War and Peace

Chapter 21

On Tuesday night, Britz came to Hanli's gorgeous living room again. There were other guests here, and the countess did not talk to him. It was not until he kissed her hand to bid him farewell that she suddenly said softly:
"Come to dinner tomorrow...in the evening. Please... definitely come!" During this stay in Petersburg, Blitz became a frequent visitor to Countess Binzokhov's house.

[eight]

Since [-], the lives of the old Duke Bolkonski, the Duke of Indry and the Duchess of Molière have changed dramatically.

In [-] the old prince was appointed one of the eight commander-in-chiefs of the Russian reserve army.Although the old duke was old, especially during the period when he thought his son died, he was obviously old, but he thought he could not refuse the post personally appointed by the emperor. Returning to the post made him confident and physically strong.He often went down to make inspections, performed his official duties meticulously, did everything by himself, and had extremely strict requirements on his subordinates.Princess Molière no longer studied mathematics with her father, but every morning when her father came back, accompanied by the nurse, took the little prince Maral (as the grandfather called the grandson) to his father's study.The little Prince Maral lived with his nurse and nurse Savishna in the room of the dead princess, and Princess Molière was often in the nursery, as far as possible as a mother.Miss Pollyey also seemed to be particularly fond of the child, and Princess Molière often let her girlfriend enjoy looking after the little angel (as she called her nephew).

When Duke Andrele returned home, the old prince handed over to him a large estate forty versts from Bald Mountain.On the one hand, it is because the Bald Mountain Manor often arouses sad memories of Duke Andrele; on the other hand, Duke Andrele really needs a quiet environment. Lowa Manor engages in some construction and spends most of his time there.After the battle of Austerlitz, the Duke of André did not go to the army.

After the war broke out, in order to avoid serving in the army, he was responsible for recruiting recruits under his father.After the war of [-], the old duke and his son seemed to have exchanged roles. The old duke was working vigorously and hoped that the war would be victorious, but Duke Andrele was just the opposite. Not of any interest.

On February 26, [-], the old Duke went to inspect the area under his jurisdiction. When his father was away, Duke Andrele spent most of his time at Bald Mountain.Little Malal has been ill for four days.The coachman who had taken the old prince back to his army returned from the city with two letters for Prince Andrele.

The Duc d'Andrew, with his sister, was looking after his feverish son, who was irritable and often angry.After receiving the letter from the coachman, he took a long time to open it. The first letter was written by the old prince. It was written in big and long letters on blue letter paper:
At this time, a great news is known through the messenger.If this is true, Bennigsen defeated Napoleon at Plesis-Eylau.The people of Petersburg celebrated, and condolences were continuously sent to the troops.Although Bennigsen is German, I congratulate him.An officer of the Kolchev district, Handlikoff, was up to no one: he had not yet brought in reinforcements and provisions.You have to go there as soon as possible and tell him that if everything is not done within a week, I will screw his head off.I also had a letter from Petya, who took part in that war, saying that the great victory at Plessish-Eylau was real.Even a German can beat Napoleon if people don't interfere with their work.He is said to have fled in embarrassment.You remember, immediately go to Kolchev to execute the order!

"I can't go, please forgive me, I can't go until the child's fever has subsided." Duke Andrele thought to himself.

[Nine]

Another letter was from Pereb.With his usual sarcasm, Perebi described to Andrele the superficial phenomena and essence of the war, the conflict between the emperor and the marshal in the capital, and the anarchy of the frontline soldiers.

Duke Andrée began to read the letter absent-mindedly, but the content of the letter held his attention sharply.But when he read the passage about the looting by Russian soldiers, he got angry, crumpled up the letter, and threw it away.

After reading the letter, he went into the nursery.The son lying on the crib had beads of sweat on his forehead.The son had apparently lost his fever.He stood by the bed, opened the curtain, and stared at this little life with a ruddy complexion and breathing evenly for a long time.After a while, Princess Molière also came to the room, and she walked to the bed with light steps.Andret didn't turn around, but just stretched out his hand for his sister to hold.In the half-darkness of the tent, with tears in her eyes, the princess clung to her brother and touched the tent lightly.They gestured together to keep silent, and they remained behind the curtain for a while, as if unwilling to leave this isolated three-person world.Duke Andrée got up and left the crib. "Yes, this is the only present left for me," he said with a sigh.

[ten]

Bin Air was in the southern province of Kyiv, where most of his employees were located.

After arriving in Kyiv, he called the executives from various places together for a meeting, and explained his ideas and arrangements to them.He said that the serfs should be completely liberated from their dependent status immediately, they should not be allowed to work excessively, and women and children should not be allowed to do light work. Orphanages and schools.Some executives were shocked when they heard this, thinking that the little earl was dissatisfied with their management, and investigated their corruption; The new terms that I have said are funny; some supervisors feel that listening to the master's speech seems to be a form of entertainment; the fourth type of supervisors are very clever, including the steward. and achieve their goals.

The manager didn't say that emancipating the serfs was impossible, but put some difficulties and various trivial matters in front of Bin Ayr.Bin Air, who lacked perseverance and management experience, finally left all the affairs to the manager and the people under him in a daze, and went back to the life of the dance and the party. Compared with the previous one, it was just a different one. place and environment.In the spring of [-] Binair decided to return to Petersburg.As he walked, he checked the other manors he passed, to see if the tasks he assigned had been completed, and to see how the people entrusted to him by God were currently in condition.

Wherever he went, the steward arranged a Thanksgiving welcome party for him in advance, and he saw very happy and happy farmers.He didn't know that these serfs had to endure more heavy labor because of his many reforms; he didn't know that the happiness of the serfs was just an illusion created for him by the steward and others.

"It's really not easy. We have done so many good deeds without paying a big price," Bin-Air thought, "We don't spend much energy on these things!" Feeling grateful and ashamed.

[eleven]

On returning from his trip to the South in the most cheerful spirits, Bin-Air could not wait to call on his friend André Bolkonski.They haven't been together for several years.

Walking into the not-so-beautiful, but neat and simple Burg Charlevoix Manor, Bin-Air and Andre met in front of a newly built small house.

"I didn't expect it, it's so exciting," said Duke André.Bin-Air didn't answer, and stared at his friend in surprise.The Duke d'Andrew's change surprised him greatly.Duke André's words were soft, with a smile on his face and lips, but his eyes were bright.What made Bin-Air feel a little uncomfortable was not his friend's thin body and pale face, not his more mature and experienced appearance, but his demeanor and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes when he was thinking for a long time.

They started talking.But the two of them soon felt that their views on many things were very different.Ondry questioned Bin-Air's views on Kiwanis and his good deeds of emancipating the serfs; Bin-Air insisted on his own views, but at the same time expressed surprise at Ondry's change of mood and his negative and indifferent outlook on life.

[twelve]
In the evening, Duke Andryl went with Bin-Air to Bald Mountain.After the two were silent for a long time on the road, Bin-Air suddenly said to Ondry, Ondry, your outlook on life and the world are not correct, and suggested that Duke Andry join the Freemasons.

The carriage came to a river, they got off the carriage, and they boarded the ferry only after the carriage got on the ferry.Duke Andrele put his hands on the railing of the boat, silently looking at the river water in the setting sun, and Bin Ayre's kind words sounded in his ears:
"You say you don't see the kingdom of kindness on earth, and I don't see it. If our life is seen as the end of everything, we will never see it. Between heaven and earth, on this land ( Bin-Air points to the field), there is no truth, only deceit and hurt. But in the universe, in the whole universe, there is still a kingdom of truth. We are now citizens of the earth, but in eternity we are Child of the whole universe. I am part of this great, harmonious whole, can't I feel it in my heart? God or the Supreme Power, whatever you call it, is embodied in all objects, and I am in it Adding to the links and ladders from low-level organisms to high-level organisms, can I still not perceive it? Now that I have seen it, I have really seen this ladder from plants to humans, so why should I assume, I Is this ladder at the end of which I can't see extending into the plant? Why should I suppose that this ladder will break at me instead of reaching higher and farther to higher creatures? I think that I not only Eternal as many objects in the universe are, and I am not and cannot disappear. I feel that, besides me, there are spirits above my head, and there is truth in the whole universe."

"Yes, that is Hedel's doctrine," said the Duke d'Andrew. "But, my dear, it is not these great principles that convince me, but the cruelty of life and the threat of death. What convinces me is that you Seeing a living being who is so close to you, against whom you have committed a crime, and you are planning to atone for it (Duke Andrée turns away with a trembling voice), when suddenly this life suffers, never The world disappeared...why? This can't be without an answer! I'm sure there must be an answer...this is what fascinated me in the past and now." Duke Andrei said.

"Yes, yes," said Bin-Air, "it's very similar to what I said!" "No. I'm just saying that what makes me sure of the future life is not some empty words, but real existence. When you are living You are walking side by side with a person, but in a blink of an eye, this person is gone, you are caught off guard, and you are left alone by this abyss, looking at this abyss. So I just took a look..."

"So what! Do you know what 'over there' is and what is 'someone'? Over there is the future life, and someone is God." Duke André did not speak.The carts and horses had already disembarked, the sun had already set on the top of the mountain, and the evening glow made the river red, but Bin-Air and Undry were still talking on the ferry, which made the servants, the coachman and the boatman feel bewildered.

"If there are gods and a happy life in the future, then there is truth and goodness; the highest state of man is to obtain these two things. He should live, he should have feelings, he should have faith," said Bin-Air, "we Not only do we now live on this land, but we have lived and will always live there, in the universe (he pointed to the sky)." Duke Andrele stood leaning against the railing of the ferry, listening attentively. Bin Air said, looking at the red reflection of the sunset glow on the blue river.Bin-Air fell silent.It was very quiet all around.The ferry had already landed, and the waves lapped gently against the bottom of the boat.Duke Andrele felt that the sound of the waves echoed Bin-Air's words: "This is true, please believe it."

Prince André let out a long sigh, and looked at Bin-Air's flushed face with bright, innocent, and affectionate eyes.

"Yes, I hope so!" said Duke Andrele, "but it's getting late, it's time to go." Duke Andrele added, and they got off the ferry together, and he looked up at Bin-Air Showing him the vast sky, which for the first time since the Battle of Austerlitz he had seen this high, vast sky which he had seen lying on the battlefield of Austerlitz, so a kind of The beautiful emotions that had been sleeping for a long time suddenly sprouted in his heart.For Duke Andrele, the meeting with Bin-Air has come to an end, and thus began his new life, which looks the same as before on the surface, but in his inner world it is different. Showed a new look.

[Thirteen]
When Undry and Bin-Air came to Bald Mountain Manor, Dayuan saw a group of black shadows moving outside the door, saw a carriage, an old woman bent over and a long-haired man in black The man left immediately, followed by two women.Andret told Bin-Air that this was the "divine relative" of his sister Molière, the pilgrim she received despite her father's dissuasion.

"Let's go and have a look there," said Duke Undry to Bin-Air. "She'll be surprised to see us, but you can meet the gods." Seeing someone coming, Duke Molière The lady really felt very shy, her face flushed red.Her room was neatly furnished, a thick candle was burning in front of the shrine, and a little boy with long hair, a high nose, and a well-dressed boy sat next to her on a three-seat sofa behind the samovar. Priest's robe.

A bony old woman sat in an armchair by the sofa, with a tender look on her wrinkled face.

The old woman said that there are gods in the sky, and she has seen the appearance of divine grace with her own eyes.Bin Air asked her, "Did you see it with your own eyes?"

"Of course I saw it with my own eyes. The divine light on her face was like the light of the sky. The holy oil on the Virgin's cheeks dripped down, drop after drop..."

"It's all a lie." Bin-Air listened attentively to what the female pilgrim said, and said like a child. "Jesus Christ," said the pilgrim, crossing herself, "Oh, you can't say that. A soldier once believed it. He said, 'The monks are lying.' He hadn't finished speaking yet. He couldn't see. He dreamed that the Virgin of the Cave Monastery came to him and said, "Believe it, I can heal your eyes." So he begged, "Send me to her quickly." Someone Lifting the poor old woman to the Virgin, he knelt on the ground and said: "If you can cure my eyes, I will give you everything the emperor rewards me." He hung his gold star medal on the Virgin Yes. Later, his eyes saw things! You are guilty of talking like this, and God will punish you." She said to Bin-Air in a lecturing tone.

"How will the statue be decorated with medals?" asked Bin-Air. "Has Our Lady become a general?" said Duke Andrele, laughing.After hearing this, the pilgrim crossed herself and said to Princess Molière, "God, forgive them. Miss, what does he mean by this?  …"

"What are you doing?" said Princess Molière, like a hen guarding her chicks.

Bin Air said they were just telling a joke.When these people were about to leave, seeing that there was no malice on the faces of Bin-Air and Undry, they stayed with peace of mind.

(End of this chapter)