第436章

第436章“itwasourfoolishness,yakovalpatitch,”answeredvoices,andthecrowdatoncebegantobreakupandtodisperseaboutthevillage.

thetwopeasantswhowereboundtheytooktothemanor-house.thetwodrunkenpeasantsfollowedthem.

“ay,nowlookatyou！”saidoneofthem,addressingkarp.

“doyousupposeyoucantalktothegentrylikethat？whatwereyouthinkingabout？youareafool,”putintheother;“aregularfool.”

withintwohoursthehorsesandcartsrequiredwerestandinginthecourtyardofthebogutcharovohouse.thepeasantswereeagerlyhurryingoutandpackinginthecartstheirowners’goods;anddron,whohadatprincessmarya’sdesire,beenreleasedfromthelumber-room,wheretheyhadshuthimup,wasstandingintheyard,givingdirectionstothemen.

“don’tpackitsocarelessly,”saidoneofthepeasants,atallmanwitharound,smilingface,takingacasketoutofahousemaid’shands.“it’sworthmoneytoo,youmaybesure.why,ifyouflingitdownlikethatorputitunderthecord,itwillgetscratched.idon’tliketoseethingsdoneso.leteverythingbedonehonestly,accordingtorule,isay.there,likethis,underthematting,andcoveritupwithhay;there,that’sfirst-rate.”

“mercyonus,thebooks,thebooks,”saidanotherpeasant,bringingoutprinceandrey’sbookshelves.“mindyoudon’tstumble！ay,butit’sheavy,lads;thebooksarestoutandsolid！”

“yes,theymusthaveworkedhardtowritethem！”saidatall,round-facedpeasantpointingwithasignificantwinktoalexiconlyinguppermost.

rostov,notwishingtoforcehisacquaintanceontheprincess,didnotgobacktothehouse,butremainedatthevillagewaitingforhertodriveout.whenprincessmarya’scarriagedroveoutfromthehouse,rostovmountedhishorseandescortedherasfarastheroadoccupiedbyourtroops,twelveverstsfrombogutcharovo.attheinnatyankovohepartedfromherrespectfully,forthefirsttimepermittinghimselftokissherhand.

“howcanyouspeakofit！”hesaid,blushinginresponsetoprincessmarya’sexpressionofgratitudetohimforsavingher,asshecalledit.“anypoliceofficerwouldhavedoneasmuch.ifweonlyhadtowagewarwithpeasants,wewouldnothavelettheenemyadvancesofar,”hesaid,tryingwithasortofbashfulnesstochangetheconversation.“iamonlyhappytohavehadtheopportunityofmakingyouracquaintance.good-bye,princess.itrustyoumayfindhappinessandconsolation,andihopeimaymeetyouagaininhappiercircumstances.ifyoudon’twanttomakemeblush,pleasedon’tthankme.”

butiftheprincessthankedhimnomoreinwords,shethankedhimwiththewholeexpressionofherface,whichwasradiantwithgratitudeandwarmth.shecouldnotbelievethatshehadnocausetothankhim.onthecontrary,toherminditwasanincontestablefactthathaditnotbeenforhim,shemustinevitablyhavefallenavictimtotherebelliouspeasantsorthefrench;thathe,tosaveher,hadexposedhimselftoobviousandfearfuldanger;andevenmorecertainwasthefactthathewasamanofnobleandloftysoul,abletosympathisewithherpositionandhergrief.hiskindlyandhonesteyes,withtearsstartingtothematthemomentwhenweepingherselfshehadspokenofherloss,hauntedherimagination.whenshehadsaidgood-byetohimandwasleftalone,princessmaryasuddenlyfelttearsinhereyes,andthen—notforthefirsttime—thequestionoccurredtoher：“wassheinlovewithhim？”ontherestofthewaytomoscow,thoughtheprincess’spositionwasbynomeansajoyfulone,dunyasha,whowasinthecarriagewithher,noticedthathermistress’sfaceworeavaguelyhappyandpensivesmile,asshelookedoutofthewindow.

“well,whatifihavefalleninlovewithhim？”thoughshewasashamedatacknowledgingtoherselfthatshehadfalleninlovewithamanwhowouldperhapsnevercareforher,shecomfortedherselfwiththereflectionthatnoonewouldeverknowit,andshewasnottoblame,ifshelovedinsecretforthefirstandlasttimeandforherwholelifelong.

sometimessherecalledhislooks,hissympathy,hiswords,andhappinessseemedtohernotquiteimpossible.andthenitwasthatdunyashanoticedthatshelookedoutofthewindowsmiling.

“andtothinkthatheshouldcometobogutcharovoandatthatverymoment！”thoughtprincessmarya.“andthathissistershouldhaverefusedandrey！”andinallthat,princessmaryasawthehandofprovidence.

theimpressionmadeonrostovbyprincessmaryawasaveryagreeableone.whenhethoughtofher,hefeltpleased.andwhenhiscomrades,hearingofhisadventureatbogutcharovo,ralliedhimonhavinggonetolookforhay,andhavingpickeduponeofthegreatestheiressesinrussia,itmadehimangry.hewasangryjustbecausetheideaofmarryingthegentle,and,tohismind,charmingprincessmaryawithherenormousfortunehadmorethanonce,againsthisownwill,occurredtohismind.asfarashepersonallywasconcerned,nikolaycouldhaveaskednothingbetterthantohaveprincessmaryaforhiswife.tomarryherwouldmakethecountess,hismother,happy,andwouldrepairhisfather’sbrokenfortunes.anditwouldeven—nikolayfeltit—makethehappinessoftheprincessherself.

butsonya？andhispromise？andthatwaswhyitmaderostovangrytoberalliedabouttheprincessbolkonsky.