Book Ten: 1812 - Chapter XI

by Leo Tolstoy

　　An hour later Dunyasha came to tell the princess that Dron had come,and all the peasants had assembled at the barn by the princess'order and wished to have word with their mistress.

　　"But I never told them to come," said Princess Mary. "I only toldDron to let them have the grain."

　　"Only, for God's sake, Princess dear, have them sent away anddon't go out to them. It's all a trick," said Dunyasha, "and whenYakov Alpatych returns let us get away... and please don't..."

　　"What is a trick?" asked Princess Mary in surprise.

　　"I know it is, only listen to me for God's sake! Ask nurse too. Theysay they don't agree to leave Bogucharovo as you ordered."

　　"You're making some mistake. I never ordered them to go away,"said Princess Mary. "Call Dronushka."

　　Dron came and confirmed Dunyasha's words; the peasants had come bythe princess' order.

　　"But I never sent for them," declared the princess. "You must havegiven my message wrong. I only said that you were to give them thegrain."

　　Dron only sighed in reply.

　　"If you order it they will go away," said he.

　　"No, no. I'll go out to them," said Princess Mary, and in spite ofthe nurse's and Dunyasha's protests she went out into the porch; Dron,Dunyasha, the nurse, and Michael Ivanovich following her.

　　"They probably think I am offering them the grain to bribe them toremain here, while I myself go away leaving them to the mercy of theFrench," thought Princess Mary. "I will offer them monthly rations andhousing at our Moscow estate. I am sure Andrew would do even more inmy place," she thought as she went out in the twilight toward thecrowd standing on the pasture by the barn.

　　The men crowded closer together, stirred, and rapidly took off theirhats. Princess Mary lowered her eyes and, tripping over her skirt,came close up to them. So many different eyes, old and young, werefixed on her, and there were so many different faces, that she couldnot distinguish any of them and, feeling that she must speak to themall at once, did not know how to do it. But again the sense that sherepresented her father and her brother gave her courage, and sheboldly began her speech.

　　"I am very glad you have come," she said without raising her eyes,and feeling her heart beating quickly and violently. "Dronushkatells me that the war has ruined you. That is our common misfortune,and I shall grudge nothing to help you. I am myself going away becauseit is dangerous here... the enemy is near... because... I am givingyou everything, my friends, and I beg you to take everything, allour grain, so that you may not suffer want! And if you have beentold that I am giving you the grain to keep you here- that is nottrue. On the contrary, I ask you to go with all your belongings to ourestate near Moscow, and I promise you I will see to it that thereyou shall want for nothing. You shall be given food and lodging."

　　The princess stopped. Sighs were the only sound heard in the crowd.

　　"I am not doing this on my own account," she continued, "I do itin the name of my dead father, who was a good master to you, and of mybrother and his son."

　　Again she paused. No one broke the silence.

　　"Ours is a common misfortune and we will share it together. All thatis mine is yours," she concluded, scanning the faces before her.

　　All eyes were gazing at her with one and the same expression. Shecould not fathom whether it was curiosity, devotion, gratitude, orapprehension and distrust- but the expression on all the faces wasidentical.

　　"We are all very thankful for your bounty, but it won't do for us totake the landlord's grain," said a voice at the back of the crowd.

　　"But why not?" asked the princess.

　　No one replied and Princess Mary, looking round at the crowd,found that every eye she met now was immediately dropped.

　　"But why don't you want to take it?" she asked again.

　　No one answered.

　　The silence began to oppress the princess and she tried to catchsomeone's eye.

　　"Why don't you speak?" she inquired of a very old man who stood justin front of her leaning on his stick. "If you think something moreis wanted, tell me! I will do anything," said she, catching his eye.

　　But as if this angered him, he bent his head quite low and muttered:

　　"Why should we agree? We don't want the grain."

　　"Why should we give up everything? We don't agree. Don't agree....We are sorry for you, but we're not willing. Go away yourself,alone..." came from various sides of the crowd.

　　And again all the faces in that crowd bore an identicalexpression, though now it was certainly not an expression of curiosityor gratitude, but of angry resolve.

　　"But you can't have understood me," said Princess Mary with a sadsmile. "Why don't you want to go? I promise to house and feed you,while here the enemy would ruin you..."

　　But her voice was drowned by the voices of the crowd.

　　"We're not willing. Let them ruin us! We won't take your grain. Wedon't agree."

　　Again Princess Mary tried to catch someone's eye, but not a singleeye in the crowd was turned to her; evidently they were all tryingto avoid her look. She felt strange and awkward.

　　"Oh yes, an artful tale! Follow her into slavery! Pull down yourhouses and go into bondage! I dare say! 'I'll give you grain, indeed!'she says," voices in the crowd were heard saying.

　　With drooping head Princess Mary left the crowd and went back to thehouse. Having repeated her order to Dron to have horses ready forher departure next morning, she went to her room and remained alonewith her own thoughts.