Chapter 4 Chapter Four

Anna Pavlovna smiled, and she promised to receive Pierre; Anna knew that Prince Vasily was a relation of Pierre's paternal line.The middle-aged woman who had been sitting with her aunt got up quickly and overtook Prince Vasily in the reception room.The feigned interest that had been on her face was gone.Her benevolent, weeping face showed nothing but terror. "Duke, what can you say to me about my Boris?" she said, chasing him through the anteroom. (She said Boris' name with a special accent on the letter "U"). "I cannot stay in Petersburg any longer. Please tell me what message I can send to my poor boy?"

Although Prince Vasily listened to the middle-aged woman with displeasure, almost impolitely, and even with impatience, she smiled at him warmly and touchingly, and grabbed his arm. Hand, don't let him go away. "You only need to speak for me to the king, and he can be directly transferred to the Guards, which is easy for you." She begged. "Princess, please believe me. I will do for you everything I can do," replied Prince Vasily, "but it is difficult for me to intercede with the king. I advise you to use the help of Golitsyn." It would be wiser for the prince to go and see Rumyantsev."

The middle-aged woman was called Princess Drubetskaya, and she came from one of the most famous Russian families, but she was already poor, she had long since stepped out of society, and lost her old social contacts.She's here now to mediate for her only son's job in the Guards.She declared her surname and attended Anna Pavlovna's evening party only to pay homage to Prince Vasily, and it was only for this purpose that she listened to the vicomte's stories.Prince Vasili's words really shocked her, and her formerly handsome face showed resentment, but this only lasted for a moment, she smiled again, and shook Prince Vasily's hand. Tighter.

"Duke, listen to me," she said, "I have never begged you, nor will I ever beg you, I have never told you my father's love for you. Now in the holy name of God I beg you for my sake, please do this for my son, I will regard you as a benefactor of good deeds," she quickly added, "no, don't be angry, please agree to my plea .I pleaded with Golitsyn, but he refused thousands of miles away. Soyezlebonenfantquevousavez ete," she said, trying to smile, but her eyes filled with tears. ① French: Please do good deeds as before. "Father, we must be late," Princess Helen, who was waiting by the door, turned her handsome head on her classically beautiful shoulders and said.

However, power is a capital in the upper class, and capital should be cherished and not let it be wasted in vain.Prince Vassily knew this well, and he thought that if everyone begged him and he interceded for everyone, he would not be able to intercede for himself before long, so he seldom used his influence.But in the case of the princess Drubetskaya, after her further entreaties, he felt a sense of conscience.She reminded the Duke of the true past: when the Duke started his service, he owed her father what he had achieved.In addition, he could see from her behavior that some women, especially mothers, once they make a claim, they will never stop unless they get what they want, otherwise, they are ready to follow at every moment and stab Gossiping, even scolding and fighting each other, making trouble for no reason, she is this kind of woman.The thought of this last made him shake a little.

"Dear Anna Mikhaylovna," he said, with the familiarity and anguish in his voice, "I can hardly do what you wish; but I will." Do this impossible thing, to prove to you my love for you and my condolences for your dead father, your son will be transferred to the Guards, you rely on me, I promise you Are you satisfied that the guarantee has been made?" "My dear, you are a benefactor! You are doing just what I was hoping for. I know how benevolent you are." He is leaving. "Wait, please, there are two more words to say. Unefoispasseaux gardes... ①" She hesitated, "you have a very good friendship with Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, please introduce Boris to him as an adjutant.At that time, I was relieved, and at that time..."

Prince Vasili had a smile on his face. ① French: But when he was transferred to the Guards... "I can't promise it. You don't know that people have been pestering Kutuzov ever since he was appointed commander-in-chief. He told me himself that the ladies of Moscow have all conspired to kill themselves. His son was given to Kutuzov as an adjutant." "No, you promise, or I won't let you go, my dear benefactor." "Papa," repeated the beauty in the same tone, "we must be late." "Ah, aurevoir, good-bye, you understand what she said, don't you?"

"Then, will you tell the king tomorrow?" "I will tell. But I cannot promise to intercede with Kutuzov." "No, please promise, please promise, Basile," said Anna Mikhailovna, following him, with the coquettish girlish smile that had probably been her habit in the past. There was a smile, and now it did not match her thin features. Evidently, she had forgotten her age, and she was used to playing all kinds of tricks that women have always had.But as soon as he walked out the door, the old cold, false expression returned to her face.She had gone back to the young lady whose story the vicomte was still telling, and pretended to be listening again, while waiting for the moment to leave, because her business was done.

"But what do you think of the comedy dusacre de Milan that has recently appeared?" said Anna Pavlovna. ① French: Goodbye. ②French: Vasily. ③French: "The Coronation of Milan". ④French: There is another new comedy scene: the people of Genoa and Luga express their wishes to Mr. Bonaparte.Monsieur Bonaparte, sitting on the throne, actually fulfilled the wishes of the people of all nationalities.Ah!Fantastic!It's going to be crazy.It seemed so great that the whole world was fascinated. Prince Andrew looked directly into Anna Pavlovna's face and sneered. "Dieume Ladonne, gareaquilatouche," he said (as Bonaparte said at his coronation), "Onditquilaetetres beau en prononcant cesporoles," he added, repeating the sentence in Italian, "Diomiladona, guaiaachilatocca."

"Jespereenfin," continued Anna Pavlovna, "quecaaetelagouttedeauquiferadeborderleverre. LessouBverainsnepeuventplussupportercethomme, quimenacetout."② "Lessouverains? Jenepar le pas de la Ruisie," said the Viscount politely, but with despair, "Lessouverains, madame! QuontilsfaitpourLouis XVII, pourlareine, pourmadame Elisabeth? Rien," he went on excitedly, "Etcroyez-moi, ilssubissentlapunitionpourleurtrahisondelacausedesBourbons. Less souverains? IlsenvoientdesambasBsadeurscomplimenterlusurpateur③. " ① French: God gave me a crown, whoever touches the crown will suffer.It is said that when he said this, he was full of style.

②French: He has become full of crimes and has reached an intolerable level. I hope this is his last crime. The kings of all countries can no longer tolerate this devil who is so threatening. ③French: kings of all countries?I am not talking about the situation in Russia.Kings of nations!What did they do for Louis XVII, for the Empress, for Elizabeth?Nothing was done.Believe me, they were punished for betraying the Bourbon cause.Kings of nations?They also sent ambassadors to congratulate the bandits who stole the throne. He sighed contemptuously, and changed his posture again.Hippolyte put on his monocular and looked at the vicomte for a long time. When he heard these words, he suddenly turned to the little princess, asked her for a needle, and with it painted Comte on the table. Badge, point it out to her.He explained the badge to her eloquently, as if the little duchess had asked him to explain it. "Baton degueules, engreledegueules dazuz-maison Conde," he said. The Duchess listened with a slight smile. "If Bonaparte remains on the throne for one more year," the vicomte continued what he had begun, speaking with that air of a man who does not listen to another in a matter with which he is most familiar, Just pay attention to your own thoughts and keep talking! "The matter drags on until it is out of control. Intrigue, arrogance, banishment, and the death penalty will forever destroy French society, I mean French high society, and then..." He shrugged and spread his hands.Pierre was about to say something, and the vicomte's words amused him, but Anna Pavlovna, who was spying on him, interrupted him. "Emperor Alexander declares," she said, with the melancholy that comes when one speaks of royalty, "that he leaves the French to choose their own form of government, and I am convinced, beyond any doubt, that the whole nation will at once be freed from the thieves who usurp the throne. In the hands of the rightful king," said Anna Pavlovna, courting the resident monarchist as best she could. "That's not very reliable," said Prince Andrew. "Monsieurlevicomte thought reasonably, and went too far. But, I think, it's very hard to go back." ①French: Comte’s residence—a symbol of the beast’s mouth scepter wrapped with a sky-blue beast’s mouth. ② French: Mr. Viscount. "As far as I know," Pierre interjected again, blushing, "almost all the nobles have defected to Bonaparte." "That's what the Bonapartists say," said the vicomte without looking at Pierre. "It's hard to know the public opinion in France at the moment." "Bonaparteladit," said Prince Andrew, with a grim smile. (It seems that he doesn't like the Viscount and doesn't look at the Viscount, but these words are aimed at the Viscount.) "Jeleuraimontrelechemindelagloire," he said, after a moment's silence, repeating Napoleon's words, "ilsnenontpasvoulu, jeleuraiouvertmesantichambres, ilssesontprecipitesenfoule...Jenesaispasaquelpointilaeuledroitdeledire." "Aucun," protested the vicomte, "after having murdered the duke, he is no longer considered a hero even by partial people. Simemecaaete unherospourcertainesgens," said the vicomte, turning his face to Anna Pavlovna, "depuislassasinatduducilyaunmartyrdeplusdansleciel, unherosdemoinssurlaterre. "④ ① French: This is what Bonaparte said. ② French: "I pointed out to them a road of glory, and they were unwilling to take this road; I opened the door of the front hall to them, and they rushed in in groups..." I don't know how much power he has Say something like this. ③French: No rights. ④French: Even if he was a hero before some people, after the Duke was murdered, there was one more victim in heaven, and one less hero in the world. Before Anna Pavlovna and the others could smile and express their appreciation for what the vicomte had said, Pierre began talking excitedly again, although Anna Pavlovna had a premonition that he would speak. Say something hurtful, but she can't stop him anymore. "The execution of the Duke of Enghien," said Pierre, "was a great necessity for the country. Napoleon was not afraid to bear responsibility alone, and I see from this that this is the greatness of his spirit." "Dieu! mondieu!" Anna Pavlovna said in a low, terrible voice. "Comment, M. Pierre, voustrouvezquelassassinatestgrandeurdaAme?" said the little Duchess, smiling slightly, and bringing her sewing close to herself. "Hey! Ah!" Several people said in unison. "Capital!" said Prince Hippolyte in English, tapping his palm on his knee.The Viscount just shrugged his shoulders. ①French: My God, my God! ②French: Monsieur Pierre, do you regard murder as spiritual greatness? ③English: Very good! Pierre looked excitedly over his spectacles at the audience. "The reason I say this," he went on without scruple, "is that the Bourbons eschewed revolution and left the people in anarchy, and that Napoleon alone was able to understand revolution and subdue it, and therefore, for the common good, , he can’t stand still with one person’s life in mind.” "Would you like to come to that table?" said Anna Pavlovna.But Pierre did not answer, and went on talking. "No," he said with increasing excitement, "Napoleon was great because he stood above the revolution, removed its evils, and preserved all the good things—equality of citizens, freedom of speech and the press, just because For this reason, he won power." "Yes, if after he seized the power, he did not abuse it to massacre, but gave it to the legitimate king," said the viscount, "then I would call him a great man." "He could not do such things. The people gave him power only to save them from the Bourbons, and that is why they considered him a great man. Revolution is a great business ,” continued M. Pierre.He inserted the sentence recklessly, defiantly, to show that he was in his prime and wanted to get the whole thing out quickly. "Is the revolution and the killing of the Tsar a great cause? . . . From now on . . . would you like to come to that table?" Anna Pavlovna repeated. "Contratsocial," said the viscount with a docile smile. ① French: "On the Civil Contract" - by Rousseau. "I'm not talking about killing the tsar, but about thinking." "Yes, the idea of ​​robbing, murdering, killing the Tsar." A sarcastic voice interrupted him again. "Needless to say, this is an action of last resort, but the whole point is more than that, and the point is human rights, freedom from the shackles of prejudice, and the equal rights of citizens. Napoleon preserved all these ideas perfectly. " "Liberty and equality," said the vicomte contemptuously, as if at last he had made up his mind to prove his nonsense to the young man. "It's all pompous talk, and it's notorious. Who doesn't love liberty and equality? Our Saviour, He preached liberty and equality. Did people become happier after the revolution? Quite the opposite. We all wanted liberty, and Napoleon outlawed liberty." Prince Andrew smiled and looked now at Pierre, now at the vicomte, now at his mistress.At first Anna Pavlovna, in spite of her social habits, was terrified of Pierre's surly behaviour.But as soon as she saw that despite Pierre's blasphemous remarks, the vicomte did not lose his temper, and at a time when she believed it impossible to suppress these remarks, she joined the vicomte and concentrated her energy on attacking the speaker. "Mais, moncherm-r Pierre," said Anna Pavlovna, "how do you explain the fact that a great man can sentence a duke to death, and anyone can be executed without a trial and without evidence? " "I want to ask," said the Viscount, "how does sir explain the eighteenth Brumaire? Isn't it a hoax? Cestunes camotage, quineressemblenullementalamanieredagirdungrandhomme." "But he killed the captives in Africa?" said the little one. "How appalling this is!" said the Duchess, shrugging her shoulders. "Cestunroturier, voussurezbeaudire," said Duke Hippolyte. ①French: But, my dear Mr. Pierre. ②French: This is a trick of deception, not like the behavior of a big shot. ③ French: No matter how you say it, you are an upstart. Monsieur Pierre, not knowing to whom to answer, glanced at the group and smiled.His smile was different from the way others rarely smiled.On the contrary, when he smiled, the serious and even slightly sad expression disappeared in a short time, and he showed a childish, benevolent, even a little silly expression, as if he was begging for forgiveness. It was the first time the viscount met him, but he knew that the Jacobin was not at all as formidable as his talk.Everyone fell silent. "Why do you want him to give you an answer right away?" said Prince Andrew, "and in the behavior of a state man one must distinguish between private behavior and that of a commander or emperor. I think so." That's all." "Yes, yes, it is a matter of course," followed Pierre, overjoyed that someone was helping. "It cannot but be admitted," continued Prince Andrew, "that Napoleon was a great man from the way he behaved on the Arcola Bridge, from the way Napoleon extended his helping hand to the plague patients in the Jaffa hospital, from the way he behaved It seems that he is a great man, but... but he has some other behaviors that are difficult to explain." Evidently Prince Andrei wished to soften Pierre's embarrassing remarks, he got up, gestured to his wife, and was about to go. Suddenly Prince Hippolyte stood up, and beckoning them all to sit down, he spoke: "Ah! aujourdhuionmaraconteuneanecdote moscovite, charmante: ilfautque jevousenregale. Vousmexcusez, vicomte, ilfautquejeravconteenrusse. Autrement onnesentirapasleseldelhistoire①" Prince Hippolyte began to speak Russian with an accent that sounded like that of a Frenchman who had been in Russia for a year or so.Everyone paused, and Prince Hippolyte urged everyone to listen attentively to his story. "There's a lady in Moscow, Unedame, who is very stingy. She wants two valets depied with carriages, who are tall. It's her personal preference. She has unefemmede chambre, and she's tall. She says..." At this moment, Prince Hippolyte became pensive, obviously thinking secretly. "She said... yes, she said: Maid (alafemmedechambre), you put on livree, ⑤follow the carriage, and we go to fairedesvisbites together.⑥" ①French: ho!Someone told me a very interesting anecdote about Moscow today, and I should tell it to you as well, so that you can share in the fun.Forgive me, Viscount, for speaking in Russian, otherwise the anecdote would be dull. ② French: a wife. ③French: servant. ④ French: a maid. ⑤French: court servant uniform. ⑥French: Visit. Prince Hippolyte had long ago burst out laughing, before the audience smiled, and the impression produced by this laughter was extremely unfavorable to the storyteller.However, many people, including the middle-aged wife and Anna Pavlovna, smiled for a while. "She got into the carriage and left. Suddenly there was a gust of wind. The servant girl lost her hat and was blown away by the wind, and her long, neatly combed hair looked very messy..." At this time, he couldn't bear it any longer, and let out a intermittent laugh, through which he said: "Everyone in high society knows..." That was the end of his anecdote.Although it is not clear why he told this anecdote, why he had to tell it in Russian, but Anna Pavlovna and others appreciated Prince Hippolyte's polite manners in society and his joy ended M. Pierre's disgusting, impolite farce.After the anecdote, the conversation devolved into sporadic and trifling chatter.Talk about the last dance and the next dance, the play, and when and where to meet with whom.