka； or somebody！” said Princess Marya。 “And tell Amalya Karlovna not to come to me；” she added； hearing Mademoiselle Bourienne’s voice。 “To set off at once！ as quick as possible！” said Princess Marya； appalled at the idea that she might be left in the power of the French。
“That Prince Andrey should know that she was in the power of the French！ That she； the daughter of Prince Nikolay Andreitch Bolkonsky； should stoop to ask General Rameau to grant her his protection； and should take advantage of his good offices。” The idea appalled her； made her shudder and turn crimson。 She felt a rush of vindictive wrath and pride of which she had had no conception。 All the bitterness； and still more the humiliation of her position rose vividly to her imagination。 “They； the French； would take up their quarters in the house： M。 le Général Rameau would occupy Prince Andrey’s study； would amuse himself by looking through and reading his letters and papers； Mademoiselle Bourienne would do the honours of Bogutcharovo； I should be given a room as a favour； the soldiers would break open my father’s newly dug grave to take his crosses and decorations； they would tell me of their victories over the Russians； would affect hypocritical sympathy with my grief； …” thought Princess Marya； thinking not the thoughts natural to her； but feeling it a duty to think as her father and brother would have done。 To her personally it did not matter where she stayed and what happened to her； but； at the same time； she felt herself the representative of her dead father and Prince Andrey。 Unconsciously she thought their thoughts and felt their feelings。 What they would have said； what they would have done now； she felt it incumbent upon her to do。 She went into Prince Andrey’s study； and trying to enter completely into his ideas； thought over her situation。
The exigencies of life； which she had regarded as of no consequence since her father’s death； all at once rose up about Princess Marya with a force she had known nothing of before； and swept her away with them。
Flushed and excited she walked about the room； sending first for Alpatitch； then for Mihail Ivanitch； then for Tihon； then for Dron。 Dunyasha； the old nurse； and the maids could not tell her how far Mademoiselle Bourienne’s statements had been correct。 Alpatitch was not in the house； he had gone to the police authorities。 Mihail Ivanitch； the architect； came with sleepy eyes on being sent for； but could tell Princess Marya nothing。 With the same smile of acquiescence with which he had been accustomed during the course of fifteen years to meet the old prince’s remarks without committing himself； he now met the princess’s questions； so that there was no getting any definite answer out of him。 The old valet； Tihon； whose wan and sunken face wore the stamp of inconsolable grief； answered “Yes； princess；” to all Princess Marya’s questions； and could scarcely restrain his sobs as he looked at her。
Lastly； the village elder； Dron； came into the room； and bowing low to the princess； took up his position near the doorway。
Princess Marya walked up and down the room and stood still facing him。
“Dronushka；” she said； seeing in him a staunch friend； the Dronushka who had every year brought back from the fair at Vyazma the same gingerbreads she connected with him； and had presented them to her with the same smile； “Dronushka； now； after our misfortune；” … she began； and paused； unable to proceed。
“We are all in God’s hands；” he said； with a sigh。
They were silent。
“Dronushka； Alpatitch has gone off somewhere； I have no one to turn to。 Is it true； as I’m told； that it is impossible for me to go away？”
“Why shouldn’t you go away； your excellency？ You can go；” said Dron。
“I have been told there is danger from the enemy。 My good friend； I can do nothing； I know nothing about it； I have nobody。 I want to set off without fail to…night or to…morrow morning early。”
Dron did not speak。 He looked up from under his brows at Princess Marya。
“There are no horses；” he said。 “I have told Yakov Alpatitch so already。”
“How is that？” said the princess。
“It’s all the visitation of the Lord；” said Dron。 “Some horses have been carried off for the troops； and some are dead； it’s a bad year； it is。 If only we don’t die of hunger ourselves； let alone feeding the horses！ Here they’ve been three days without a bit of bread。 There’s nothing； they have been plundered to the last bit。”
Princess Marya listened attentively to what he said to her。
“The peasants have been