第116章

第116章inthedecemberof1805,theoldprincenikolayandreitchbolkonskyreceivedaletterfromprincevassily,announcingthatheintendedtovisithimwithhisson.（“iamgoingonaninspectiontour,andofcourseahundredverstsisonlyastepoutofthewayformetovisityou,mydeeply-honouredbenefactor,”hewrote.“myanatoleisaccompanyingmeonhiswaytothearmy,andihopeyouwillpermithimtoexpresstoyouinpersontheprofoundvenerationthat,followinghisfather’sexample,heentertainsforyou.”）

“well,there’snoneedtobringmarieout,itseems;suitorscometousofthemselves,”thelittleprincesssaidheedlesslyonhearingofthis.princenikolayandreitchscowledandsaidnothing.

afortnightafterreceivingtheletter,princevassily’sservantsarrivedoneeveninginadvanceofhim,andthefollowingdayhecamehimselfwithhisson.

oldbolkonskyhadalwayshadapooropinionofprincevassily’scharacter,andthisopinionhadgrownstrongeroflatesinceprincevassilyhad,underthenewreignsofpaulandalexander,advancedtohighrankandhonours.nowfromtheletterandthelittleprincess’shints,hesawwhattheobjectofthevisitwas,andhispooropinionofprincevassilypassedintoafeelingofill-willandcontemptintheoldprince’sheart.hesnortedindignantlywheneverhespokeofhim.onthedayofprincevassily’sarrival,theoldprincewasparticularlydiscontentedandoutofhumour.whetherhewasoutofhumourbecauseprincevassilywascoming,orwhetherhewasparticularlydispleasedatprincevassily’scomingbecausehewasoutofhumour,noonecansay.buthewasoutofhumour,andearlyinthemorningtihonhaddissuadedthearchitectfromgoingtotheprincewithhisreport.

“listenhowhe’swalking,”saidtihon,callingtheattentionofthearchitecttothesoundoftheprince’sfootsteps.“steppingflatonhisheels…thenweknow…”

atnineo’clock,however,theoldprincewentoutforawalk,asusual,wearinghisshort,velvet,fur-linedcloakwithasablecollarandasablecap.therehadbeenafallofsnowonthepreviousevening.thepathalongwhichprincenikolayandreitchwalkedtotheconservatoryhadbeencleared;thereweremarksofabroominthesweptsnow,andaspadehadbeenleftstickinginthecrispbankofsnowthatborderedthepathonbothsides.theprincewalkedthroughtheconservatories,theservants’quarters,andtheout-buildings,frowningandsilent.

“couldasledgedriveup？”heaskedtherespectfulsteward,whowasescortinghimtothehouse,withacountenanceandmannerslikehisown.

“thesnowisdeep,yourexcellency.igaveordersfortheavenuetobeswepttoo.”

theprincenodded,andwasapproachingthesteps.“glorytothee,olord！”thoughtthesteward,“thestormhaspassedover！”

“itwouldhavebeenhardtodriveup,yourexcellency,”addedthesteward.“soihear,yourexcellency,there’saministercomingtovisityourexcellency？”theprinceturnedtothestewardandstaredwithscowlingeyesathim.

“eh？aminister？whatminister？whogaveyouorders？”hebeganinhisshrill,cruelvoice.“fortheprincessmydaughter,youdonotcleartheway,butfortheministeryoudo！formetherearenoministers！”

“yourexcellency,isupposed…”

“yousupposed,”shoutedtheprince,articulatingwithgreaterandgreaterhasteandincoherence.“yousupposed…brigands！blackguards！…i’llteachyoutosuppose,”andraisinghisstickhewaveditatalpatitch,andwouldhavehithim,hadnotthestewardinstinctivelyshrunkbackandescapedtheblow.“yousupposed…blackguards！…”hestillcriedhurriedly.butalthoughalpatitch,shockedathisowninsolenceindodgingtheblow,wentclosertotheprince,withhisbaldheadbenthumblybeforehim,orperhapsjustbecauseofthis,theprincedidnotliftthestickagain,andstillshouting,“blackguards！…filluptheroad…”herantohisroom.

princessmaryaandmademoisellebouriennestood,waitingfortheoldprincebeforedinner,wellawarethathewasoutoftemper.mademoisellebourienne’sbeamingcountenanceseemedtosay,“iknownothingaboutit,iamjustthesameasusual,”whileprincessmaryastoodpaleandterrifiedwithdowncasteyes.whatmadeitharderforprincessmaryawasthatsheknewthatsheoughttoactlikemademoisellebourienneatsuchtimes,butshecouldnotdoit.shefelt,“ifibehaveasifididnotnoticeit,he’llthinkihavenosympathywithhim.ifibehaveasifiweredepressedandoutofhumourmyself,he’llsay（asindeedoftenhappened）thati’msulky…”andsoon.

theprinceglancedathisdaughter’sscaredfaceandsnorted.

“stuff！”orperhaps“stupid！”hemuttered.“andtheotherisnothere！they’vebeentellingtalestoheralready,”hethought,noticingthatthelittleprincesswasnotinthedining-room.

“where’sprincessliza？”heasked.“inhiding？”

“she’snotquitewell,”saidmademoisellebouriennewithabrightsmile;“sheisnotcomingdown.inherconditionitisonlytobeexpected.”

“h’m！h’m！kh！kh！”growledtheprince,andhesatdowntothetable.hethoughthisplatewasnotclean：hepointedtoamarkonitandthrewitaway.tihoncaughtitandhandedittoafootman.thelittleprincesswasquitewell,butshewasinsuchoverwhelmingterroroftheprince,thatonhearinghewasinabadtemper,shehaddecidednottocomein.

“iamafraidformybaby,”shesaidtomademoisellebourienne;“godknowswhatmightnotbetheresultofafright.”