Chapter 22 Chapter Twenty Two

At the estate of Prince Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky on Bald Hills, everyone waited every day for the return of young Prince Andrei and his wife, but the expectation did not disturb the rigor of the old prince's house. order of life.Prince Nikolai Andreyevich, who was called leroide Prusse in the upper class, was exiled to the countryside during the reign of Emperor Paul, and he and his daughter, Princess Maria, and her companion Bu Miss Li'an lived a reclusive life in Tongshan.When the new dynasty came to power, he continued to live in the country and never went out, although he was allowed to enter the capital, saying that if anyone needed him, he would have to walk a hundred and fifty versts from Moscow to Bald Mountain. Come; and he asks for nothing and from no one.He said that only human beings have two sources of evil: idleness and superstition; only human beings have two noble qualities: activity and intelligence.He personally raised his daughter, taught her algebra and geometry, so as to cultivate these two great qualities in her; properly arranged her life, and asked her to constantly complete her homework.He himself was always busy, writing his memoirs, working out advanced mathematics, turning snuff bottles on a lathe, working in the garden and supervising the uninterrupted building work on his estate.Since the first condition of activity is order, procedure has reached a degree of scrupulousness in his way of life.He came out to eat according to an invariable routine, always at the same hour, exactly.The duke treated everyone around him, from his daughter to his servants, with a rough and demanding attitude, so that, if not cruel, he often inspired a feeling of awe that even the cruelest people could hardly arouse. .Although he was retired and inactive in the affairs of state, every governor who came to office in the province in which the Duke's estate belonged considered it a duty to pay his respects, and he was as good as an architect or a gardener. Or Princess Maria, who waited in the large waiter's lounge for the Duke to come out at the appointed time.Whenever the tall door of the study is pushed open, and a short old man comes out to meet customers, everyone waiting in the waiter's rest room will have a sense of respect and even fear for him. This old man wears a powdered mask The wig revealed small, atrophied hands and drooping gray eyebrows that sometimes hid his quick, youthful eyes when he frowned.

①French: King of Prussia. On the morning of the young couple's arrival, Princess Marya, as usual, entered the waiter's lounge at the appointed hour to say good morning, crossing herself with trepidation, and saying a prayer in her heart.She walked into the rest room every day and prayed every day, hoping that this day's meeting would end without incident. The old servant with powdered hair sitting in the rest room stood up slowly and whispered softly, "Please." The sound of the lathe turning evenly can be heard behind the door.The princess pulled the door shyly, and it opened smoothly and easily.She stopped by the door.The duke was working on the lathe, looked over his shoulder, and resumed his work.

The big study is full of various things, obviously some commonly used things.A large table - with books and charts on it, tall glass bookcases - with keys in the doors, a tall desk for standing writing - with an open exercise book on the desk Ben, a lathe--the tools on it, and the shavings strewn about it--all this points to a constant, varied, and productive activity going on here.Judging by the small foot with the silver-embroidered Tatar boot he operated on, and the crusty skin on his veined, atrophied hand, the Duke still had the spirit of being alive. The indomitable perseverance and great endurance of the old man.After a few turns, he took his foot off the lathe pedal, wiped the chisel head clean, and dropped it into the leather pouch attached to the lathe.He went to the table and called his daughter to him.He never blessed his own child, but brought his unshaven, unshaven cheek to his daughter, looked at her gravely, tenderly, and concernedly, and said:

"How are you? ... Hey, sit down!" He picked up his handwritten geometry exercise book, and pushed the easy chair over with his foot. "It's for tomorrow!" he said, and quickly found the page, marking both ends of this paragraph and the other with his stiff fingernail. The princess was bending over the table with the exercise books. "Wait a minute, there is a letter from you." The old man took out a letter written by a woman from the leather pouch on the table and threw it on the table. When the princess saw the letter, she blushed immediately, and she quickly picked up the letter, looking down at it.

"From Heloise?" asked the duke, showing his strong, slightly yellowed teeth, with a sneering smile. "Yes, it's from Julie," said the princess, looking at her shyly and smiling shyly. "There are two more letters which I do not read, but the third I must read," said the prince gravely. "I am afraid you are writing a lot of nonsense. I must read the third." "Monpeve, read even this letter," replied the princess, blushing even more, and handing him the letter. ①French: Dad. "As I said, the third letter, the third letter," cried the prince quickly and decisively, pushing the letter away.Propping his elbows on the table, he dragged the exercise book with the geometric figures towards him.

"Hello, ma'am," began the old man, leaning close to his daughter, bending over his exercise book, and laying his hand on the back of the easy chair where the princess was sitting, feeling that she had been recognized by her father whom she had known for a long time. The smell of tobacco and the choking smell of the old man hangs over. "Hey, ma'am, these triangles are all similar: you see, abc angles..." The princess looked bewilderedly into her father's shining eyes, which were approaching her, and flushed.It can be seen that she doesn't understand anything and is very afraid in her heart. Although her father's explanation is clear, this kind of fear will prevent her from understanding his father's further explanation after all.The teacher was at fault, or the girls were at fault, but the same situation repeated itself every day.The princess's eyes were dimmed, she didn't see, she didn't hear, she just felt the stern father's thin face approaching her, smelled his breath and smell, and only wanted to get out of the study as soon as possible. Understand the exercises freely in your own room.The old man lost his temper, moved his own easy chair away from him with a bang, and dragged it back again. He tried to control his anger, but almost every time he burst into a fit of rage, cursed, and sometimes threw his exercise-book on the floor. go aside.The princess was wrong.

"Hey, what a fool you are!" cried the prince, pushing away the exercise book, turning his face quickly away, but at once got up, walked about the room, touched the princess's hair, and sat down again. . He moved a little closer and continued to explain. "No, no, no, princess," he said, as the princess took up and closed the exercise book with the prescribed homework to leave, "mathematics is a first and foremost thing, my lady. I don't want you to be like our group of ignorant ladies. Let's live together forever." He stroked his daughter's cheek, "Confused thoughts will come out of your mind."

She wanted to go out, but he stopped her with gestures, and took down a new uncut book from the high table. "And your Heloise sent you a 'Solution of the Mysteries'. A religious book. I don't ask anybody's religion. . . . I skimmed it. Take it. Come on. , you go, you go!" He patted her on the shoulder, and as soon as she went out, he closed the door behind her himself. Princess Marya returned to her own chamber with a look of distress and horror.She often wore this look, which made her unattractive, sickly face even worse.She sat down at the desk, which was covered with miniature portraits and piled with exercise books and books.The princess was disorganized, her father was methodical.She put down her geometry exercise book and opened the letter hastily.The letter was from an intimate childhood friend of the princess, Julie Karagina, who had attended the name-day celebrations at the Rostovs' house.

Julie wrote in the letter: Dear, precious friend, what a dreadful and painful thing is parting!How many times have I repeated to myself that half of my life and my happiness rests on you, that although we are far apart, our hearts are connected by a constant bond, and my heart is against the destiny , not at the mercy of it, and although I am surrounded by pleasure and amusement, since our parting, I have not been able to suppress the hidden anxieties of my soul.Why can't we meet together in your big study like last summer, sitting together on the sky-blue sofa, the "professional love" sofa?Why should I not draw new spiritual strength, as I did three months ago, from your gentle, serene, penetrating gaze, the gaze I love, the gaze I still glimpsed before me when I wrote to you?

The princess named Maria sighed after reading this, and looked at the full-length mirror mounted on the right wall. The mirror reflected an unbeautiful weak body and a thin face.Eyes that had always looked unhappy were now looking at themselves in the mirror with particular disappointment. "She flatters me," thought the princess.She turned her face away and went on reading the letter.But Julie never flattered her friends; it is true that the princess's large, deep, shining eyes, which sometimes seemed to radiate in strands of tender light, were very beautiful, and despite the unattractiveness of her whole face, they often become extraordinarily charming.The princess had never seen the beautiful expression of her own eyes, that is, the expression of her eyes when she was not thinking about herself.Like all people, when she looked in the mirror, she had a hard, unnatural, ugly look on her face.She continued to read the letter:

All Moscow knows only about war.Of my two eldest brothers, one is already abroad, and the other is marching to the frontier with the Guards.Our dear emperor has abandoned Petersburg, and some speculate that the emperor intends to lead the battle himself, and risk precious lives to a war.May the Almighty be merciful and have appointed an angel to be our sovereign, may he overthrow this Corsican devil who instigates rebellion in Europe.Leaving aside my two elder brothers, this war has deprived me of one of my closest friends.I'm talking about the young Nikolai Rostov, full of enthusiasm and unwilling to do nothing, he left the university to join the army.I confess to you, my dear Marie, that although he is very young, his entry into the army has caused me great pain.I spoke to you of this young man last summer, and he had so many noble qualities and real youth.Nowadays, among us twenty-year-old old men, this is not common!In particular, he treats people with sincerity and kindness.He is very pure and full of ideals.My relationship with him was short-lived, but it was one of the sweetest joys of my unhappy soul, which has suffered many torments. Someday I will talk to you about our parting, Words.All this has not faded from memory... Ah!You are so happy, my dear friend, that you have known neither fiery joy nor unbearable sorrow.You are very happy, because grief is often stronger than joy.I knew very well in my heart that Count Nicholas was too young to have anything other than a friend, I thought, impossible.But this sweet friendship, such a poetic and pure relationship, is what my heart needs.Don't talk about it any more. The headline that attracted the attention of the whole of Moscow was old Bezuho The death of the Earl of Husband and the question of his estate.Just imagine, the three princesses get a small share, Prince Vasili gets nothing, and Pierre is the heir to the whole estate, besides he is recognized as the legal son, Count Bezukhov and Possessor of the greatest wealth in Russia.Prince Vasili, it is said, played a most despicable role in this whole affair, and went off to Petersburg with embarrassment.I confess to you that I don't know much about wills, except that since this well-known young man named Pierre became Count Bezukhov and owner of the greatest wealth in Russia, I feel The funny thing is, I saw that the mothers with Jiji daughters and the lady herself changed their tone in front of this gentleman.Incidentally, Pierre has always seemed to me a very small man. Because everyone has been looking for a fiancé for me for the past two years, thinking that this It's a happy thing (mostly with people I don't know), so Moscow Marriages will make me a countess called Bezukhova.But you understand that this is not at all what I want.Might as well mention the marriage by the way.Do you know that Anna Mikhaylovna, the acknowledged aunt, not long ago informed me in the utmost secrecy of her intention to arrange your marriage.The object happened to be Prince Vasili's son Anatole, and they were trying to marry him a rich and noble girl, and you were chosen by his parents.I don't know what your opinion on this matter is.But I feel it my duty to remind you.It is said that he is very handsome, but he is a complete prodigal son.That's all I've heard about him, and nothing else. Enough is enough, no more talking.I was almost finishing the second page when my mother sent for a ride to Apraksin's for a luncheon. Please read the mystical book I am sending you, it is very popular here.Although some of the content in this book is difficult for our poor intellect to understand, it is an excellent book.Reading this book can sublimate and comfort the soul.Goodbye.Hats off to your father and regards to Miss Bourienne.I hug you from the bottom of my heart. Julie Re-opening: Please tell me about your elder brother and his lovely wife. The princess thought for a moment, smiled pensively (at the same time her face was utterly transformed by the radiance of her eyes), she stood up abruptly, and went, with heavy steps, to the table.She took out a piece of paper, and her hand began to move rapidly across the paper.Her reply read as follows: Dear and precious friend, I am very pleased with your letter of the thirteenth.My ideal Julie, you still love me.It can be seen that the parting you spoke so embarrassingly did not have the usual influence on you.You complain about parting, if I dare to complain, then what should I say—— Have I lost all the people I hold dear?Well, life would be utterly dreary without the consolation of religion.Why do you think my eyes are stern when you speak of your admiration for a young man?In that regard, I'm just being serious about myself.I know this feeling in others, and since I have never experienced it and cannot praise it, I do not reprimand it. I just think that the love of Christ, the love of one's enemies, is more admirable, more precious, more precious than that feeling that a pair of beautiful young eyes make you, a young girl full of ideals and love, feel. noble. Before receiving your letter, the news of the death of Count Bezukhov The news had already reached us, and my father was very sad when he heard the news.He said that Count Bezukhov was the penultimate remaining representative of our great age.Now it's his turn.He will do his best to make this round come as late as possible.May God protect us from this misfortune! I have known Pierre since I was a girl and I cannot approve of your treatment of him Views.It seemed to me that his heart was always kind.This is the quality that I cherish in a human being.As for his inheritance and Prince Vasili's role in it, it was very dishonorable to both of them.Ah, my dear friend, what our Redeemer said: It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.I pity Prince Vasily, and I pity Pierre even more.He has to shoulder the burden of a large fortune at such a young age, how many trials of fate he will have to withstand!If someone were to ask me what I wish most in this world, I would say that I wish to be poorer than the poorest beggar.Dear friend, I thank you a thousand times over for sending me a book that has caused so much discussion among you.In fact, you told me that between some of the desirable contents of this book there are some contents that cannot be understood by the poor wisdom of ordinary people, so I think it is superfluous to talk about mysterious and difficult things. It will benefit people a little bit.I have never been able to comprehend the obsession of those who are so bewildered by books of mysticism, which arouse doubts in their minds, stir up their fantasies, and mold their The simplicity of Christ is the complete opposite of the exaggerated character. We might as well read the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospels.I Let us not try to penetrate the mysteries contained in books, for while we, unfortunate sinners, still have a carapace of flesh to support us and erect an impenetrable barrier between us and eternity, when the end has not yet come , How can we know the terrible and sacred secrets of heaven?Let us study only those great maxims which our Redeemer has bequeathed us as our earthly guides, and strive to obey them, with the conviction that the less we are free from lust, the more we please God.God rejects all knowledge that is not taught by him. The less we study the secrets that he does not want us to know, the sooner he will use the wisdom of the gods to clear the barriers for mankind. My father didn't tell me about my fiancé, all he said was, he Received a letter, awaiting a visit from Prince Vasily.My dear and precious friend, as to the planning of my marriage, I will tell you that it seems to me that marriage is a canon that must be obeyed.I think no matter how heavy it is, if Almighty God wants me to be a good wife and mother, I will do my best and faithfully do that job, and I have no intention of feeling for the man God has given me. to research. I have had a letter from my elder brother, mentioning to me that he is coming to Bald Mountain with his wife.This joyful reunion was short-lived, for he was about to leave us to fight in a war in which God knows how and why we were drawn.Not only in your place--the center of events and societies, but here--in the field work and in the silence of the countryside that the townspeople usually imagine, there are echoes of war, also heavy.My father only knows how to talk about the situation of the Southern Conquest and the Northern War that I don't understand at all.The day before yesterday, when I was walking through the streets of the village as usual, I saw a heartbreaking scene... They are all recruits from our army here... It is necessary to see the mothers of the recruits who went to the front, The scene of wives and children, listen to the cry of recruits and their families!Just think, man has forgotten that God the Savior taught us the doctrine of fraternity and the forgiveness of grievances, and yet man regards the art of mutual murder as a major virtue. Goodbye, dear, charitable friend.May God and Our Lady, the Savior of the world, grant you divine and almighty protection. Mary "Ah, vousexpediezlecorrier, Princesse, moijaidejaexpedielemien. Jaiecrisamapauvremere," said Mademoiselle Bourienne, smiling, in her clear, melodious voice, speaking quickly, with the "r" inaccurate.Into the pensive, melancholy, and gloomy atmosphere of the Princess Marya, she brought an air of quite the other frivolous and pleasing complacency. ①French: Ah, you are about to send the letter. I have already sent the letter.The letter is addressed to my poor mother. "Princesse, ilfautquejevousprevienne," she added, lowering her voice, "Leprinceaeuunealtercation, altercation," she said, emphasizing the "r" in the French accent, and listening with pleasure to her own voice, "unealtercationavecMichelIvanoff. Ilestdetresmauvaisehumeur, tresmorose ．Soyezprevenue, voussauez."① "Ah! chereamie," replied Princess Maria, "Jevousaipriedenejamaismeprevenirdelhumeurdanslaquellesetrouvemonpere. Jenemeperometspasdelejuger, etjenevoudruispasquelesautreslefassent." ①French: Princess, I must tell you beforehand that the prince scolded Mikhail Ivanitch.He was in a bad mood and had a sad face.I'll tell you beforehand, you know... ②French: Ah, my dear friend, I beg you not to talk to me about my father's state of mind.I don't allow myself to judge him, and I don't want others to. The princess looked at the clock. She realized that she had lost five minutes of playing the piano, so she walked towards the lounge with a panicked expression.According to the prescribed work and rest system, between twelve o'clock and two o'clock, the Duke rests, and the Duchess plays the piano.