第208章

第208章warhadbrokenoutandthetheatreofitwasclosertothebordersofrussia.onallsidescouldbeheardcursesupontheenemyofthehumanrace,bonaparte;inthevillagestherewereleviesofrecruitsandreservemen,andfromthetheatreofwarcamenewsofthemostconflictingkind,falseasusual,andhencevariouslyinterpreted.

thelifeoftheoldprincebolkonsky,ofprinceandrey,andofprincessmaryawasgreatlychangedsincetheyear1805.

in1806theoldprincehadbeenappointedoneoftheeightcommanders-in-chief,createdatthattimefortheequipmentofthemilitiathroughoutallrussia.inspiteofhisweaknessandage,whichhadbeenparticularlynoticeableduringthetimewhenhebelievedhissontohavebeenkilled,theoldprincedidnotthinkitrighttorefuseadutytowhichhehadbeenappointedbytheemperorhimself,andthisnewfieldforhisactivitygavehimfreshenergyandstrength.hewascontinuallyawayontoursaboutthethreeprovincesthatwereputunderhiscommand;hewaspunctilioustopedantryintheperformanceofhisduties,severetocrueltywithhissubordinates,andenteredintotheminutestdetailsoftheworkhimself.princessmaryanolongertooklessonsinmathematicsfromherfather,andonlywentintoherfather’sroomonthemorningswhenhewasathome,accompaniedbythewetnurseandlittleprincenikolay（ashisgrandfathercalledhim）.thebaby,princenikolay,withhiswetnurseandtheoldnursesavishna,occupiedtheroomsthathadbeenhismother’s,andprincessmaryaspentmostofhertimeinthenurserytakingamother’splacetoherlittlenephew,tothebestofherpowers.mademoisellebourienne,too,appearedtobepassionatelyfondofthechild,andprincessmaryaoftensacrificedherselfbygivinguptoherfriendthepleasureofdandlingandplayingwiththelittleangel（asshecalledthebaby）.

nearthealtarofthechurchatbleakhillswasalittlechapeloverthetombofthelittleprincess,andinthechapelhadbeenplacedamarblemonumentbroughtfromitaly,representinganangelwithitswingspartedabouttotakeflightforheaven.theangelhadtheupperlipliftedasthoughabouttosmile,andonedayprinceandreyandprincessmarya,astheycameoutofthechapel,confessedtooneanotherthat,strangetosay,thefaceoftheangelremindedthemofthefaceofthelittleprincess.butwhatwasstranger,thoughthisprinceandreydidnotconfesstohissister,wasthatintheexpressionthesculptorhadchancedtoputintotheangel’sface,princeandreyreadthesamewordsofreproachwhichhehadreadthenonthefaceofhisdeadwife：“ah,whyhaveyoudonethistome？…”

soonafterprinceandrey’sreturn,theoldprincemadeoverapartofthepropertytohim,givinghimbogutcharovo,alargeestateaboutthirtymilesfrombleakhills.partlytoescapethepainfulmemoriesassociatedwithbleakhills,partlybecauseprinceandreydidnotalwaysfeelequaltobearingwithhisfather’speculiarities,andpartlyfromacravingforsolitude,princeandreymadeuseofbogutcharovo,establishedhimselfthereandspentthegreaterpartofhistimethere.

aftertheausterlitzcampaign,princeandreyhadgrimlyresolvednevertoserveagaininthearmy.andwhenwarbrokeoutandallwereboundtoserve,hetookserviceunderhisfatherinthelevyingofthemilitia,soastoescapeactiveservice.sincethecampaignof1805theoldprinceandhissonhadasitwereexchangedparts.theoldprince,stimulatedbyactivity,expectedthebestresultsfromthepresentcampaign.princeandrey,onthecontrary,takingnopartinthewar,andsecretlyregrettinghisinaction,sawinitnothingbutwhatwasbad.

onthe26thoffebruary,1807theoldprincesetoffonatourofinspection.princeandreywasstayingatbleakhills,asheusuallydidinhisfather’sabsence.littlenikolushkahadbeenillforthelastthreedays.thecoachman,whohaddriventheoldprinceaway,returnedbringingpapersandlettersfromthetownforprinceandrey.thevaletwiththelettersnotfindingtheyoungprinceinhisstudy,wenttoprincessmarya’sapartments,buthewasnotthereeither.thevaletwastoldthattheprincehadgonetothenursery.“ifyouplease,yourexcellency,petrushahascomewithsomepapers,”saidoneofthenurserymaids,addressingprinceandrey,whowassittingonachild’slittlechair.screwinguphiseyes,hewaswithtremblinghandspouringdropsfromamedicinebottleintoaglasshalffullofwater.