第545章

第545章thevaletongoingininformedthecountthatmoscowwasonfire.thecountputonhisdressing-gownandwentouttolook.withhimwentsonya,whohadnotyetundressed,andmadameschoss,natashaandthecountesswereleftalonewithin.petyawasnolongerwiththefamily;hehadgoneonaheadwithhisregimentmarchingtotroitsa.

thecountessweptonhearingthatmoscowwasinflames.natasha,pale,withstaringeyes,satonthebenchundertheholyimages,thespotwhereshehadfirstthrownherselfdownonentering,andtooknonoticeofherfather’swords.shewaslisteningtothenever-ceasingmoanoftheadjutant,audiblethreehutsaway.

“oh！howawful！”criedsonya,cominginchilledandfrightenedfromtheyard.“idobelieveallmoscowisburning：there’sanawfulfire！natasha,dolook;youcanseenowfromthewindowhere,”shesaid,obviouslytryingtodistractherfriend’smind.butnatashastaredather,asthoughshedidnotunderstandwhatwasaskedofher,andfixedhereyesagainonthecornerofthestove.natashahadbeeninthispetrifiedconditioneversincemorning,whensonya,totheamazementandangerofthecountess,hadforsomeincomprehensiblereasonthoughtfittoinformnatashaofprinceandrey’swound,andhispresenceamongtheirtrain.thecountesshadbeenangrywithsonya,asshewaitedallthewhileonherfriend,asthoughtryingtoatoneforherfault.

“look,natasha,howfrightfullyit’sburning,”saidsonya.

“what’sburning？”askednatasha.“ohyes,moscow.”

andtogetridofsonya,andnothurtherbyarefusal,shemovedherheadtowardsthewindow,lookinginsuchawaythatitwasevidentshecouldseenothing,andsatagaininthesameattitudeasbefore.

“butdidn’tyousee？”

“yes,ireallydidsee,”shedeclaredinavoicethatimploredtobeleftinpeace.

boththecountessandsonyacouldreadilyunderstandthatmoscow,theburningofmoscow,anythingwhateverinfact,couldbeofnointeresttonatasha.

thecountcameinagainbehindthepartitionwallandlaydown.thecountesswentuptonatasha,putthebackofherhandtoherhead,asshedidwhenherdaughterwasill,thentouchedherforeheadwithherlips,asthoughtofindoutwhethershewerefeverish,andkissedher.

“youarechilled？youareallshaking.youshouldliedown,”shesaid.

“liedown？yes,verywell,i’llliedown.i’llliedowninaminute,”saidnatasha.

whennatashahadbeentoldthatmorningthatprinceandreywasseriouslywounded,andwastravellingwiththem,shehadatthefirstmomentaskedagreatmanyquestions,howandwhyandwhereshecouldseehim.butaftershehadbeentoldthatshecouldnotseehim,thathiswoundwasaseriousone,butthathislifewasnotindanger,thoughsheplainlydidnotbelievewhatwastoldher,shesawthatshewouldgetthesameanswerwhatevershesaid,andgaveupaskingquestionsandspeakingatall.allthewaynatashahadsatmotionlessinthecornerofthecarriagewiththosewideeyes,thelookwhichthecountessknewsowellanddreadedsomuch.andshewassittinginjustthesamewaynowonthebenchinthehut.shewasbroodingonsomeplan;shewasmaking,oralreadybynowhadmadesomedecision,inherownmind—thatthecountessknew,butwhatthatdecisionwasshedidnotknow,andthatalarmedandworriedher.

“natasha,undress,darling,getintomybed.”

forthecountessonlyabedhadbeenmadeuponabedstead.madameschossandthetwogirlsweretosleeponhayonthefloor.

“no,mamma,i’llliehereonthefloor,”saidnatashairritably;shewenttothewindowandopenedit.themoansoftheadjutantcouldbeheardmoredistinctlyfromtheopenwindow.sheputherheadoutintothedampnightair,andthecountesssawherslenderneckshakingwithsobsandheavingagainstthewindowframe.natashaknewitwasnotprinceandreymoaning.sheknewthatprinceandreywasinthesameblockofhutsastheywerein,thathewasinthenexthutjustacrosstheporch,butthatfearfulnever-ceasingmoanmadehersob.thecountessexchangedglanceswithsonya.

“gotobed,darling,gotobed,mypet,”saidthecountess,lightlytouchingnatasha’sshoulder.“come,gotobed.”