War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy [474]
“Do you know, chère Marie,” said Mlle Bourienne, “do you know that we are in danger, that we are surrounded by the French? To leave now is dangerous. If we go, we’re almost certain to be taken prisoner, and God knows…”
Princess Marya gazed at her friend without understanding what she was talking about.
“Ah, if anyone knew how little difference it makes to me now,” she said. “Naturally, I would not wish to leave him for anything…Alpatych said something to me about leaving…Talk with him, there’s nothing, nothing I can or want to do…”
“I did talk with him. He hopes we will manage to leave tomorrow; but I think it would be better now to stay here,” said Mlle Bourienne. “Because, you’ll agree, chère Marie, to fall into the hands of soldiers or rebellious muzhiks on the road would be terrible.” Mlle Bourienne took from her reticule and handed to the princess an announcement by the French general Rameau, on unusual non-Russian paper, that the inhabitants should not abandon their homes, that they would be duly protected by the French.
“I think it’s better to turn to this general,” said Mlle Bourienne, “and I’m sure you’ll be treated with due respect.”
Princess Marya read the leaflet, and her face twitched with dry sobs.
“Whom did you get this from?” she asked.
“They probably found out that I have a French name,” Mlle Bourienne said, blushing.
Princess Marya, the leaflet in her hand, got up from the window and with a pale face went to Prince Andrei’s former study.
“Dunyasha, send me Alpatych, Dronushka, somebody,” said Princess Marya, “and tell Amalia Karlovna not to come in here,” she added, hearing the voice of Mlle Bourienne. “To leave quickly! Quickly leave!” Princess Marya repeated, horrified at the thought that she might remain in the power of the French.
“That Prince Andrei should learn that she was in the power of the French! That she, the daughter of Nikolai Andreich Bolkonsky, should beg Mister General Rameau to protect her and be her benefactor!” This thought horrified her, made her shudder, blush, and experience fits of anger and pride such as she had never felt before. All that was painful and, above all, insulting in her position vividly presented itself to her. “They, the French, will settle in this house; Mister General Rameau will occupy Prince Andrei’s study; will amuse himself going through and reading his letters and papers. Mlle Bourienne lui fera les honneurs de Bogucharovo.*450 I’ll be given a small room as a favor; the soldiers will devastate my father’s fresh grave to take his crosses and decorations; they’ll tell me about their victories over the Russians, they’ll feign sympathy with my grief…” thought Princess Marya, not according to her own mind, but feeling it her duty to think for herself the thoughts of her father and brother. For herself personally it made no difference where she stayed or what happened to her; but she felt herself at the same time the representative of her late father and of Prince Andrei. She involuntarily thought their thoughts and felt their feelings. Whatever they would have said, whatever they would have done now, she felt it necessary to do the same. She went into Prince Andrei’s study and, trying to be penetrated by his thoughts, reflected on her position.
The demands of life, which she had considered annihilated by her father’s death, suddenly emerged before Princess Marya with a new, as yet unknown force, and gripped her.
Agitated, flushed, she paced the room, demanding to see Alpatych, then Mikhail Ivanovich, then Tikhon, then Dron. Dunyasha, the nanny, and all the maids could tell her nothing about the extent to which what Mlle Bourienne had told her was correct. Alpatych was not at home: he had gone to the authorities. The architect Mikhail Ivanovich, when summoned, appeared before Princess Marya with sleepy eyes and could tell her nothing. With the same smile of agreement with which it had been his habit over fifteen years