第514章

第514章therostovs’son-in-law,berg,wasbynowacolonel,withtheordersofvladimirandanneonhisneck,andwasstillfillingthesamecomfortableandagreeablepostofassistanttotheheadofthestaffoftheassistantofthechiefofficerofthestaffofthecommanderoftheleftflankoftheinfantryofthefirstarmy.

onthe1stofseptemberhehadcomeintomoscowfromthearmy.

hehadabsolutelynothingtodoinmoscow;buthenoticedthateveryoneinthearmywasaskingleavetogointomoscow,andwasbusydoingsomethingthere.he,too,thoughtfittoaskleaveofabsenceonaccountofurgentdomesticandfamilyaffairs.

bergdroveuptohisfather-in-law’shouseinhissprucechaise,withhispairofsleekroans,preciselysimilartothoseofacertainprince.helookedcarefullyattheageintheyard,andasheranupthesteps,hetookoutacleanpocket-handkerchief,andtiedaknotinit.

bergranwithaswimming,impatientstepfromtheentryintothedrawing-room,embracedthecount,kissednatasha’shandandsonya’s,andthenhastenedtoinquireaftermamma’shealth.

“health,atatimelikethis！come,telluswhatnewsofthearmy！”saidthecount.“aretheyretreating,orwilltherebeabattle？”

“onlyalmightygodcantellwhatwillbethefateofourfatherland,papa,”saidberg.“thearmyisanimatedbythemostardentspiritofheroism,andnowitschiefs,sotospeak,aresittingincouncil.nooneknowswhatiscoming.buticantellyou,papa,thatourheroicspirit,thetrulyantiquevalouroftherussianarmy,whichthey—it,imean,”hecorrectedhimself—“showedinthefightofthe26th…well,therearenowordsthatcandojusticetoit.”（hesmotehimselfonthechestjustashehadseenageneraldo,whohadusedmuchthesamephrasesbeforehim—buthewasalittletoolate,fortheblowonthechestshouldproperlyhavebeenatthewords,“therussianarmy.”）“icanassureyou,papa,thatweofficers,sofarfromhavingtourgethesoldierson,oranythingofthesort,hadmuchadotokeepincheckthis…yes,theseexploitsrecallingthevalourofantiquity,”herattledoff.“generalbarclaydetollyriskedhislifeeverywhereinfrontofhistroops,icanassureyou.ourcorpswaspostedontheslopeofahill.onlyfancy！”andbergproceededtorecountallthestorieshehadheardrepeatedaboutthebattle.natashastaredatberg,asthoughseekingthesolutionofsomeprobleminhisface,andhereyesdisconcertedhim.

“altogether,theheroismshownbytherussiansoldiersisbeyondpraise,andbeyonddescription！”saidberg,lookingatnatasha;andasthoughwishingtosoftenher,hesmiledinresponsetoherpersistentstare…“‘russiaisnotinmoscow,shelivesintheheartsofhersons！’eh,papa？”saidberg.

atthatmomentthecountesscameinfromthedivan-roomwithalookofwearinessandannoyanceonherface.bergskippedup,kissedthecountess’shand,askedafterherhealth,andstoodbesideher,withasympatheticshakeofhishead.

“yes,mamma,totellthetruth,thesearehardandsorrowfultimesforeveryrussian.butwhyshouldyoubesoanxious？youhavestilltimetogetaway…”

“ican’tmakeoutwhattheservantsareabout,”saidthecountess,addressingherhusband.“theytoldmejustnownothingwasready.someonereallymustgoandlookafterthem.it’satsuchtimesonemissesmitenka.therewillbenoendtoit.”

thecountwasabouttomakesomereply;butwithavisibleefforttorestrainhimself,gotupandwenttothedoorwithoutaword.

berg,meanwhile,hadtakenouthishandkerchiefasthoughabouttoblowhisnose,and,seeingtheknotinit,heponderedamoment,shakinghisheadwithmournfulsignificance.

“and,doyouknow,papa,ihaveagreatfavourtoask…”hebegan.

“h’m？”saidthecount,pausing.

“iwaspassingbyyusupov’shousejustnow,”saidberg,laughing.“thesteward,amaniknow,ranoutandaskedmewhetheriwouldn’tcaretobuyanyoftheirthings.iwentin,youknow,outofcuriosity,andthereisalittlechiffonieranddressing-table.youknow,justlikewhatverushkawanted,andwequarrelledabout.”（bergunconsciouslypassedintoatoneexpressiveofhispleasureinhisownexcellentdomesticarrangements.）“andsuchacharmingthing！—itmovesforward,youknow,withasecretenglishlock.andit’sjustwhatverushkawanted.soiwanttomakeitasurpriseforher.iseewhatanumberofpeasantsyouhaveintheyard.please,sparemeoneofthem.i’llpayhimwell,and…”

thecountfrownedandsniffed.

“askthecountess;idon’tgivetheorders.”

“ifit’stroublesome,praydon’t,”saidberg.“onlyishouldhavelikeditonvera’saccount.”

“ah,gotodamnationallofyou,damnation！damnation！damnation！”criedtheoldcount.“myhead’sgoinground.”andhewentoutoftheroom.

thecountessbegantocry.

“yes,indeed,theseareterribletimes,mamma！”saidberg.

natashawentoutwithherfather,andasthoughunabletomakeuphermindonsomedifficultquestion,shefollowedhimatfirst,thenturnedandrandownstairs.