第51章

第51章“heisdesertingmehere,andheavenknowswhy,whenhemighthavehadpromotion…”princessmaryadidnotlistentotheend,butfollowingherowntrainofthought,sheturnedtohersister-in-law,lettingheraffectionateeyesrestonherwaist.

“isitreallytrue？”shesaid.

thefaceofhersister-in-lawchanged.shesighed.

“yes,it’strue,”shesaid.“oh！it’sverydreadful…”

liza’slipdrooped.sheputherfaceclosetohersister-in-law’sface,andagainsheunexpectedlybegantocry.

“sheneedsrest,”saidprinceandrey,frowning.“don’tyou,liza？takehertoyourroom,whileigotofather.howishe—justthesame？”

“thesame,justthesame;idon’tknowwhatyouwillthink,”princessmaryaansweredjoyfully.

“andthesamehours,andthewalksabouttheavenues,andthelathe？”askedprinceandreywithascarcelyperceptiblesmile,showingthat,inspiteofallhisloveandrespectforhisfather,herecognisedhisweaknesses.

“thesamehoursandthelathe,mathematicstoo,andmygeometrylessons,”princessmaryaansweredgaily,asthoughthoselessonswereoneofthemostdelightfuleventsofherlife.

whenthetwentyminuteshadelapsed,andthetimefortheoldprincetogetuphadcome,tihoncametocalltheyoungmantohisfather.theoldmanmadeadeparturefromhisordinaryroutineinhonourofhisson’sarrival.hedirectedthatheshouldbeadmittedintohisapartmentsduringhistimefordressing,beforedinner.theoldprinceusedtoweartheold-fashioneddress,thekaftanandpowder.andwhenprinceandrey—notwiththedisdainfulfaceandmannerswithwhichhewalkedintodrawing-rooms,butwiththeeagerfacewithwhichhehadtalkedtopierre—wentintohisfather’sroom,theoldgentlemanwasinhisdressing-roomsittinginaroomyochairinapeignoir,withhisheadinthehandsoftihon.

“ah！thewarrior！soyouwanttofightbonaparte？”saidtheoldman,shakinghispowderedheadasfarashisplaitedtail,whichwasintihon’shands,wouldpermithim.

“mindyoulooksharpafterhim,atanyrate,orhe’llsoonbeputtingusonthelistofhissubjects.howareyou？”

andheheldouthischeektohim.

theoldgentlemanwasinexcellenthumourafterhisnapbeforedinner.（heusedtosaythatsleepafterdinnerwassilver,butbeforedinneritwasgolden.）hetookdelighted,sidelongglancesathissonfromunderhisthick,overhangingbrows.princeandreywentupandkissedhisfatheronthespotindicatedforhim.hemadenoreplyonhisfather’sfavouritetopic—jestingbanteratthemilitarymenoftheperiod,andparticularlyatbonaparte.

“yes,ihavecometoyou,father,bringingawifewithchild,”saidprinceandrey,witheagerandreverentialeyeswatchingeverymovementofhisfather’sface.“howisyourhealth？”

“nonebutfools,mylad,andprofligatesareunwell,andyouknowme;busyfrommorningtillnightandtemperate,soofcoursei’mwell.”

“thankgod,”saidhisson,smiling.

“god’snotmuchtodowiththematter.come,tellme,”theoldmanwenton,goingbacktohisfavouritehobby,“howhavethegermanstrainedyoutofightwithbonaparteontheirnewscientificmethod—strategyastheycallit？”

princeandreysmiled.

“givemetimetorecovermyself,father,”hesaid,withasmilethatshowedthathisfather’sfailingsdidnotpreventhisrespectingandlovinghim.“why,ihaveonlyjustgothere.”

“nonsense,nonsense,”criedtheoldman,shakinghistailtotrywhetheritweretightlyplaited,andtakinghissonbythehand.“thehouseisreadyforyourwife.mariewilllookafterherandshowhereverything,andtalknineteentothedozenwithhertoo.that’stheirfeminineway.i’mgladtohaveher.sitdown,talktome.mihelson’sarmy,iunderstand,tolstoy’stoo…asimultaneousexpedition…butwhat’sthearmyofthesouthgoingtodo？prussia,herneutrality…iknowallthat.whatofaustria？”hesaid,gettingupfromhischairandwalkingabouttheroom,withtihonrunningafterhim,givinghimvariousarticlesofhisapparel.“whataboutsweden？howwilltheycrosspomerania？”

princeandrey,seeingtheurgencyofhisfather’squestions,beganexplainingtheplanofoperationsoftheproposedcampaign,speakingatfirstreluctantly,butbecomingmoreinterestedashewenton,andunconsciouslyfromhabitpassingfromrussianintofrench.hetoldhimhowanarmyofninetythousandtroopswastothreatenprussiasoastodriveheroutofherneutralityanddrawherintothewar,howpartofthesetroopsweretojointheswedishtroopsatstrahlsund,howtwohundredandtwentythousandaustriansweretocombinewithahundredthousandrussiansinitalyandontherhine,andhowfiftythousandrussiansandfiftythousandenglishtroopsweretomeetatnaples,andhowthearmy,formingatotaloffivehundredthousand,wastoattackthefrenchondifferentsidesatonce.theoldprincedidnotmanifesttheslightestinterestinwhathetoldhim.hewentondressing,ashewalkedabout,apparentlynotlistening,andthreetimesheunexpectedlyinterruptedhim.oncehestoppedhimandshouted：“thewhiteone！thewhiteone！”

thismeantthattihonhadnotgivenhimthewaistcoathewanted.anothertime,hestoodstill,asked：“andwillshebeconfinedsoon？”andshookhisheadreproachfully：“that’sbad！goon,goon.”

thethirdtimewaswhenprinceandreywasjustfinishinghisdescription.theoldmanhummedinfrench,inhisfalsettooldvoice：“malbrookgoesofftobattle,godknowswhenhe’llcomeback.”

hissononlysmiled.

“idon’tsaythatthisisaplaniapproveof,”hesaid;“i’monlytellingyouwhatitis.napoleonhasmadeaplanbynowasgoodasthisone.”

“well,youhavetoldmenothingnew.”andthoughtfullytheoldmanrepeated,speakingquicklytohimself：“godknowswhenhe’llcomeback.gointothedining-room.”