"Ah, duke, Genoa and Luga are now Bonaparte's domain, but I must tell you beforehand that if you don't tell me that we are at war here, if you still dare to defend this enemy of Christ (I am sure) I believe, he is an enemy of Christ) and all the mischief he has caused, then I have no business with you. You are no longer my friend, you are no longer, as you say, My faithful slave. Ah, hello, hello. I think I'm frightening you, please sit down and tell me." In July 1805, the well-known Anna Pavlovna Scherer, lady-in-waiting and confidant of Empress Maria Feodorovna, welcomed the first dignitary to attend the gala, Prince Vasily Said this time.Anna Pavlovna had been coughing for several days.As she said, she had the flu (influenza was a new word in those days, and only a few people used it).Early in the morning, a red-clothed footman wrote in a separate note in the same way: "Count (or Duke), if you don't have any desirable entertainment, the symptoms of this poor female patient tonight will not cause you If you are too scared, please come to the humble house from 7:00 to 10:00, and be very excited. Anna Scherer."

"My God, what a fight, what a fight!" replied one of the Dukes who came in, not in the least confused by the reception, in an embroidered court coat, stockings, boots, and stars, The flattened face exudes a cheerful expression. He spoke the elegant French by which our forefathers not only spoke but thought, and he spoke with that quiet, pampering tone which is so esteemed in society and court. The unique tone of the elderly.He came up to Anna Pavlovna, brought his bald head, glistening with perfume, close to her, kissed her hand, and sat down peacefully on the sofa. "My dear friend, please tell me first, how are you? Tell me to be quiet," he said, his voice unchanged, his polite, caring tone revealing a cold, even It means sarcasm.

"How can you be physically healthy when you are mentally tormented? . . . How can you be peaceful in our time, even if you have feelings?" said Anna Pavlovna. Stay here with me, okay?" "What about the British Minister's day? It's Wednesday, and I'm going to be there," said the Duke. "My daughter is coming to meet me and take a ride." "I thought today's celebration was cancelled. JevousavouuequetoutescesfetesettouscesfeuxdartificecommencentadevenirinBsipides."① "If it becomes known that you wish to do so, the celebration will have to be cancelled," said the prince, who, like a clock wound up, is in the habit of saying things he does not want people to believe.

"Nemetourmentezpas. Ehbienqua-t-ondecideparrapportaladepechedeNovosilzoff? Voussaveztout."② "How can I speak to you?" said the prince, in a flat, flat tone. "Qua-t-ondecide? Onadecideque Buonaparteabrulesesvaisseaux, etjecroisquenoussommesentraindebrulerlesnotres."③ ①French: To be honest, all these celebrations, fireworks, are disgusting. ② French: Please don't torture me.Oh, what resolution did they make about Novosilitsev's urgent intelligence?You know it all. ③French: what was decided?They decided: since Bonaparte had burned his ships, it seemed we were going to do the same.

Prince Vasili always spoke slowly, like an actor uttering old lines.Although Anna Pavlovna Scherer was in her forties, she was full of life and passion. Her enthusiasm brought her social status.Sometimes she doesn't even have that kind of hope, but in order to live up to the expectations of people who know her well, she still wants to be a passionate person.Anna Pavlovna's constant icy smile, which did not match her haggard features, but which, like a pampered child, showed that she was constantly aware of her own slight imperfections, which she did not want and could not And there is no need to correct it.

During the conversation about political action Anna Pavlovna's spirits rose. "Ah! Please don't talk to me about Austria! Maybe I don't understand anything, but Austria never needed war and doesn't need war. It betrayed us. Only Russia should be the savior of Europe. Our benefactor Knowing his high calling, he will keep it. This is my only creed. Our benevolent monarch is called upon to perform the greatest function in the world. He is so good and virtuous that God will not forsake him, He will do his duty to suppress the evil forces of the revolution; now that he has this murderer and scoundrel as its representative, the revolution is all the more terrible. The blood of the observant ones is due, and we alone should pay for it Blood debts. On whom do we depend? I ask you... Commercial Britain never understands, and cannot understand, the nobility of the character of Emperor Alexander. America refuses to give up Malta. It wants to see and seek the reason for our actions Intention. What did they say to Novosilitsev? ... Nothing at all. They did not understand, and could not understand, the selflessness of our emperor, who was not selfish, but always wanted to benefit the world .What did they promise? Nothing. Their promises will be nothing more than a dead letter! Prussia has declared that Bonaparte is invincible and that all Europe is powerless against him... I don't believe Hardenberg Howe Gewitz's nonsense. Cettefameuseneutraliteprussienne, cenestquunpiege. I believe only in God, in the noble destiny of our wise sovereign. He will surely save Europe! . . . " She stopped suddenly, mocking her own passion Smile.

"I think," said the prince, smiling, "that if you were to be appointed instead of our lovely Wenzengerode, you would force the King of Prussia to come to an agreement. You are a very eloquent man. Pour me some tea, will you?" "I'll bring the tea right away. By the way," she added calmly, "there are two very interesting people here today, one is Levicomte de Mostmart, ilestallieaux Montmorencyparles Rohans, one of the finest families in France. He is One of the emigres is worthy of the name. The other is Labbe Morio. ③Do you know this very clever man? The king has received him. Do you know?"

"Ah! I shall be very glad," said the prince; "tell me, please," he added, as if he had just thought of The main purpose of his visit. "Is it true that Limperatrice-mere wants to appoint Baron Duck as First Secretary in Vienna? Cestunpauvresire, cebaron, acequilparait, ⑤" Prince Vasily wants to put his son in this position, but everyone is doing everything possible Odorovna secured the post for the baron. ① French: This notorious neutrality of Prussia is just a trap. ②French: The Viscount Mortemar, with the help of the Roon family, has become a relative with Montmorency.

③French: Father Morillo. ④French: The widowed queen mother. ⑤ French: The Duke seems to be a humble man. Anna Pavlovna almost closed her eyes, implying that neither she nor anyone could be sure what the Empress Dowager liked or liked to do. "Monsieur le baron de Funkeaeterecommandea Limperatrice-mereparsasoeur," she simply said in a mournful, cold tone.When Anna Pavlovna uttered the name of the Empress Dowager, her face expressed an expression of infinite devotion and great respect, mixed with that which always manifests itself when her supreme patron is mentioned in conversation. Anxiety.Her Majesty, she said, said to Baron Bucks beau coup des time, ② and her eyes were clouded again with a gloomy cloud.

The duke fell silent, and assumed an air of indifference.Anna Pavlovna herself possessed the quickness and quickness of courtiers and women's instincts, and the tactful handling of others, and she wanted to lash out at the prince for daring to criticize the person recommended to the queen mother, while at the same time comforting the prince. "Maisaproposdevotrefamille," she said, "do you know that since your daughter came into the world, faitlesdelicesdetoutlemonde, Onlatrouvebelle, comme Lejour." ①French: Baron Dou Ke was recommended by the Queen Mother to the Queen Mother by her sister.

② French: very respectful. ③French: By the way, let’s talk about your family situation. ④ French: She is the pet of the entire upper class.Everyone thinks she is a delicate beauty. The Duke bowed deeply to express his respect and gratitude. "That's what I have often thought," continued Anna Pavlovna, after a moment's silence, leaning close to the prince, and smiling at him kindly, as if to say that political and social talk was over, and now Start a heart-to-heart conversation, "I've often had the idea that happiness in life is sometimes not arranged fairly. Why did fate give you two lovely children (except for your youngest son Anatoly, who I don't like He), she raised her eyebrows, and said decisively, "Why did the god of fate give you such two best children? But you really don't cherish them, so you don't deserve such two children." She smiled excitedly. "Quevoulez-vous? Lafaterauraitditquejenaipaslabossedelapaternite," said the duke. "Please stop kidding. I want to have a serious talk with you. You know, I'm not happy with your young son. Please don't mind these words, just talk between us (with a worried look on her face ), everyone talks about him in front of the Queen Mother, and they all express their regrets to you..." The prince did not answer, but she looked at him silently and suggestively, waiting for his answer.Prince Vasili frowned for a while. "What shall I do?" he said at last. "You know, I did everything I could as a father to educate them, but in the end they both became desim Beciles, ② Hippolyte was a docile fool at best, Anatole a nervous fool. .That's the only difference between the two," he said, laughing more unnaturally and excitedly than usual, while the corners of his mouth wrinkled in a particularly strong, unexpectedly crude and obnoxious way. ①French: What should I do?Rafael would say I have no paternal bones. ②French: fool. "Why do people like you have children? If you are not a father, I have nothing to blame you for," said Anna Pavlovna, raising her eyes thoughtfully. "Jesuisvotre Faithful slave, etavousseule jepuis lavou-er, my children - cesontlesentravesdemonexisBtence, ②This is my misery. This is how I explain myself. Quevoulezvous?..." ③He was silent, showing with gestures that he was submitting to a cruel fate at the mercy of. ①French: I am yours. ②French: I can only confess to you alone.My children are a burden to my life. ③French: What should I do? Anna Pavlovna was lost in thought. "Have you never thought of marrying your prodigal son Anatole? It is said," she began, "that spinsters have lamainedes mariages, ①I don't think I have this weakness myself, but I have a petite personne here. , ②She is extremely unfortunate to get along with her father, she is Bolkonskaya, uneparenteanous, uneprincesse." ③Although Prince Vasily possessed the quick perception and memory inherent in the upper class, he only knew her. Shaking his head, he expressed that he wanted to consider it, but did not answer. "No, do you know that this Anatole costs me forty thousand rubles a year," he said, seemingly unable to restrain his anxiety.He was silent for a moment. "If this drags on, what will happen in five years? Voila Lavantagae etrepere. ④ Is your princess rich?" ① French: the habit of doing marriages for others. ②French: girl. ③French: One of our relatives, the Duchess. ④ French: This is the benefit of being a father. "His father was rich and miserly. He lived in the country. You know, the famous Duke Bolkonski retired during the reign of the late Emperor, and his nickname was 'King of Prussia. He A very clever man, but eccentric and difficult to get along with him. Lapauvrepetiteestmalheureuse commelespierres, who has a brother who is Kutuzov's adjutant, married Lisa Menant not long ago, and today he wants Come up to me." "Ecoutez, chere Annette," said the duke, suddenly grasping his interlocutor's hand and bending it slightly downwards somehow. "Arrangez-moicetteaffaireetjesuisvotre3 the most loyal slave atoutjamais (slave, commemon commemon mecritdes4 in the report). She comes from a famous family and is very rich. All this is what I want." His movements are flexible, intimate and graceful, which can be used as a sign of him. He grabbed the hand of the court lady and kissed it, shook her hand a few times, stretched his hands and feet lazily on the easy chair, lifted Eyes look aside. "Attendez," ⑤ Anna Pavlovna said thoughtfully, "I will talk to Lisa (Lafemmedujeune Bolkonski ⑥) today, and maybe the matter will be settled. Ceseradansvotrefamille, quejeferaimonapBprentissagedeviillefille.⑦" ①French: This poor lady is too unfortunate. ② French: Dear Annette, please listen to me. ③French: Do this for me, and I will always be yours. ④French: As my village chief wrote. ⑤French: Please wait a moment. 6 French: Bolkonski's wife. ⑦I started to learn the old maid's trade at your house.