第352章

第352章“nowhe”（speransky）“willbecriticisedandcondemnedbyallwhowereenthusiasticabouthimamonthago,”princeandreywassaying,“andwereincapableofunderstandinghisaims.it’sveryeasytocondemnamanwhenhe’soutoffavour,andtothrowuponhimtheblameofallthemistakesofotherpeople.butimaintainthatifanythingofvaluehasbeendoneinthepresentreign,ithasbeendonebyhim—byhimalone…”hestopped,seeingpierre.hisfacequivered,andatonceassumedavindictiveexpression.“andposteritywilldohimjustice,”hefinished,andatonceturnedtopierre.“well,howareyou,stillgettingstouter？”hesaideagerly,butthenewlinewasstillmoredeeplyfurrowedonhisforehead.“yes,i’mverywell,”heansweredtopierre’squestion,andhesmiled.itwascleartopierrethathissmilemeant,“iamwell,butmyhealthisofnousetoanyonenow.”

aftersayingafewwordstopierreoftheawfulroadfromthefrontiersofpoland,ofpeoplehehadmetinswitzerlandwhoknewpierre,andofm.dessalle,whomhehadbroughtbackfromswitzerlandasatutorforhisson,princeandreywarmlytookpartagainintheconversationaboutsperansky,whichhadbeenkeptupbetweenthetwooldgentlemen.

“iftherehadbeentreason,andtherewereproofsofhissecretrelationswithnapoleon,theywouldhavemadethempublic,”hesaid,withheatandhaste.“idon’tandididn’tlikesperanskypersonally,butidolikejustice.”

pierrerecognizednowinhisfriendthatdesireheknewonlytoowell,forexcitementanddiscussionofsomethingapartfromhimself,simplyinordertostiflethoughtsthatweretoopainfulandtoonearhisheart.

whenprincemeshtcherskyhadgone,princeandreytookpierre’sarm,andaskedhimtocometotheroomthathadbeenassignedhim.inthatroomtherewasafoldingbedsteadandopentrunksandboxes.princeandreywentuptooneofthemandtookoutacase.outofthecasehetookapacketofletters.hedidallthisinsilence,andveryrapidly.hestoodupagainandclearedhisthroat.hisfacewasfrowning,andhislipsset.

“forgiveme,ifi’mtroublingyou…”pierresawthatprinceandreywasgoingtospeakofnatasha,andhisbroadfaceshowedsympathyandpity.thatexpressioninpierre’sfaceexasperatedprinceandrey.hewentonresolutely,clearly,anddisagreeably：“ihavereceivedarefusalfromcountessrostov,andrumourshavereachedmeofyourbrother-in-law’sseekingherhand,orsomethingofthekind.isthattrue？”

“bothtrueanduntrue,”beganpierre;butprinceandreycuthimshort.

“hereareherlettersandherportrait,”hesaid.hetookthepacketfromthetableandgaveittopierre.

“givethattothecountess…ifyouwillseeher.”

“sheisveryill,”saidpierre.

“soshe’sstillhere？”saidprinceandrey.“andprincekuragin？”heaskedquickly.

“hehasbeengonealongwhile.shehasbeenatdeath’sdoor.”

“iamverysorrytohearofherillness,”saidprinceandrey.helaughedacold,malignant,unpleasantlaughlikehisfather’s.

“butm.kuragin,then,didnotdeigntobestowhishandoncountessrostov？”saidprinceandrey.hesnortedseveraltimes.

“hecouldnothavemarriedher,becauseheismarried,”saidpierre.

princeandreylaughedunpleasantly,againrecallinghisfather.

“andwhereishenow,yourbrother-in-law,mayiask？”hesaid.

“hewenttopeter…but,really,idon’tknow,”saidpierre.

“well,that’snomatter,”saidprinceandrey.“tellcountessrostovfrommethatshewasandisperfectlyfree,andthatiwishherallprosperity.”

pierretookthepacket.princeandrey,asthoughreflectingwhetherhehadnotsomethingmoretosay,orwaitingforpierretosaysomething,lookedathimwithafixedgaze.

“listen.doyourememberourdiscussioninpetersburg？”saidpierre.“doyourememberabout—？”

“iremember,”princeandreyansweredhurriedly.“isaidthatafallenwomanshouldbeforgiven,butididnotsayicouldforgiveone.ican’t.”

“howcanyoucompareit？…”saidpierre.

princeandreycuthimshort.hecriedharshly：“yes,askherhandagain,bemagnanimous,andallthatsortofthing？…oh,that’sallverynoble,buti’mnotequaltofollowinginthatgentleman’stracks.ifyoucaretoremainmyfriend,neverspeaktomeofthat…ofallthisbusiness.well,good-bye.soyou’llgivethat？…”

pierrelefthim,andwentintotheoldprinceandprincessmarya.

theoldmanseemedlivelierthanusual.princessmaryawasthesameasusual,butbehindhersympathyforherbrother,pierredetectedherreliefthatherbrother’smarriagewasbrokenoff.lookingatthem,pierrefeltwhatacontemptanddisliketheyallhadfortherostovs;feltthatitwouldbeimpossibleintheirpresenceeventomentionthenameofthegirlwhocouldgiveupprinceandreyforanyoneintheworld.

atdinnertheytalkedofthecomingwar,ofwhichtherecouldnowbenodoubtinthenearfuture.princeandreytalkedincessantly,andarguedfirstwithhisfather,andthenwithdessalle,theswisstutor.heseemedmoreeagerthanusual,withthateagernessofwhichpierreknewsowelltheinnercause.