Briggs: The Rostovs prepare to leave. Petya is in the army, but still with them.
Maude (Chapters 12-17): The Rostovs: packing up and leaving Moscow. They allow wounded officers to stay in their house and avail themselves of their carts to leave Moscow. Berg's wish to borrow a cart. Natasha when leaving Moscow sees and speaks to Pierre. Prince Andrew travels in their train of vehicles
Pevear and Volokhonsky: The Rostovs in Moscow as the French approach. Late preparations for departure.
Translation:
XII.
The Rostovs to the 1st of September, i.e. to the eve of the entry of the enemy in Moscow, stayed in the city.
After the reception of Petya in the regiment of the Cossacks of Obolenksy and his departure to white church, where formed this regiment, in the countess was found fear. The idea about that both of her sons were found in war, that both of them were gone from under her wing, that now or tomorrow everyone of them, but maybe both together, as the three sons of one of her friends, maybe killed, for the first time now in this summer with cruel clarity had come to her head. She tried to demand to herself Nikolay, wanted to go to Petya herself, to determine him somewhere in Petersburg, but that and another manifested impossible. Petya could not be returned otherwise, as together with the regiment or through transfer in a different acting regiment. Nikolay was found out somewhere in the army and after his last letter, which in detail described his meeting with Princess Marya, did not give hearing about herself. The countess did not sleep nights and, when she fell asleep, saw in a dream her slain sons. After much advice and negotiations, the count thought up finally a means for the reassurance of the countess. He led across Petya from the regiment of Obolenksy to the regiment of Bezuhov, which formed under Moscow. Although Petya stayed in military service, in this transfer countess had the comfort to see one son under her wing and hoped to arrange Petya so, so that to not to release him anymore and to write him down always in such a place of service where he would in no way get in battle. While only Nicolas was in dangers, to the countess it seemed (and she even repented in this), that she loved the elder more than all the rest of the children; but when the younger, naughty, badly taught, breaking all in the house and bothering all Petya, this pug Petya, with his own fun black eyes, fresh blush and a little bit breaking through fluff on his cheeks, hit there, by these big, terrible, cruel men, which there were fighting for something and in this found something joyful, — then to the mother it seemed that she loved him more, much more than all her children. The nearer approached that time, when was to return to Moscow and await Petya, the more increased the anxiety of the countess. She thought now that she would never wait for this happiness. The presence of not only Sonya, but the beloved Natasha, even her husband, annoyed the countess. "What for me is the business to them, I need nobody besides Petya!" she thought.
At the last of August the Rostovs received a second letter from Nikolay. He wrote from the Voronezh provinces, where he was sent for horses. This letter did not calm the countess. Knowing one son was beyond dangers, she more strongly began to worry for Petya.
Despite that now from the 20th of August almost all the acquaintances of the Rostovs drove out from Moscow, despite that all persuaded the countess to leave as soon as she could, she wanted to hear nothing about departure since her treasure, the adored Petya, had not returned. On the 28th of August arrived Petya. The painfully passionate tenderness with which the mother met him was not liked by the sixteen year-old officer. Despite that his mother hid from him her intent to not release him now from under her wing, Petya got her plans, and instinctively feared that with his mother he would bill and coo and become effeminate (so he thought with himself), he coldly treated her, avoided her, and in the time of his stay in Moscow exclusively held the society of Natasha, with whom always had been a particular, almost in love, brotherly indefiniteness.
By the ordinary carelessness of the count, by the 28th August nothing was ready for departure, and the expected from the Ryazan and Moscow village carts for the lifting from home property only came on the 30th.
From the 28th to the 31st of August, all Moscow was in troubles and movement. Every day at the Dorogomilovsky outpost was imported and transported by Moscow a thousand wounded from the Borodino battle, and a thousand supplies, with inhabitants and property, left at other outposts. Despite the posters of Rastopchin, or whatever from them or owing to them, the most contradictory and strange news was delivered by the city. Some spoke about how it was not ordered for anyone to leave; some, the opposite, talked of how all raised icons from churches and that all were sent forcibly; some spoke that was still a battle after Borodino, in which were smashed the French; some spoke the opposite, that all the Russian army was destroyed; some spoke about the Moscow militia, which will go, with the clergy ahead, to three mountains; some slowly talked of how Augustine was not ordered to leave, that were caught traitors, that men riot and robbed those who leave, and so on and so on but this was only said, in the entities and those that rode and those that stayed (despite how was still not the council at Fili, in which it was decided to leave Moscow) — all felt, although not showing this, that Moscow indispensably will be handed over and that the need was to go as soon as possible and to get out themselves and to save their property. They felt that all suddenly must tear up and change, but until the 1st nothing more changed. As a criminal who is led to execution knows that here he should die, but all the more looks closely around himself and mends his badly put on hat; so Moscow unwittingly continued its usual life, although knowing that it was close to that time of destruction, when to tear up all those conditional relationships of life, which used to be submitted to.
In the continuation of these three days, previous to the captivity of Moscow, all the family of the Rostovs were found out in the institutions of everyday troubles. The head of the family, Count Ilya Andreich incessantly drove by the city, collecting with all parties who went gossip and in the houses did general superficial and hasty orders about preparations to departure.
The countess watched behind the cleaning of things, to all was unhappy and went behind the incessantly fleeing from her Petya, jealous of him to Natasha with whom he spent all the time. Sonya alone ordered the practical party of affairs: laying down things. Yet Sonya was especially sad and silent all this latter time. The letter of Nicolas, in which he mentioned about Princess Marya, called in her presence the joyful reasoning of the countess about how the meeting of Princess Marya with Nicolas she saw the Support of God.
— I was never gladdened then, — said the countess, — when Bolkonsky was the groom of Natasha, but I always wanted, and I have a premonition that Nikolinka will marry the princess. And how would this be okay!
Sonya felt that this really was the only opportunity to amend the cases of the Rostovs, marriage to the rich, and that the princess was a nice party. Yet to her this was extremely bitter. Despite her grief, or maybe it was owing to her grief, she on herself took all the difficulty of caring for the orders about harvesting and laying things, and the whole day was busy. The count and countess turned to her when they were needed to order something. Petya and Natasha, the opposite, not only did not aid their parents, but for the most part to all in the house bothered and hindered. And almost the whole day was heard in the house their running around, shouting and unreasonable laughter. They laughed and rejoiced quite not because of how was a cause of their laugh; but they in their souls were happy and funny, and because all that happened, was for them the cause of joys and laughter. Petya was funny from how, going away from an at home boy, he returned (as to him said all) a well done man; was funny because of how he was at home, because of how he was from white churches, where soon were no hopes to get in a battle, hitting in Moscow, where in another day will fight; and the main thing, funny because of how Natasha, whose mood of spirit he always obeyed, was fun. Natasha the same was fun because of how she for too long was sad, and now nothing reminded her of the cause of her sadness, and she was healthy. She was still fun because of how there was a person, which by her was delighted (the delight of others was that ointment of wheels, which was necessary so her machine completely freely moved), and Petya was delighted by her. The main thing again, they were happy because of how war was under Moscow, that there will be fighting in the outposts, that distributed weapons, that all run, going away somewhere, that all are going somewhere extraordinary, that is always happy for a man, in particular for the young.
Mentioned: last days of August, 20th of August, 28th, 30th
Locations: Moscow
Mentioned: Byelaya Tserkov, St. Petersburg, Voronezh, Ryazan, Borodino, Dorogomilov barrier, French, Three Hills, Fili
Pevear and Volokhonsky Notes: We flip to the Rostovs, who stay in Moscow until right before the French make their way into the city. Petya has left with the Cossacks. There is a focus on Countess Rostova's fear for her sons and her complex feelings about which one of them is her favorite child (Vera never appears in this conversation). When Petya is forced back, he only associates with Natasha, avoiding his other. The wounded are coming back into the city and similar to the conspiracy theories of the peasants "Despite Rastopchin's posters, or independently of them, or on account of them, the most strange and contradictory news spread about town....As a criminal led out to execution knows that he is about to die, yet still looks around and straightens the hat he has put on askew, so Moscow involuntarily went on with her usual life, though she knew that the time of her destruction was near..."
We finally flip to Sonya's perspective and her reaction of hearing of Nikolai's meeting of Marya. She is more helpful than Petya or Natasha, who are flighty and happy (irresponsibility being tied to happiness is the great contrast between the Rostovs and the Bolkonskys).
"in general something extraordinary was happening, which is always joyful for a person, especially a young one."
Characters (characters who do not appear, but are mentioned are placed in italics. First appearances are in Bold. First mentions are underlined. Final appearance denoted by *):
Petya (Bell also, for some reason, calls him "Benjamin".)
Obolyensky
Countess Rostova ("countess")
Nikolai (also "Nicolas" and "Nikolinka".)
Princess Mariya
Pierre ("Bezukhoi" in reference to his regiment.)
Sonya
Natasha
Count Ilya Andreyitch (also called "the chief of the family")
Rostopchin
Avgustin
Prince Andrei ("Bolkonsky")
Abridged Versions: Start of Chapter 13 in Bell.
Gibian: Chapter 8: line break instead of chapter break at end.
Fuller: The countess's worrying about Petya at the beginning of the chapter is removed. Some of the information about the attitude of Moscow, especially in relation to the information in Rostopchin's posters, is removed. Sonya is only mentioned in passing, and the situation with Princess Marya is not brought up. Chapter is followed by a line break.
Komroff: Chapter is pretty well preserved and followed by a line break.
Kropotkin: Chapter 5: Preserved.
Bromfield: We get the information that from August 29-31 the wounded are brought in, Petya returns, and the carts to take the Rostov's stuff comes in. The council of Fili is mentioned, as is Rostopchin, but Petya's section about being transferred is much shorter.
Simmons: Chapter 8: the reflections on Moscow are removed. Line break instead of chapter break at the end.
Additional Notes:
Mikaberidze: Page 10: “Having already decided to surrender Moscow, Kutuzov was unwilling to take sole responsibility for the decision”
Segur/Townsend: Page 116: "Kutuzov..."But the city is emptied of the people who are its life. In all (Page 117) the world the people are the soul of an empire. Wherever the Russian people are, there is Moscow, there the Russian empire!'"
Nabokov: Page 196: "The reader is aware, of course, that we shuttle in space, from Germany to Central Russia, and from the countryside to Petersburg or Moscow and back again; but he is not necessarily aware that we should shuttle in time--forward for Vronski-Anna, backward for Lyovin-Kitty."
No comments:
Post a Comment