第27章

第27章pierrehadnoteededinfixinguponacareerinpetersburg,andreallyhadbeenbanishedtomoscowfordisorderlyconduct.thestorytoldabouthimatcountrostov’swastrue.pierrehadassistedintyingthepoliceofficertothebear.hehadarrivedafewdayspreviously,stoppingashealwaysdidathisfather’shouse.thoughhehadassumedthathisstorywouldbealreadyknownatmoscow,andthattheladieswhowereabouthisfather,alwaysunfavourablydisposedtohim,wouldprofitbythisopportunityofturningthecountagainsthim,hewentonthedayofhisarrivaltohisfather’spartofthehouse.goingintothedrawing-room,wheretheprincessesusuallysat,hegreetedtheladies,twoofwhomweresittingattheirembroideryframes,whileonereadaloud.therewerethreeofthem.theeldest,atrim,long-waisted,severemaiden-lady,theonewhohadcomeouttoannamihalovna,wasreading.theyoungerones,bothrosyandpretty,wereonlytobedistinguishedbythefactthatoneofthemhadalittlemolewhichmadehermuchprettier.theywerebothworkingattheirembroideryframes.pierrewasreceivedlikeamanrisenfromthedeadorstrickenwithplague.theeldestprincesspausedinherreadingandstaredathiminsilencewithdismayinhereyes.thesecondassumedpreciselythesameexpression.theyoungest,theonewiththemole,whowasofamirthfulandlaughingdisposition,bentoverherframe,toconcealasmile,probablyevokedbytheamusingscenesheforesawcoming.shepulledherembroiderywooloutbelow,andbentdownasthoughexaminingthepattern,hardlyabletosuppressherlaughter.

“goodmorning,cousin,”saidpierre.“youdon’tknowme？”

“iknowyouonlytoowell,onlytoowell.”

“howisthecount？caniseehim？”pierreasked,awkwardlyasalways,butnotdisconcerted.

“thecountissufferingbothphysicallyandmorally,andyouronlyanxietyseemstobetooccasionhimasmuchsufferingaspossible.”

“caniseethecount？”repeatedpierre.

“hm…ifyouwanttokillhim,tokillhimoutright,youcanseehim.olga,goandseeifuncle’sbrothisready—itwillsoonbetimeforit,”sheadded,toshowpierretheywerebusy,andbusyinseeingafterhisfather’scomfort,whilehewasobviouslyonlybusyincausinghimdiscomfort.

olgawentout.pierrestoodstillamoment,lookedatthesistersandbowingsaid：“theniwillgotomyroom.whenicanseehim,youwilltellme.”hewentawayandheardtheringingbutnotloudlaughofthesisterwiththemolebehindhim.

thenextdayprincevassilyhadcomeandsettledinthecount’shouse.hesentforpierreandsaidtohim：

“mydearfellow,ifyoubehavehereasyoudidatpetersburg,youwillcometoaverybadend;that’sallihavetosaytoyou.thecountisvery,veryill;youmustnotseehim.”

sincethenpierrehadnotbeendisturbed,andhespentthewholedayaloneinhisroomupstairs.

atthemomentwhenboriscamein,pierrewaswalkingupanddownhisroom,stoppingnowandtheninthecorners,makingmenacinggesturesatthewall,asthoughthrustingsomeinvisibleenemythroughwithalance,thenhegazedsternlyoverhisspectacles,thenpacingupanddownagain,murmuringindistinctwords,inghisshouldersandgesticulating.

“england’sdayisover！”hesaid,scowlingandpointingatsomeonewithhisfinger.“mr.pitt,asatraitortothenationandtotherightsofman,iscondemned…”hehadnottimetodeliverpitt’ssentence,imagininghimselfatthatmomentnapoleon,andhavinginthepersonofhisheroeededinthedangerouscrossingofthechannelandintheconquestoflondon,whenhesawagraceful,handsomeyoungofficercomein.hestoodstill.pierrehadseenborislastasaboyoffourteen,anddidnotrememberhimintheleast.butinspiteofthathetookhishandinhischaracteristicallyquickandwarm-heartedmanner,andsmiledcordiallyathim.

“yourememberme？”borissaidcalmlywithapleasantsmile.“ihavecomewithmymothertoseethecount,butitseemsheisnotquitewell.”

“yes,heisill,itseems.peoplearealwaysbotheringhim,”answeredpierre,tryingtorecallwhothisyouthmightbe.

borisperceivedthatpierredidnotknowhim,butdidnotthinkfittomakehimselfknown,andwithouttheslightestembarrassmentlookedhimstraightintheface.

“countrostovasksyoutocometodinnerwithhimto-day,”hesaid,afteraratherlongsilencesomewhatdisconcertingforpierre.

“ah,countrostov,”beganpierre,delighted.“soyouarehisson,ilya？canyoubelieveit,forthefirstmomentididnotrecogniseyou.doyourememberhowweusedtoslideonthesparrowhillswithmadamejacquot…longago？”

“youaremistaken,”saidboris,deliberately,withaboldandrathersarcasticsmile.“iamboris,thesonofprincessannamihalovnadrubetskoy.itisthefatheroftherostovswhoiscalledilya,theson’snikolay.andidon’tknowanymadamejacquot.”

pierreshookhishandsandhead,asthoughfliesorbeeswereswarminguponhim.