“But when are you coming to bed？” answered another voice。
“I’m not coming！ I can’t sleep； what’s the use？ Come； for the last time。…”
Two feminine voices sang a musical phrase； the finale of some song。
“Oh； it’s exquisite！ Well； now go to sleep； and there’s an end of it。”
“You go to sleep； but I can’t；” responded the first voice； coming nearer to the window。 She was evidently leaning right out of the window； for he could hear the rustle of her garments and even her breathing。 All was hushed and stonily still； like the moon and its lights and shadows。 Prince Andrey dared not stir for fear of betraying his unintentional presence。
“Sonya！ Sonya！” he heard the first voice again。 “Oh； how can you sleep！ Do look how exquisite！ Oh； how exquisite！ Do wake up； Sonya！” she said； almost with tears in her voice。 “Do you know such an exquisite night has never； never been before。”
Sonya made some reluctant reply。
“No； do look what a moon！…Oh； how lovely it is！ Do come here。 Darling； precious； do come here。 There； do you see？ One has only to squat on one’s heels like this—see—and to hold one’s knees—as tight； as tight as one can—give a great spring and one would fly away。… Like this—see！”
“Mind； you’ll fall。”
He heard sounds of a scuffle and Sonya’s voice in a tone of vexation： “Why； it’s past one o’clock。”
“Oh； you only spoil it all for me。 Well； go to bed then； go along。”
All was hushed again； but Prince Andrey knew she was still sitting there。 He heard at times a soft rustle； and at times a sigh。
“O my God！ my God！ what does it mean？” she cried suddenly。 “To bed then； if it must be so！” and she closed the window with a slam。
“And nothing to do with my existence！” thought Prince Andrey while he had been listening to her talk； for some reason hoping and dreading she might say something about him。 “And she again！ As though it were on purpose！” he thought。 All at once there stirred within his soul such a wholly unexpected medley of youthful hopes and ideas； running counter to the whole tenor of his life； that he made haste to fall asleep； feeling incapable of seeing clearly into his own state of mind。
Chapter 3
NEXT DAY Prince Andrey took leave of the count alone and set off on his way home； without waiting for the ladies to appear。
It was the beginning of June when Prince Andrey； on his return journey； drove again into the birch forest； in which the old； gnarled oak had made upon him so strange and memorable an impression。 The ringing of the bells did not carry so far now in the forest as six weeks before。 Everything was fully out； thick； and shut in。 And the young firs； dotted about the forest； did not break the general beauty； but； subdued to the same character as the rest； were softly green with their feathery bunches of young needles。
The whole day had been hot； a storm was gathering； but only a small rain…cloud had sprinkled the dust of the road and the sappy leaves。 The left side of the forest was dark； lying in shadow。 The right side； glistening with the raindrops； gleamed in the sunlight； faintly undulating in the wind。 Everything was in flower； the nightingales twittered and carolled； now close； now far away。
“Yes； it was here； in this forest； I saw that oak； with whom I was in sympathy；” thought Prince Andrey。 “But where is he？” he thought again as he gazed at the left side of the road； and； all unaware and unrecognising； he was admiring the very oak he was seeking。 The old oak； utterly transformed； draped in a tent of sappy dark green； basked faintly； undulating in the rays of the evening sun。 Of the knotted fingers； the gnarled excrescences； the aged grief and mistrust—nothing was to be seen。 Through the rough； century…old bark； where there were no twigs； leaves had burst out so sappy； so young； that it was hard to believe that aged creature had borne them。
“Yes； that is the same tree；” thought Prince Andrey； and all at once there came upon him an irrational； spring feeling of joy and of renewal。 All the best moments of his life rose to his memory at once。 Austerlitz； with that lofty sky； and the dead； reproachful face of his wife； and Pierre on the ferry； and the girl； thrilled by the beauty of the night； and that night and moon—it all rushed at once into his mind。
“No； life is not over at thirty…one；” Prince Andrey decided all at once； finally and absolutely。 “It’s not enough for me to know all there is in me； every one must know it too； Pierre and that girl； who wanted to fly away into the sky； every one must know me so that my life may not be spent only on myself； they must not live so apart from my life； it must be reflected in all of them and they must all share my life with me！”
On getting home after his journey； Prince Andrey made up his mind to go to Petersburg in the autumn； and began inventing all sorts of reasons for this decision。 A whole chain of sensible； logical reasons； making it essential for him to visit Petersburg； and even to re…enter the service； was at every moment ready at his disposal。 He could not indeed comprehend now how he could ever have doubted of the necessity of taking an active share in life； just as a month before he could not have understood how the idea of leaving the country could ever occur to him。 It seemed clear to him that all his experience of life would be wasted and come to naught； if he did not apply it in practice and take an active part in life again。 He could not understand indeed how on a basis of such poor arguments it could have seemed so incontestable to him that he would be lowering himself； if after the lessons he had received from life； he were to put faith again in the possibility of being useful and in the possibility of happiness and of love。 Reason now gave its whole support to the other side。 After his journey to Ryazan； Prince Andrey began to weary of life in the country； his former pursuits ceased to interest him； and often sitting alone in his study； he got up； went to the looking…glass and gazed a long while at his own face。 Then he turned away to the portrait of Liza； who； with her curls tied up à la grecque； looked gaily and tenderly out of the gold frame at him。 She did not say those terrible words to him； she looked curiously and merrily at him。 And； clasping his hands behind him； Prince Andrey would walk a long while up and down his room； frowning and smiling by turns； as he brooded over those irrational ideas； that could not be put into words； and were secret as a crime—the ideas connected with Pierre； with glory； with the girl at the window； with the oak； with woman’s beauty； and love； which had changed the whole current of his life。 And if any one came into his room at such moments； he would be particularly short； severely decided and disagreeably logical。
“Mon cher；” Princess Marya would say coming in at such a moment； “Nikolushka cannot go out for a walk to…day； it is very cold。”
“If it were hot；” Prince Andrey would answer his sister with peculiar dryness on such occasions； “then he would go out with only his smock on； but as it is cold； you must put on him warm clothes that have been designed for that object。 That’s what follows from its being cold； and not staying at home when the child needs fresh air；” he would say； with an exaggerated logicality； as it were punishing some one for that secret； illogical element working within him。
On such occasions Princess Marya thought what a chilling effect so much intellectual work had upon men。
Chapter 4
PRINCE ANDREY arrived in Petersburg in the August of 1809。 It was the period when the young Speransky was at the zenith of his fame and his reforms were being carried out with the utmost vigour。 In that very month the Tsar was thrown out of his carriage； hurt his foot； and was laid up for three weeks at Peterhof； seeing Speransky every day and no one else。 At that period there were in preparation the two famous decrees that so convulsed society； abolishing the bestowal of grades by court favour and establishing examinations for obtaining the ranks of collegiate assessors and state councillors。 But besides these reforms； a whole political constitution was under discussion destined to transform the whole legal； administrative and financial system of government from the Privy Council to the district tribunals。 At this time the vague； liberal ideals with which the Emperor Alexander had ascended the throne were taking shape and being carried into practice。 Those ideals he had striven to realise with the aid of Tchartorizhsky； Novosiltsov； Kotchubey； and Stroganov； whom he used himself to call in fun his “comité du salut publique。” Now all were replaced by Speransky on the civil side and Araktcheev on the military。
Soon after his arrival； Prince Andrey； as a kammerherr； presented himself at court and at a levée。 The Tsar； meeting him on two occasions； did not deign to bestow a single word upon him。 Prince Andrey had fancied even before then that he was antipathetic to the Tsar； that the Tsar disliked his face and his whole personality。 In the cold； repellent glance with which the Tsar looked at him； Prince Andrey found further confirmation of this supposition。 Courtiers explained the Tsar’s slight to Prince Andrey by saying that his majesty was displeased at Bolkonsky’s having retired from active service since 1805。
“I know myself that one has no control over one’s likes and dislikes；” thought Prince Andrey； “and so it is of no use to think of presenting my note on army reform in person to the Tsar； but the thing will speak for itself。” He sent word about his note to an old field…marshal； a friend of his father’s。 The field…marshal fixed an hour to see him； received him cordially； and promised to lay it before the Tsar。 A few days later； Prince Andrey received notice that he was to call upon the minister of war； Count Araktcheev。
At nine o’clock in the morning on the day appointed； Prince Andrey entered Count Araktcheev’s reception…room。
Prince Andrey did not know Araktcheev personally and had never seen him； but all that he knew about him had inspired him with little respect for the man。
“He is the minister of war； a person the Tsar trusts； and no one need have any concern with his personal qualities； he has