第542章

第542章“well，anotherbottleofthismoscowclaret，eh？morel，warmusanotherbottle！”thecaptainshoutedgaily.

morelbroughtcandlesandabottleofwine.thecaptainlookedatpierreinthecandle-light，andwasobviouslystruckbythetroubledfaceofhiscompanion.withgenuineregretandsympathyinhisface，ramballeapproachedpierre，andbentoverhim.

“eh，wearesad！”hesaid，touchingpierreonthehand.“canihavehurtyou？no，really，haveyouanythingagainstme？”hequestioned.“perhapsitisowingtothesituationofaffairs？”

pierremadenoreply，butlookedcordiallyintothefrenchman’seyes.thisexpressionofsympathywaspleasanttohim.

“mywordofhonour，tosaynothingofwhatioweyou，ihavealikingforyou.canidoanythingforyou？disposeofme.itisforlifeanddeath.withmyhandandmyheart，isayso，”hesaid，slappinghimselfonthechest.

“thankyou，”saidpierre.thecaptaingazedatpierreashehadgazedathimwhenhelearntthegermanfor“refuge，”andhisfacesuddenlybrightened.

“ah，inthatcase，idrinktoourfriendship，”hecriedgaily，pouringouttwoglassesofwine.

pierretooktheglassandemptiedit.ramballeemptiedhis，pressedpierre’shandoncemore，andleanedhiselbowonthetableinaposeofpensivemelancholy.

“yes，mydearfriend，sucharethefreaksoffortune，”hebegan.“whowouldhavesaidishouldbeasoldierandcaptainofdragoonsintheserviceofbonaparte，asweusedtocallhim.andyethereiamatmoscowwithhim.imusttellyou，mydearfellow，”hecontinuedinthemournfulandmeasuredvoiceofamanwhointendstotellalongstory，“ournameisoneofthemostancientinfrance.”

andwiththeeasyandna？veunreserveofafrenchman，thecaptaintoldpierrethehistoryofhisforefathers，hischildhood，boyhood，andmanhood，andallhisrelations，hisfortunes，anddomesticaffairs.“mapauvremère，”took，ofcourse，aprominentpartinthisrecital.

“butallthatisonlythesettingoflife；therealthingislove.love！eh，m.pierre？”hesaid，warmingup.“anotherglass.”

pierreagainemptiedhisglass，andfilledhimselfathird.

“owomen！women！”andthecaptain，gazingwithmoisteyesatpierre，begantalkingofloveandhisadventureswiththefairsex.theywereverynumerous，asmightreadilybebelieved，judgingfromtheofficer’sconceited，handsomefaceandtheeagerenthusiasmwithwhichhetalkedofwomen.althoughallramballe’saccountsofhisloveaffairswerecharacterisedbythatpeculiarnastinessinwhichthefrenchfindtheuniquecharmandpoetryoflove，thecaptaintoldhisstorieswithsuchgenuineconvictionthathewastheonlymanwhohadtastedandknownallthesweetsoflove，andhedescribedthewomenhehadknowninsuchanalluringfashionthatpierrelistenedtohimwithcuriosity.

itwasevidentthatl’amourthefrenchmanwassofondofwasneitherthatlowandsimplekindoflovepierrehadatonetimefeltforhiswife，northeromanticlove，eratedbyhimself，thathefeltfornatasha.forboththosekindsofloveramballehadanequalcontempt—onewasl’amourdescharretiers，theotherl’amourdesnigauds.l’amourforwhichthefrenchmanhadaweaknessconsistedprincipallyinanunnaturalrelationtothewoman，andincombinationsofmonstrouscircumstanceswhichlentthechiefcharmtothefeeling.

thusthecaptainrelatedthetouchinghistoryofhisloveforafascinatingmarquiseoffive-and-thirty，andatthesametimeforacharming，innocentchildofseventeen，thedaughterofthefascinatingmarquise.theconflictofgenerositybetweenmotheranddaughter，endinginthemothersacrificingherselfandofferingherdaughterinmarriagetoherlover，evennow，thoughitwasamemoryintheremotepast，movedthecaptaindeeply.thenherelatedanepisodeinwhichthehusbandplayedthepartofthelover，andhe—thelover—thepartofthehusband，andseveralcomicepisodesamonghisreminiscencesofgermany，whereunterkunftmeansasile，wherethehusbandseatcabbagesoup，andwheretheyounggirlsaretooflaxen-haired.