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hmm well anyways....War and Peaceby Leo Tolstoy/TolstoiBOOK ONE: 1805CHAPTER I"Well, Prince, so Genoa and Lucca are now just family estates of theBuonapartes. But I warn you, if you don't tell me that this means war,if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated bythat Antichrist--I really believe he is Antichrist--I will havenothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend, no longermy 'faithful slave,' as you call yourself! But how do you do? I seeI have frightened you--sit down and tell me all the news."It was in July, 1805, and the speaker was the well-known AnnaPavlovna Scherer, maid of honor and favorite of the Empress MaryaFedorovna. With these words she greeted Prince Vasili Kuragin, a manof high rank and importance, who was the first to arrive at herreception. Anna Pavlovna had had a cough for some days. She was, asshe said, suffering from la grippe; grippe being then a new word inSt. Petersburg, used only by the elite.All her invitations without exception, written in French, anddelivered by a scarlet-liveried footman that morning, ran as follows:"If you have nothing better to do, Count [or Prince], and if theprospect of spending an evening with a poor invalid is not tooterrible, I shall be very charmed to see you tonight between 7 and 10-Annette Scherer.""Heavens! what a virulent attack!" replied the prince, not in theleast disconcerted by this reception. He had just entered, wearingan embroidered court uniform, knee breeches, and shoes, and hadstars on his breast and a serene expression on his flat face. He spokein that refined French in which our grandfathers not only spoke butthought, and with the gentle, patronizing intonation natural to aman of importance who had grown old in society and at court. He wentup to Anna Pavlovna, kissed her hand, presenting to her his bald,scented, and shining head, and complacently seated himself on thesofa."First of all, dear friend, tell me how you are. Set your friend'smind at rest," said he without altering his tone, beneath thepoliteness and affected sympathy of which indifference and evenirony could be discerned."Can one be well while suffering morally? Can one be calm in timeslike these if one has any feeling?" said Anna Pavlovna. "You arestaying the whole evening, I hope?""And the fete at the English ambassador's? Today is Wednesday. Imust put in an appearance there," said the prince. "My daughter iscoming for me to take me there.""I thought today's fete had been canceled. I confess all thesefestivities and fireworks are becoming wearisome.""If they had known that you wished it, the entertainment wouldhave been put off," said the prince, who, like a wound-up clock, byforce of habit said things he did not even wish to be believed."Don't tease! Well, and what has been decided about Novosiltsev'sdispatch? You know everything.""What can one say about it?" replied the prince in a cold,listless tone. "What has been decided? They have decided thatBuonaparte has burnt his boats, and I believe that we are ready toburn ours."Prince Vasili always spoke languidly, like an actor repeating astale part. Anna Pavlovna Scherer on the contrary, despite her fortyyears, overflowed with animation and impulsiveness. To be anenthusiast had become her social vocation and, sometimes even when shedid not feel like it, she became enthusiastic in order not todisappoint the expectations of those who knew her. The subdued smilewhich, though it did not suit her faded features, always playedround her lips expressed, as in a spoiled child, a continualconsciousness of her charming defect, which she neither wished, norcould, nor considered it necessary, to correct.In the midst of a conversation on political matters Anna Pavlovnaburst out:"Oh, don't speak to me of Austria. Perhaps I don't understandthings, but Austria never has wished, and does not wish, for war.She is betraying us! Russia alone must save Europe. Our gracioussovereign recognizes his high vocation and will be true to it. That isthe one thing I have faith in! Our good and wonderful sovereign has toperform the noblest role on earth, and he is so virtuous and noblethat God will not forsake him. He will fulfill his vocation andcrush the hydra of revolution, which has become more terrible thanever in the person of this murderer and villain! We alone mustavenge the blood of the just one.... Whom, I ask you, can we relyon?... England with her commercial spirit will not and cannotunderstand the Emperor Alexander's loftiness of soul. She hasrefused to evacuate Malta. She wanted to find, and still seeks, somesecret motive in our actions. What answer did Novosiltsev get? None.The English have not understood and cannot understand theself-abnegation of our Emperor who wants nothing for himself, but onlydesires the good of mankind. And what have they promised? Nothing! Andwhat little they have promised they will not perform! Prussia hasalways declared that Buonaparte is invincible, and that all Europeis powerless before him.... And I don't believe a word that Hardenburgsays, or Haugwitz either. This famous Prussian neutrality is just atrap. I have faith only in God and the lofty destiny of our adoredmonarch. He will save Europe!"She suddenly paused, smiling at her own impetuosity."I think," said the prince with a smile, "that if you had beensent instead of our dear Wintzingerode you would have captured theKing of Prussia's consent by assault. You are so eloquent. Will yougive me a cup of tea?""In a moment. A propos," she added, becoming calm again, "I amexpecting two very interesting men tonight, le Vicomte de Mortemart,who is connected with the Montmorencys through the Rohans, one ofthe best French families. He is one of the genuine emigres, the goodones. And also the Abbe Morio. Do you know that profound thinker? Hehas been received by the Emperor. Had you heard?""I shall be delighted to meet them," said the prince. "But tell me,"he added with studied carelessness as if it had only just occurredto him, though the question he was about to ask was the chief motiveof his visit, "is it true that the Dowager Empress wants Baron Funketo be appointed first secretary at Vienna? The baron by all accountsis a poor creature."Prince Vasili wished to obtain this post for his son, but otherswere trying through the Dowager Empress Marya Fedorovna to secure itfor the baron.Anna Pavlovna almost closed her eyes to indicate that neither shenor anyone else had a right to criticize what the Empress desired orwas pleased with."Baron Funke has been recommended to the Dowager Empress by hersister," was all she said, in a dry and mournful tone.As she named the Empress, Anna Pavlovna's face suddenly assumed anexpression of profound and sincere devotion and respect mingled withsadness, and this occurred every time she mentioned her illustriouspatroness. She added that Her Majesty had deigned to show BaronFunke beaucoup d'estime, and again her face clouded over with sadness.The prince was silent and looked indifferent. But, with thewomanly and courtierlike quickness and tact habitual to her, AnnaPavlovna wished both to rebuke him (for daring to speak he had done ofa man recommended to the Empress) and at the same time to console him,so she said:"Now about your family. Do you know that since your daughter cameout everyone has been enraptured by her? They say she is amazinglybeautiful."The prince bowed to signify his respect and gratitude."I often think," she continued after a short pause, drawing nearerto the prince and smiling amiably at him as if to show thatpolitical and social topics were ended and the time had come forintimate conversation--"I often think how unfairly sometimes thejoys of life are distributed. Why has fate given you two such splendidchildren? I don't speak of Anatole, your youngest. I don't likehim," she added in a tone admitting of no rejoinder and raising hereyebrows. "Two such charming children. And really you appreciatethem less than anyone, and so you don't deserve to have them."And she smiled her ecstatic smile."I can't help it," said the prince. "Lavater would have said Ilack the bump of paternity.""Don't joke; I mean to have a serious talk with you. Do you know Iam dissatisfied with your younger son? Between ourselves" (and herface assumed its melancholy expression), "he was mentioned at HerMajesty's and you were pitied...."The prince answered nothing, but she looked at him significantly,awaiting a reply. He frowned."What would you have me do?" he said at last. "You know I did alla father could for their education, and they have both turned outfools. Hippolyte is at least a quiet fool, but Anatole is an activeone. That is the only difference between them." He said this smilingin a way more natural and animated than usual, so that the wrinklesround his mouth very clearly revealed something unexpectedly coarseand unpleasant."And why are children born to such men as you? If you were not afather there would be nothing I could reproach you with," said AnnaPavlovna, looking up pensively."I am your faithful slave and to you alone I can confess that mychildren are the bane of my life. It is the cross I have to bear. Thatis how I explain it to myself. It can't be helped!"He said no more, but expressed his resignation to cruel fate by agesture. Anna Pavlovna meditated."Have you never thought of marrying your prodigal son Anatole?"she asked. "They say old maids have a mania for matchmaking, andthough I don't feel that weakness in myself as yet, I know a littleperson who is very unhappy with her father. She is a relation ofyours, Princess Mary Bolkonskaya."Prince Vasili did not reply, though, with the quickness of memoryand perception befitting a man of the world, he indicated by amovement of the head that he was considering this information."Do you know," he said at last, evidently unable to check the sadcurrent of his thoughts, "that Anatole is costing me forty thousandrubles a year? And," he went on after a pause, "what will it be infive years, if he goes on like this?" Presently he added: "That's whatwe fathers have to put up with.... Is this princess of yours rich?""Her father is very rich and stingy. He lives in the country. Heis the well-known Prince Bolkonski who had to retire from the armyunder the late Emperor, and was nicknamed 'the King of Prussia.' He isvery clever but eccentric, and a bore. The poor girl is veryunhappy. She has a brother; I think you know him, he married LiseMeinen lately. He is an aide-de-camp of Kutuzov's and will be heretonight.""Listen, dear Annette," said the prince, suddenly taking AnnaPavlovna's hand and for some reason drawing it downwards. "Arrangethat affair for me and I shall always be your most devoted slave-slafe with an f, as a village elder of mine writes in his reports.She is rich and of good family and that's all I want."And with the familiarity and easy grace peculiar to him, he raisedthe maid of honor's hand to his lips, kissed it, and swung it to andfro as he lay back in his armchair, looking in another direction."Attendez," said Anna Pavlovna, reflecting, "I'll speak to Lise,young Bolkonski's wife, this very evening, and perhaps the thing canbe arranged. It shall be on your family's behalf that I'll start myapprenticeship as old maid."CHAPTER IIAnna Pavlovna's drawing room was gradually filling. The highestPetersburg society was assembled there: people differing widely in ageand character but alike in the social circle to which they belonged.Prince Vasili's daughter, the beautiful Helene, came to take herfather to the ambassador's entertainment; she wore a ball dress andher badge as maid of honor. The youthful little PrincessBolkonskaya, known as la femme la plus seduisante de Petersbourg,* wasalso there. She had been married during the previous winter, and beingpregnant did not go to any large gatherings, but only to smallreceptions. Prince Vasili's son, Hippolyte, had come with Mortemart,whom he introduced. The Abbe Morio and many others had also come.*The most fascinating woman in Petersburg.To each new arrival Anna Pavlovna said, "You have not yet seen myaunt," or "You do not know my aunt?" and very gravely conducted him orher to a little old lady, wearing large bows of ribbon in her cap, whohad come sailing in from another room as soon as the guests began toarrive; and slowly turning her eyes from the visitor to her aunt, AnnaPavlovna mentioned each one's name and then left them.Each visitor performed the ceremony of greeting this old aunt whomnot one of them knew, not one of them wanted to know, and not one ofthem cared about; Anna Pavlovna observed these greetings with mournfuland solemn interest and silent approval. The aunt spoke to each ofthem in the same words, about their health and her own, and the healthof Her Majesty, "who, thank God, was better today." And eachvisitor, though politeness prevented his showing impatience, leftthe old woman with a sense of relief at having performed a vexatiousduty and did not return to her the whole evening.The young Princess Bolkonskaya had brought some work in agold-embroidered velvet bag. Her pretty little upper lip, on which adelicate dark down was just perceptible, was too short for herteeth, but it lifted all the more sweetly, and was especially charmingwhen she occasionally drew it down to meet the lower lip. As is alwaysthe case with a thoroughly attractive woman, her defect--the shortnessof her upper lip and her half-open mouth--seemed to be her own specialand peculiar form of beauty. Everyone brightened at the sight ofthis pretty young woman, so soon to become a mother, so full of lifeand health, and carrying her burden so lightly. Old men and dulldispirited young ones who looked at her, after being in her companyand talking to her a little while, felt as if they too werebecoming, like her, full of life and health. All who talked to her,and at each word saw her bright smile and the constant gleam of herwhite teeth, thought that they were in a specially amiable mood thatday.The little princess went round the table with quick, short,swaying steps, her workbag on her arm, and gaily spreading out herdress sat down on a sofa near the silver samovar, as if all she wasdoing was a pleasure to herself and to all around her. "I have broughtmy work," said she in French, displaying her bag and addressing allpresent. "Mind, Annette, I hope you have not played a wicked trickon me," she added, turning to her hostess. "You wrote that it was tobe quite a small reception, and just see how badly I am dressed."And she spread out her arms to show her short-waisted, lace-trimmed,dainty gray dress, girdled with a broad ribbon just below the breast."Soyez tranquille, Lise, you will always be prettier than anyoneelse," replied Anna Pavlovna."You know," said the princess in the same tone of voice and still inFrench, turning to a general, "my husband is deserting me? He is goingto get himself killed. Tell me what this wretched war is for?" sheadded, addressing Prince Vasili, and without waiting for an answer sheturned to speak to his daughter, the beautiful Helene."What a delightful woman this little princess is!" said PrinceVasili to Anna Pavlovna.One of the next arrivals was a stout, heavily built young man withclose-cropped hair, spectacles, the light-colored breeches fashionableat that time, a very high ruffle, and a brown dress coat. This stoutyoung man was an illegitimate son of Count Bezukhov, a well-knowngrandee of Catherine's time who now lay dying in Moscow. The young manhad not yet entered either the military or civil service, as he hadonly just returned from abroad where he had been educated, and thiswas his first appearance in society. Anna Pavlovna greeted him withthe nod she accorded to the lowest hierarchy in her drawing room.But in spite of this lowest-grade greeting, a look of anxiety andfear, as at the sight of something too large and unsuited to theplace, came over her face when she saw Pierre enter. Though he wascertainly rather bigger than the other men in the room, her anxietycould only have reference to the clever though shy, but observantand natural, expression which distinguished him from everyone elsein that drawing room."It is very good of you, Monsieur Pierre, to come and visit a poorinvalid," said Anna Pavlovna, exchanging an alarmed glance with heraunt as she conducted him to her.Pierre murmured something unintelligible, and continued to lookround as if in search of something. On his way to the aunt he bowed tothe little princess with a pleased smile, as to an intimateacquaintance.Anna Pavlovna's alarm was justified, for Pierre turned away from theaunt without waiting to hear her speech about Her Majesty's health.Anna Pavlovna in dismay detained him with the words: "Do you knowthe Abbe Morio? He is a most interesting man.""Yes, I have heard of his scheme for perpetual peace, and it is veryinteresting but hardly feasible.""You think so?" rejoined Anna Pavlovna in order to say something andget away to attend to her duties as hostess. But Pierre nowcommitted a reverse act of impoliteness. First he had left a ladybefore she had finished speaking to him, and now he continued to speakto another who wished to get away. With his head bent, and his bigfeet spread apart, he began explaining his reasons for thinking theabbe's plan chimerical."We will talk of it later," said Anna Pavlovna with a smile.And having got rid of this young man who did not know how to behave,she resumed her duties as hostess and continued to listen and watch,ready to help at any point where the conversation might happen toflag. As the foreman of a spinning mill, when he has set the handsto work, goes round and notices here a spindle that has stopped orthere one that creaks or makes more noise than it should, andhastens to check the machine or set it in proper motion, so AnnaPavlovna moved about her drawing room, approaching now a silent, now atoo-noisy group, and by a word or slight rearrangement kept theconversational machine in steady, proper, and regular motion. But amidthese cares her anxiety about Pierre was evident. She kept ananxious watch on him when he approached the group round Mortemart tolisten to what was being said there, and again when he passed toanother group whose center was the abbe.Pierre had been educated abroad, and this reception at AnnaPavlovna's was the first he had attended in Russia. He knew that allthe intellectual lights of Petersburg were gathered there and, likea child in a toyshop, did not know which way to look, afraid ofmissing any clever conversation that was to be heard. Seeing theself-confident and refined expression on the faces of those present hewas always expecting to hear something very profound. At last hecame up to Morio. Here the conversation seemed interesting and hestood waiting for an opportunity to express his own views, as youngpeople are fond of doing.CHAPTER IIIAnna Pavlovna's reception was in full swing. The spindles hummedsteadily and ceaselessly on all sides. With the exception of the aunt,beside whom sat only one elderly lady, who with her thin careworn facewas rather out of place in this brilliant society, the whole companyhad settled into three groups. One, chiefly masculine, had formedround the abbe. Another, of young people, was grouped round thebeautiful Princess Helene, Prince Vasili's daughter, and the littlePrincess Bolkonskaya, very pretty and rosy, though rather too plumpfor her age. The third group was gathered round Mortemart and AnnaPavlovna.The vicomte was a nice-looking young man with soft features andpolished manners, who evidently considered himself a celebrity but outof politeness modestly placed himself at the disposal of the circle inwhich he found himself. Anna Pavlovna was obviously serving him upas a treat to her guests. As a clever maitre d'hotel serves up as aspecially choice delicacy a piece of meat that no one who had seenit in the kitchen would have cared to eat, so Anna Pavlovna servedup to her guests, first the vicomte and then the abbe, as peculiarlychoice morsels. The group about Mortemart immediately began discussingthe murder of the Duc d'Enghien. The vicomte said that the Ducd'Enghien had perished by his own magnanimity, and that there wereparticular reasons for Buonaparte's hatred of him."Ah, yes! Do tell us all about it, Vicomte," said Anna Pavlovna,with a pleasant feeling that there was something a la Louis XV inthe sound of that sentence: "Contez nous cela, Vicomte."The vicomte bowed and smiled courteously in token of his willingnessto comply. Anna Pavlovna arranged a group round him, inviting everyoneto listen to his tale."The vicomte knew the duc personally," whispered Anna Pavlovna to ofthe guests. "The vicomte is a wonderful raconteur," said she toanother. "How evidently he belongs to the best society," said she to athird; and the vicomte was served up to the company in the choicestand most advantageous style, like a well-garnished joint of roast beefon a hot dish.The vicomte wished to begin his story and gave a subtle smile."Come over here, Helene, dear," said Anna Pavlovna to thebeautiful young princess who was sitting some way off, the center ofanother group.The princess smiled. She rose with the same unchanging smile withwhich she had first entered the room--the smile of a perfectlybeautiful woman. With a slight rustle of her white dress trimmedwith moss and ivy, with a gleam of white shoulders, glossy hair, andsparkling diamonds, she passed between the men who made way for her,not looking at any of them but smiling on all, as if graciouslyallowing each the privilege of admiring her beautiful figure andshapely shoulders, back, and bosom--which in the fashion of those dayswere very much exposed--and she seemed to bring the glamour of aballroom with her as she moved toward Anna Pavlovna. Helene was solovely that not only did she not show any trace of coquetry, but onthe contrary she even appeared shy of her unquestionable and all toovictorious beauty. She seemed to wish, but to be unable, to diminis**ts effect."How lovely!" said everyone who saw her; and the vicomte liftedhis shoulders and dropped his eyes as if startled by somethingextraordinary when she took her seat opposite and beamed upon him alsowith her unchanging smile."Madame, I doubt my ability before such an audience," said he,smilingly inclining his head.The princess rested her bare round arm on a little table andconsidered a reply unnecessary. She smilingly waited. All the time thestory was being told she sat upright, glancing now at her beautifulround arm, altered in shape by its pressure on the table, now at herstill more beautiful bosom, on which she readjusted a diamondnecklace. From time to time she smoothed the folds of her dress, andwhenever the story produced an effect she glanced at Anna Pavlovna, atonce adopted just the expression she saw on the maid of honor'sface, and again relapsed into her radiant smile.The little princess had also left the tea table and followed Helene."Wait a moment, I'll get my work.... Now then, what are you thinkingof?" she went on, turning to Prince Hippolyte. "Fetch me my workbag."There was a general movement as the princess, smiling and talkingmerrily to everyone at once, sat down and gaily arranged herself inher seat."Now I am all right," she said, and asking the vicomte to begin, shetook up her work.Prince Hippolyte, having brought the workbag, joined the circleand moving a chair close to hers seated himself beside her.Le charmant Hippolyte was surprising by his extraordinaryresemblance to his beautiful sister, but yet more by the fact thatin spite of this resemblance he was exceedingly ugly. His featureswere like his sister's, but while in her case everything was lit up bya joyous, self-satisfied, youthful, and constant smile of animation,and by the wonderful classic beauty of her figure, his face on thecontrary was dulled by imbecility and a constant expression ofsullen self-confidence, while his body was thin and weak. His eyes,nose, and mouth all seemed puckered into a vacant, wearied grimace,and his arms and legs always fell into unnatural positions."It's not going to be a ghost story?" said he, sitting down besidethe princess and hastily adjusting his lorgnette, as if without thisinstrument he could not begin to speak."Why no, my dear fellow," said the astonished narrator, shrugginghis shoulders."Because I hate ghost stories," said Prince Hippolyte in a tonewhich showed that he only understood the meaning of his words after hehad uttered them.He spoke with such self-confidence that his hearers could not besure whether what he said was very witty or very stupid. He wasdressed in a dark-green dress coat, knee breeches of the color ofcuisse de nymphe effrayee, as he called it, shoes, and silk stockings.The vicomte told his tale very neatly. It was an anecdote, thencurrent, to the effect that the Duc d'Enghien had gone secretly toParis to visit Mademoiselle George; that at her house he came uponBonaparte, who also enjoyed the famous actress' favors, and that inhis presence Napoleon happened to fall into one of the fainting fitsto which he was subject, and was thus at the duc's mercy. The latterspared him, and this magnanimity Bonaparte subsequently repaid bydeath.The story was very pretty and interesting, especially at the pointwhere the rivals suddenly recognized one another; and the ladieslooked agitated."Charming!" said Anna Pavlovna with an inquiring glance at thelittle princess."Charming!" whispered the little princess, sticking the needleinto her work as if to testify that the interest and fascination ofthe story prevented her from going on with it.The vicomte appreciated this silent praise and smiling gratefullyprepared to continue, but just then Anna Pavlovna, who had kept awatchful eye on the young man who so alarmed her, noticed that hewas talking too loudly and vehemently with the abbe, so she hurried tothe rescue. Pierre had managed to start a conversation with the abbeabout the balance of power, and the latter, evidently interested bythe young man's simple-minded eagerness, was explaining his pettheory. Both were talking and listening too eagerly and too naturally,which was why Anna Pavlovna disapproved."The means are... the balance of power in Europe and the rights ofthe people," the abbe was saying. "It is only necessary for onepowerful nation like Russia--barbaric as she is said to be--to placeherself disinterestedly at the head of an alliance having for itsobject the maintenance of the balance of power of Europe, and it wouldsave the world!""But how are you to get that balance?" Pierre was beginning.At that moment Anna Pavlovna came up and, looking severely atPierre, asked the Italian how he stood Russian climate. TheItalian's face instantly changed and assumed an offensivelyaffected, sugary expression, evidently habitual to him when conversingwith women."I am so enchanted by the brilliancy of the wit and culture of thesociety, more especially of the feminine society, in which I havehad the honor of being received, that I have not yet had time to thinkof the climate," said he.Not letting the abbe and Pierre escape, Anna Pavlovna, the moreconveniently to keep them under observation, brought them into thelarger circle.CHAPTER IVJust then another visitor entered the drawing room: Prince AndrewBolkonski, the little princess' husband. He was a very handsomeyoung man, of medium height, with firm, clearcut features.Everything about him, from his weary, bored expression to his quiet,measured step, offered a most striking contrast to his quiet, littlewife. It was evident that he not only knew everyone in the drawingroom, but had found them to be so tiresome that it wearied him to lookat or listen to them. And among all these faces that he found sotedious, none seemed to bore him so much as that of his pretty wife.He turned away from her with a grimace that distorted his handsomeface, kissed Anna Pavlovna's hand, and screwing up his eyes scannedthe whole company."You are off to the war, Prince?" said Anna Pavlovna."General Kutuzov," said Bolkonski, speaking French and stressing thelast syllable of the general's name like a Frenchman, "has beenpleased to take me as an aide-de-camp....""And Lise, your wife?""She will go to the country.""Are you not ashamed to deprive us of your charming wife?""Andre," said his wife, addressing her husband in the samecoquettish manner in which she spoke to other men, "the vicomte hasbeen telling us such a tale about Mademoiselle George and Buonaparte!"Prince Andrew screwed up his eyes and turned away. Pierre, whofrom the moment Prince Andrew entered the room had watched him withglad, affectionate eyes, now came up and took his arm. Before helooked round Prince Andrew frowned again, expressing his annoyancewith whoever was touching his arm, but when he saw Pierre's beamingface he gave him an unexpectedly kind and pleasant smile."There now!... So you, too, are in the great world?" said he toPierre."I knew you would be here," replied Pierre. "I will come to supperwith you. May I?" he added in a low voice so as not to disturb thevicomte who was continuing his story."No, impossible!" said Prince Andrew, laughing and pressing Pierre'shand to show that there was no need to ask the question. He wishedto say something more, but at that moment Prince Vasili and hisdaughter got up to go and the two young men rose to let them pass."You must excuse me, dear Vicomte," said Prince Vasili to theFrenchman, holding him down by the sleeve in a friendly way to preventhis rising. "This unfortunate fete at the ambassador's deprives meof a pleasure, and obliges me to interrupt you. I am very sorry toleave your enchanting party," said he, turning to Anna Pavlovna.His daughter, Princess Helene, passed between the chairs, lightlyholding up the folds of her dress, and the smile shone still moreradiantly on her beautiful face. Pierre gazed at her with rapturous,almost frightened, eyes as she passed him."Very lovely," said Prince Andrew."Very," said Pierre.In passing Prince Vasili seized Pierre's hand and said to AnnaPavlovna: "Educate this bear for me! He has been staying with me awhole month and this is the first time I have seen him in society.Nothing is so necessary for a young man as the society of cleverwomen."Anna Pavlovna smiled and promised to take Pierre in hand. She knewhis father to be a connection of Prince Vasili's. The elderly lady whohad been sitting with the old aunt rose hurriedly and overtookPrince Vasili in the anteroom. All the affectation of interest she hadassumed had left her kindly and tearworn face and it now expressedonly anxiety and fear."How about my son Boris, Prince?" said she, hurrying after himinto the anteroom. "I can't remain any longer in Petersburg. Tell mewhat news I may take back to my poor boy."Although Prince Vasili listened reluctantly and not very politely tothe elderly lady, even betraying some impatience, she gave him aningratiating and appealing smile, and took his hand that he mightnot go away."What would it cost you to say a word to the Emperor, and then hewould be transferred to the Guards at once?" said she."Believe me, Princess, I am ready to do all I can," answeredPrince Vasili, "but it is difficult for me to ask the Emperor. Ishould advise you to appeal to Rumyantsev through Prince Golitsyn.That would be the best way."The elderly lady was a Princess Drubetskaya, belonging to one of thebest families in Russia, but she was poor, and having long been out ofsociety had lost her former influential connections. She had nowcome to Petersburg to procure an appointment in the Guards for heronly son. It was, in fact, solely to meet Prince Vasili that she hadobtained an invitation to Anna Pavlovna's reception and had satlistening to the vicomte's story. Prince Vasili's words frightenedher, an embittered look clouded her once handsome face, but only for amoment; then she smiled again and dutched Prince Vasili's arm moretightly."Listen to me, Prince," said she. "I have never yet asked you foranything and I never will again, nor have I ever reminded you of myfather's friendship for you; but now I entreat you for God's sake todo this for my son--and I shall always regard you as a benefactor,"she added hurriedly. "No, don't be angry, but promise! I have askedGolitsyn and he has refused. Be the kindhearted man you alwayswere," she said, trying to smile though tears were in her eyes."Papa, we shall be late," said Princess Helene, turning herbeautiful head and looking over her classically molded shoulder as shestood waiting by the door.Influence in society, however, is a capital which has to beeconomized if it is to last. Prince Vasili knew this, and havingonce realized that if he asked on behalf of all who begged of him,he would soon be unable to ask for himself, he became chary of usinghis influence. But in Princess Drubetskaya's case he felt, after hersecond appeal, something like qualms of conscience. She had remindedhim of what was quite true; he had been indebted to her father for thefirst steps in his career. Moreover, he could see by her mannersthat she was one of those women--mostly mothers--who, having once madeup their minds, will not rest until they have gained their end, andare prepared if necessary to go on insisting day after day and hourafter hour, and even to make scenes. This last consideration movedhim."My dear Anna Mikhaylovna," said he with his usual familiarity andweariness of tone, "it is almost impossible for me to do what you ask;but to prove my devotion to you and how I respect your father'smemory, I will do the impossible--your son shall be transferred to theGuards. Here is my hand on it. Are you satisfied?""My dear benefactor! This is what I expected from you--I knew yourkindness!" He turned to go."Wait--just a word! When he has been transferred to the Guards..."she faltered. "You are on good terms with Michael IlarionovichKutuzov... recommend Boris to him as adjutant! Then I shall be atrest, and then..."Prince Vasili smiled."No, I won't promise that. You don't know how Kutuzov is pesteredsince his appointment as Commander in Chief. He told me himself thatall the Moscow ladies have conspired to give him all their sons asadjutants.""No, but do promise! I won't let you go! My dear benefactor...""Papa," said his beautiful daughter in the same tone as before,"we shall be late.""Well, au revoir! Good-by! You hear her?""Then tomorrow you will speak to the Emperor?""Certainly; but about Kutuzov, I don't promise.""Do promise, do promise, Vasili!" cried Anna Mikhaylovna as he went,with the smile of a coquettish girl, which at one time probably camenaturally to her, but was now very ill-suited to her careworn face.Apparently she had forgotten her age and by force of habitemployed all the old feminine arts. But as soon as the prince had goneher face resumed its former cold, artificial expression. Shereturned to the group where the vicomte was still talking, and againpretended to listen, while waiting till it would be time to leave. Hertask was accomplished.......and much much more...<a class="user" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2600">http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2600</a>
not necessarily...surely the heat could be simply dispersed into the atmosphere. I dunno, but I would have thought this was possible.I see what you're saying though.
petomniMar 27, 2006
there is a big difference between cooling 30 degrees F and the actual temperature of 30 degrees, i'm sorry but you didnt look at that close enough
elgigiMar 28, 2006
Yeah, it's 2 years old, but is BEER and is COLD, so... +dugg !!!
r0x0rMar 28, 2006
hmm well anyways....War and Peaceby Leo Tolstoy/TolstoiBOOK ONE: 1805CHAPTER I"Well, Prince, so Genoa and Lucca are now just family estates of theBuonapartes. But I warn you, if you don't tell me that this means war,if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated bythat Antichrist--I really believe he is Antichrist--I will havenothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend, no longermy 'faithful slave,' as you call yourself! But how do you do? I seeI have frightened you--sit down and tell me all the news."It was in July, 1805, and the speaker was the well-known AnnaPavlovna Scherer, maid of honor and favorite of the Empress MaryaFedorovna. With these words she greeted Prince Vasili Kuragin, a manof high rank and importance, who was the first to arrive at herreception. Anna Pavlovna had had a cough for some days. She was, asshe said, suffering from la grippe; grippe being then a new word inSt. Petersburg, used only by the elite.All her invitations without exception, written in French, anddelivered by a scarlet-liveried footman that morning, ran as follows:"If you have nothing better to do, Count [or Prince], and if theprospect of spending an evening with a poor invalid is not tooterrible, I shall be very charmed to see you tonight between 7 and 10-Annette Scherer.""Heavens! what a virulent attack!" replied the prince, not in theleast disconcerted by this reception. He had just entered, wearingan embroidered court uniform, knee breeches, and shoes, and hadstars on his breast and a serene expression on his flat face. He spokein that refined French in which our grandfathers not only spoke butthought, and with the gentle, patronizing intonation natural to aman of importance who had grown old in society and at court. He wentup to Anna Pavlovna, kissed her hand, presenting to her his bald,scented, and shining head, and complacently seated himself on thesofa."First of all, dear friend, tell me how you are. Set your friend'smind at rest," said he without altering his tone, beneath thepoliteness and affected sympathy of which indifference and evenirony could be discerned."Can one be well while suffering morally? Can one be calm in timeslike these if one has any feeling?" said Anna Pavlovna. "You arestaying the whole evening, I hope?""And the fete at the English ambassador's? Today is Wednesday. Imust put in an appearance there," said the prince. "My daughter iscoming for me to take me there.""I thought today's fete had been canceled. I confess all thesefestivities and fireworks are becoming wearisome.""If they had known that you wished it, the entertainment wouldhave been put off," said the prince, who, like a wound-up clock, byforce of habit said things he did not even wish to be believed."Don't tease! Well, and what has been decided about Novosiltsev'sdispatch? You know everything.""What can one say about it?" replied the prince in a cold,listless tone. "What has been decided? They have decided thatBuonaparte has burnt his boats, and I believe that we are ready toburn ours."Prince Vasili always spoke languidly, like an actor repeating astale part. Anna Pavlovna Scherer on the contrary, despite her fortyyears, overflowed with animation and impulsiveness. To be anenthusiast had become her social vocation and, sometimes even when shedid not feel like it, she became enthusiastic in order not todisappoint the expectations of those who knew her. The subdued smilewhich, though it did not suit her faded features, always playedround her lips expressed, as in a spoiled child, a continualconsciousness of her charming defect, which she neither wished, norcould, nor considered it necessary, to correct.In the midst of a conversation on political matters Anna Pavlovnaburst out:"Oh, don't speak to me of Austria. Perhaps I don't understandthings, but Austria never has wished, and does not wish, for war.She is betraying us! Russia alone must save Europe. Our gracioussovereign recognizes his high vocation and will be true to it. That isthe one thing I have faith in! Our good and wonderful sovereign has toperform the noblest role on earth, and he is so virtuous and noblethat God will not forsake him. He will fulfill his vocation andcrush the hydra of revolution, which has become more terrible thanever in the person of this murderer and villain! We alone mustavenge the blood of the just one.... Whom, I ask you, can we relyon?... England with her commercial spirit will not and cannotunderstand the Emperor Alexander's loftiness of soul. She hasrefused to evacuate Malta. She wanted to find, and still seeks, somesecret motive in our actions. What answer did Novosiltsev get? None.The English have not understood and cannot understand theself-abnegation of our Emperor who wants nothing for himself, but onlydesires the good of mankind. And what have they promised? Nothing! Andwhat little they have promised they will not perform! Prussia hasalways declared that Buonaparte is invincible, and that all Europeis powerless before him.... And I don't believe a word that Hardenburgsays, or Haugwitz either. This famous Prussian neutrality is just atrap. I have faith only in God and the lofty destiny of our adoredmonarch. He will save Europe!"She suddenly paused, smiling at her own impetuosity."I think," said the prince with a smile, "that if you had beensent instead of our dear Wintzingerode you would have captured theKing of Prussia's consent by assault. You are so eloquent. Will yougive me a cup of tea?""In a moment. A propos," she added, becoming calm again, "I amexpecting two very interesting men tonight, le Vicomte de Mortemart,who is connected with the Montmorencys through the Rohans, one ofthe best French families. He is one of the genuine emigres, the goodones. And also the Abbe Morio. Do you know that profound thinker? Hehas been received by the Emperor. Had you heard?""I shall be delighted to meet them," said the prince. "But tell me,"he added with studied carelessness as if it had only just occurredto him, though the question he was about to ask was the chief motiveof his visit, "is it true that the Dowager Empress wants Baron Funketo be appointed first secretary at Vienna? The baron by all accountsis a poor creature."Prince Vasili wished to obtain this post for his son, but otherswere trying through the Dowager Empress Marya Fedorovna to secure itfor the baron.Anna Pavlovna almost closed her eyes to indicate that neither shenor anyone else had a right to criticize what the Empress desired orwas pleased with."Baron Funke has been recommended to the Dowager Empress by hersister," was all she said, in a dry and mournful tone.As she named the Empress, Anna Pavlovna's face suddenly assumed anexpression of profound and sincere devotion and respect mingled withsadness, and this occurred every time she mentioned her illustriouspatroness. She added that Her Majesty had deigned to show BaronFunke beaucoup d'estime, and again her face clouded over with sadness.The prince was silent and looked indifferent. But, with thewomanly and courtierlike quickness and tact habitual to her, AnnaPavlovna wished both to rebuke him (for daring to speak he had done ofa man recommended to the Empress) and at the same time to console him,so she said:"Now about your family. Do you know that since your daughter cameout everyone has been enraptured by her? They say she is amazinglybeautiful."The prince bowed to signify his respect and gratitude."I often think," she continued after a short pause, drawing nearerto the prince and smiling amiably at him as if to show thatpolitical and social topics were ended and the time had come forintimate conversation--"I often think how unfairly sometimes thejoys of life are distributed. Why has fate given you two such splendidchildren? I don't speak of Anatole, your youngest. I don't likehim," she added in a tone admitting of no rejoinder and raising hereyebrows. "Two such charming children. And really you appreciatethem less than anyone, and so you don't deserve to have them."And she smiled her ecstatic smile."I can't help it," said the prince. "Lavater would have said Ilack the bump of paternity.""Don't joke; I mean to have a serious talk with you. Do you know Iam dissatisfied with your younger son? Between ourselves" (and herface assumed its melancholy expression), "he was mentioned at HerMajesty's and you were pitied...."The prince answered nothing, but she looked at him significantly,awaiting a reply. He frowned."What would you have me do?" he said at last. "You know I did alla father could for their education, and they have both turned outfools. Hippolyte is at least a quiet fool, but Anatole is an activeone. That is the only difference between them." He said this smilingin a way more natural and animated than usual, so that the wrinklesround his mouth very clearly revealed something unexpectedly coarseand unpleasant."And why are children born to such men as you? If you were not afather there would be nothing I could reproach you with," said AnnaPavlovna, looking up pensively."I am your faithful slave and to you alone I can confess that mychildren are the bane of my life. It is the cross I have to bear. Thatis how I explain it to myself. It can't be helped!"He said no more, but expressed his resignation to cruel fate by agesture. Anna Pavlovna meditated."Have you never thought of marrying your prodigal son Anatole?"she asked. "They say old maids have a mania for matchmaking, andthough I don't feel that weakness in myself as yet, I know a littleperson who is very unhappy with her father. She is a relation ofyours, Princess Mary Bolkonskaya."Prince Vasili did not reply, though, with the quickness of memoryand perception befitting a man of the world, he indicated by amovement of the head that he was considering this information."Do you know," he said at last, evidently unable to check the sadcurrent of his thoughts, "that Anatole is costing me forty thousandrubles a year? And," he went on after a pause, "what will it be infive years, if he goes on like this?" Presently he added: "That's whatwe fathers have to put up with.... Is this princess of yours rich?""Her father is very rich and stingy. He lives in the country. Heis the well-known Prince Bolkonski who had to retire from the armyunder the late Emperor, and was nicknamed 'the King of Prussia.' He isvery clever but eccentric, and a bore. The poor girl is veryunhappy. She has a brother; I think you know him, he married LiseMeinen lately. He is an aide-de-camp of Kutuzov's and will be heretonight.""Listen, dear Annette," said the prince, suddenly taking AnnaPavlovna's hand and for some reason drawing it downwards. "Arrangethat affair for me and I shall always be your most devoted slave-slafe with an f, as a village elder of mine writes in his reports.She is rich and of good family and that's all I want."And with the familiarity and easy grace peculiar to him, he raisedthe maid of honor's hand to his lips, kissed it, and swung it to andfro as he lay back in his armchair, looking in another direction."Attendez," said Anna Pavlovna, reflecting, "I'll speak to Lise,young Bolkonski's wife, this very evening, and perhaps the thing canbe arranged. It shall be on your family's behalf that I'll start myapprenticeship as old maid."CHAPTER IIAnna Pavlovna's drawing room was gradually filling. The highestPetersburg society was assembled there: people differing widely in ageand character but alike in the social circle to which they belonged.Prince Vasili's daughter, the beautiful Helene, came to take herfather to the ambassador's entertainment; she wore a ball dress andher badge as maid of honor. The youthful little PrincessBolkonskaya, known as la femme la plus seduisante de Petersbourg,* wasalso there. She had been married during the previous winter, and beingpregnant did not go to any large gatherings, but only to smallreceptions. Prince Vasili's son, Hippolyte, had come with Mortemart,whom he introduced. The Abbe Morio and many others had also come.*The most fascinating woman in Petersburg.To each new arrival Anna Pavlovna said, "You have not yet seen myaunt," or "You do not know my aunt?" and very gravely conducted him orher to a little old lady, wearing large bows of ribbon in her cap, whohad come sailing in from another room as soon as the guests began toarrive; and slowly turning her eyes from the visitor to her aunt, AnnaPavlovna mentioned each one's name and then left them.Each visitor performed the ceremony of greeting this old aunt whomnot one of them knew, not one of them wanted to know, and not one ofthem cared about; Anna Pavlovna observed these greetings with mournfuland solemn interest and silent approval. The aunt spoke to each ofthem in the same words, about their health and her own, and the healthof Her Majesty, "who, thank God, was better today." And eachvisitor, though politeness prevented his showing impatience, leftthe old woman with a sense of relief at having performed a vexatiousduty and did not return to her the whole evening.The young Princess Bolkonskaya had brought some work in agold-embroidered velvet bag. Her pretty little upper lip, on which adelicate dark down was just perceptible, was too short for herteeth, but it lifted all the more sweetly, and was especially charmingwhen she occasionally drew it down to meet the lower lip. As is alwaysthe case with a thoroughly attractive woman, her defect--the shortnessof her upper lip and her half-open mouth--seemed to be her own specialand peculiar form of beauty. Everyone brightened at the sight ofthis pretty young woman, so soon to become a mother, so full of lifeand health, and carrying her burden so lightly. Old men and dulldispirited young ones who looked at her, after being in her companyand talking to her a little while, felt as if they too werebecoming, like her, full of life and health. All who talked to her,and at each word saw her bright smile and the constant gleam of herwhite teeth, thought that they were in a specially amiable mood thatday.The little princess went round the table with quick, short,swaying steps, her workbag on her arm, and gaily spreading out herdress sat down on a sofa near the silver samovar, as if all she wasdoing was a pleasure to herself and to all around her. "I have broughtmy work," said she in French, displaying her bag and addressing allpresent. "Mind, Annette, I hope you have not played a wicked trickon me," she added, turning to her hostess. "You wrote that it was tobe quite a small reception, and just see how badly I am dressed."And she spread out her arms to show her short-waisted, lace-trimmed,dainty gray dress, girdled with a broad ribbon just below the breast."Soyez tranquille, Lise, you will always be prettier than anyoneelse," replied Anna Pavlovna."You know," said the princess in the same tone of voice and still inFrench, turning to a general, "my husband is deserting me? He is goingto get himself killed. Tell me what this wretched war is for?" sheadded, addressing Prince Vasili, and without waiting for an answer sheturned to speak to his daughter, the beautiful Helene."What a delightful woman this little princess is!" said PrinceVasili to Anna Pavlovna.One of the next arrivals was a stout, heavily built young man withclose-cropped hair, spectacles, the light-colored breeches fashionableat that time, a very high ruffle, and a brown dress coat. This stoutyoung man was an illegitimate son of Count Bezukhov, a well-knowngrandee of Catherine's time who now lay dying in Moscow. The young manhad not yet entered either the military or civil service, as he hadonly just returned from abroad where he had been educated, and thiswas his first appearance in society. Anna Pavlovna greeted him withthe nod she accorded to the lowest hierarchy in her drawing room.But in spite of this lowest-grade greeting, a look of anxiety andfear, as at the sight of something too large and unsuited to theplace, came over her face when she saw Pierre enter. Though he wascertainly rather bigger than the other men in the room, her anxietycould only have reference to the clever though shy, but observantand natural, expression which distinguished him from everyone elsein that drawing room."It is very good of you, Monsieur Pierre, to come and visit a poorinvalid," said Anna Pavlovna, exchanging an alarmed glance with heraunt as she conducted him to her.Pierre murmured something unintelligible, and continued to lookround as if in search of something. On his way to the aunt he bowed tothe little princess with a pleased smile, as to an intimateacquaintance.Anna Pavlovna's alarm was justified, for Pierre turned away from theaunt without waiting to hear her speech about Her Majesty's health.Anna Pavlovna in dismay detained him with the words: "Do you knowthe Abbe Morio? He is a most interesting man.""Yes, I have heard of his scheme for perpetual peace, and it is veryinteresting but hardly feasible.""You think so?" rejoined Anna Pavlovna in order to say something andget away to attend to her duties as hostess. But Pierre nowcommitted a reverse act of impoliteness. First he had left a ladybefore she had finished speaking to him, and now he continued to speakto another who wished to get away. With his head bent, and his bigfeet spread apart, he began explaining his reasons for thinking theabbe's plan chimerical."We will talk of it later," said Anna Pavlovna with a smile.And having got rid of this young man who did not know how to behave,she resumed her duties as hostess and continued to listen and watch,ready to help at any point where the conversation might happen toflag. As the foreman of a spinning mill, when he has set the handsto work, goes round and notices here a spindle that has stopped orthere one that creaks or makes more noise than it should, andhastens to check the machine or set it in proper motion, so AnnaPavlovna moved about her drawing room, approaching now a silent, now atoo-noisy group, and by a word or slight rearrangement kept theconversational machine in steady, proper, and regular motion. But amidthese cares her anxiety about Pierre was evident. She kept ananxious watch on him when he approached the group round Mortemart tolisten to what was being said there, and again when he passed toanother group whose center was the abbe.Pierre had been educated abroad, and this reception at AnnaPavlovna's was the first he had attended in Russia. He knew that allthe intellectual lights of Petersburg were gathered there and, likea child in a toyshop, did not know which way to look, afraid ofmissing any clever conversation that was to be heard. Seeing theself-confident and refined expression on the faces of those present hewas always expecting to hear something very profound. At last hecame up to Morio. Here the conversation seemed interesting and hestood waiting for an opportunity to express his own views, as youngpeople are fond of doing.CHAPTER IIIAnna Pavlovna's reception was in full swing. The spindles hummedsteadily and ceaselessly on all sides. With the exception of the aunt,beside whom sat only one elderly lady, who with her thin careworn facewas rather out of place in this brilliant society, the whole companyhad settled into three groups. One, chiefly masculine, had formedround the abbe. Another, of young people, was grouped round thebeautiful Princess Helene, Prince Vasili's daughter, and the littlePrincess Bolkonskaya, very pretty and rosy, though rather too plumpfor her age. The third group was gathered round Mortemart and AnnaPavlovna.The vicomte was a nice-looking young man with soft features andpolished manners, who evidently considered himself a celebrity but outof politeness modestly placed himself at the disposal of the circle inwhich he found himself. Anna Pavlovna was obviously serving him upas a treat to her guests. As a clever maitre d'hotel serves up as aspecially choice delicacy a piece of meat that no one who had seenit in the kitchen would have cared to eat, so Anna Pavlovna servedup to her guests, first the vicomte and then the abbe, as peculiarlychoice morsels. The group about Mortemart immediately began discussingthe murder of the Duc d'Enghien. The vicomte said that the Ducd'Enghien had perished by his own magnanimity, and that there wereparticular reasons for Buonaparte's hatred of him."Ah, yes! Do tell us all about it, Vicomte," said Anna Pavlovna,with a pleasant feeling that there was something a la Louis XV inthe sound of that sentence: "Contez nous cela, Vicomte."The vicomte bowed and smiled courteously in token of his willingnessto comply. Anna Pavlovna arranged a group round him, inviting everyoneto listen to his tale."The vicomte knew the duc personally," whispered Anna Pavlovna to ofthe guests. "The vicomte is a wonderful raconteur," said she toanother. "How evidently he belongs to the best society," said she to athird; and the vicomte was served up to the company in the choicestand most advantageous style, like a well-garnished joint of roast beefon a hot dish.The vicomte wished to begin his story and gave a subtle smile."Come over here, Helene, dear," said Anna Pavlovna to thebeautiful young princess who was sitting some way off, the center ofanother group.The princess smiled. She rose with the same unchanging smile withwhich she had first entered the room--the smile of a perfectlybeautiful woman. With a slight rustle of her white dress trimmedwith moss and ivy, with a gleam of white shoulders, glossy hair, andsparkling diamonds, she passed between the men who made way for her,not looking at any of them but smiling on all, as if graciouslyallowing each the privilege of admiring her beautiful figure andshapely shoulders, back, and bosom--which in the fashion of those dayswere very much exposed--and she seemed to bring the glamour of aballroom with her as she moved toward Anna Pavlovna. Helene was solovely that not only did she not show any trace of coquetry, but onthe contrary she even appeared shy of her unquestionable and all toovictorious beauty. She seemed to wish, but to be unable, to diminis**ts effect."How lovely!" said everyone who saw her; and the vicomte liftedhis shoulders and dropped his eyes as if startled by somethingextraordinary when she took her seat opposite and beamed upon him alsowith her unchanging smile."Madame, I doubt my ability before such an audience," said he,smilingly inclining his head.The princess rested her bare round arm on a little table andconsidered a reply unnecessary. She smilingly waited. All the time thestory was being told she sat upright, glancing now at her beautifulround arm, altered in shape by its pressure on the table, now at herstill more beautiful bosom, on which she readjusted a diamondnecklace. From time to time she smoothed the folds of her dress, andwhenever the story produced an effect she glanced at Anna Pavlovna, atonce adopted just the expression she saw on the maid of honor'sface, and again relapsed into her radiant smile.The little princess had also left the tea table and followed Helene."Wait a moment, I'll get my work.... Now then, what are you thinkingof?" she went on, turning to Prince Hippolyte. "Fetch me my workbag."There was a general movement as the princess, smiling and talkingmerrily to everyone at once, sat down and gaily arranged herself inher seat."Now I am all right," she said, and asking the vicomte to begin, shetook up her work.Prince Hippolyte, having brought the workbag, joined the circleand moving a chair close to hers seated himself beside her.Le charmant Hippolyte was surprising by his extraordinaryresemblance to his beautiful sister, but yet more by the fact thatin spite of this resemblance he was exceedingly ugly. His featureswere like his sister's, but while in her case everything was lit up bya joyous, self-satisfied, youthful, and constant smile of animation,and by the wonderful classic beauty of her figure, his face on thecontrary was dulled by imbecility and a constant expression ofsullen self-confidence, while his body was thin and weak. His eyes,nose, and mouth all seemed puckered into a vacant, wearied grimace,and his arms and legs always fell into unnatural positions."It's not going to be a ghost story?" said he, sitting down besidethe princess and hastily adjusting his lorgnette, as if without thisinstrument he could not begin to speak."Why no, my dear fellow," said the astonished narrator, shrugginghis shoulders."Because I hate ghost stories," said Prince Hippolyte in a tonewhich showed that he only understood the meaning of his words after hehad uttered them.He spoke with such self-confidence that his hearers could not besure whether what he said was very witty or very stupid. He wasdressed in a dark-green dress coat, knee breeches of the color ofcuisse de nymphe effrayee, as he called it, shoes, and silk stockings.The vicomte told his tale very neatly. It was an anecdote, thencurrent, to the effect that the Duc d'Enghien had gone secretly toParis to visit Mademoiselle George; that at her house he came uponBonaparte, who also enjoyed the famous actress' favors, and that inhis presence Napoleon happened to fall into one of the fainting fitsto which he was subject, and was thus at the duc's mercy. The latterspared him, and this magnanimity Bonaparte subsequently repaid bydeath.The story was very pretty and interesting, especially at the pointwhere the rivals suddenly recognized one another; and the ladieslooked agitated."Charming!" said Anna Pavlovna with an inquiring glance at thelittle princess."Charming!" whispered the little princess, sticking the needleinto her work as if to testify that the interest and fascination ofthe story prevented her from going on with it.The vicomte appreciated this silent praise and smiling gratefullyprepared to continue, but just then Anna Pavlovna, who had kept awatchful eye on the young man who so alarmed her, noticed that hewas talking too loudly and vehemently with the abbe, so she hurried tothe rescue. Pierre had managed to start a conversation with the abbeabout the balance of power, and the latter, evidently interested bythe young man's simple-minded eagerness, was explaining his pettheory. Both were talking and listening too eagerly and too naturally,which was why Anna Pavlovna disapproved."The means are... the balance of power in Europe and the rights ofthe people," the abbe was saying. "It is only necessary for onepowerful nation like Russia--barbaric as she is said to be--to placeherself disinterestedly at the head of an alliance having for itsobject the maintenance of the balance of power of Europe, and it wouldsave the world!""But how are you to get that balance?" Pierre was beginning.At that moment Anna Pavlovna came up and, looking severely atPierre, asked the Italian how he stood Russian climate. TheItalian's face instantly changed and assumed an offensivelyaffected, sugary expression, evidently habitual to him when conversingwith women."I am so enchanted by the brilliancy of the wit and culture of thesociety, more especially of the feminine society, in which I havehad the honor of being received, that I have not yet had time to thinkof the climate," said he.Not letting the abbe and Pierre escape, Anna Pavlovna, the moreconveniently to keep them under observation, brought them into thelarger circle.CHAPTER IVJust then another visitor entered the drawing room: Prince AndrewBolkonski, the little princess' husband. He was a very handsomeyoung man, of medium height, with firm, clearcut features.Everything about him, from his weary, bored expression to his quiet,measured step, offered a most striking contrast to his quiet, littlewife. It was evident that he not only knew everyone in the drawingroom, but had found them to be so tiresome that it wearied him to lookat or listen to them. And among all these faces that he found sotedious, none seemed to bore him so much as that of his pretty wife.He turned away from her with a grimace that distorted his handsomeface, kissed Anna Pavlovna's hand, and screwing up his eyes scannedthe whole company."You are off to the war, Prince?" said Anna Pavlovna."General Kutuzov," said Bolkonski, speaking French and stressing thelast syllable of the general's name like a Frenchman, "has beenpleased to take me as an aide-de-camp....""And Lise, your wife?""She will go to the country.""Are you not ashamed to deprive us of your charming wife?""Andre," said his wife, addressing her husband in the samecoquettish manner in which she spoke to other men, "the vicomte hasbeen telling us such a tale about Mademoiselle George and Buonaparte!"Prince Andrew screwed up his eyes and turned away. Pierre, whofrom the moment Prince Andrew entered the room had watched him withglad, affectionate eyes, now came up and took his arm. Before helooked round Prince Andrew frowned again, expressing his annoyancewith whoever was touching his arm, but when he saw Pierre's beamingface he gave him an unexpectedly kind and pleasant smile."There now!... So you, too, are in the great world?" said he toPierre."I knew you would be here," replied Pierre. "I will come to supperwith you. May I?" he added in a low voice so as not to disturb thevicomte who was continuing his story."No, impossible!" said Prince Andrew, laughing and pressing Pierre'shand to show that there was no need to ask the question. He wishedto say something more, but at that moment Prince Vasili and hisdaughter got up to go and the two young men rose to let them pass."You must excuse me, dear Vicomte," said Prince Vasili to theFrenchman, holding him down by the sleeve in a friendly way to preventhis rising. "This unfortunate fete at the ambassador's deprives meof a pleasure, and obliges me to interrupt you. I am very sorry toleave your enchanting party," said he, turning to Anna Pavlovna.His daughter, Princess Helene, passed between the chairs, lightlyholding up the folds of her dress, and the smile shone still moreradiantly on her beautiful face. Pierre gazed at her with rapturous,almost frightened, eyes as she passed him."Very lovely," said Prince Andrew."Very," said Pierre.In passing Prince Vasili seized Pierre's hand and said to AnnaPavlovna: "Educate this bear for me! He has been staying with me awhole month and this is the first time I have seen him in society.Nothing is so necessary for a young man as the society of cleverwomen."Anna Pavlovna smiled and promised to take Pierre in hand. She knewhis father to be a connection of Prince Vasili's. The elderly lady whohad been sitting with the old aunt rose hurriedly and overtookPrince Vasili in the anteroom. All the affectation of interest she hadassumed had left her kindly and tearworn face and it now expressedonly anxiety and fear."How about my son Boris, Prince?" said she, hurrying after himinto the anteroom. "I can't remain any longer in Petersburg. Tell mewhat news I may take back to my poor boy."Although Prince Vasili listened reluctantly and not very politely tothe elderly lady, even betraying some impatience, she gave him aningratiating and appealing smile, and took his hand that he mightnot go away."What would it cost you to say a word to the Emperor, and then hewould be transferred to the Guards at once?" said she."Believe me, Princess, I am ready to do all I can," answeredPrince Vasili, "but it is difficult for me to ask the Emperor. Ishould advise you to appeal to Rumyantsev through Prince Golitsyn.That would be the best way."The elderly lady was a Princess Drubetskaya, belonging to one of thebest families in Russia, but she was poor, and having long been out ofsociety had lost her former influential connections. She had nowcome to Petersburg to procure an appointment in the Guards for heronly son. It was, in fact, solely to meet Prince Vasili that she hadobtained an invitation to Anna Pavlovna's reception and had satlistening to the vicomte's story. Prince Vasili's words frightenedher, an embittered look clouded her once handsome face, but only for amoment; then she smiled again and dutched Prince Vasili's arm moretightly."Listen to me, Prince," said she. "I have never yet asked you foranything and I never will again, nor have I ever reminded you of myfather's friendship for you; but now I entreat you for God's sake todo this for my son--and I shall always regard you as a benefactor,"she added hurriedly. "No, don't be angry, but promise! I have askedGolitsyn and he has refused. Be the kindhearted man you alwayswere," she said, trying to smile though tears were in her eyes."Papa, we shall be late," said Princess Helene, turning herbeautiful head and looking over her classically molded shoulder as shestood waiting by the door.Influence in society, however, is a capital which has to beeconomized if it is to last. Prince Vasili knew this, and havingonce realized that if he asked on behalf of all who begged of him,he would soon be unable to ask for himself, he became chary of usinghis influence. But in Princess Drubetskaya's case he felt, after hersecond appeal, something like qualms of conscience. She had remindedhim of what was quite true; he had been indebted to her father for thefirst steps in his career. Moreover, he could see by her mannersthat she was one of those women--mostly mothers--who, having once madeup their minds, will not rest until they have gained their end, andare prepared if necessary to go on insisting day after day and hourafter hour, and even to make scenes. This last consideration movedhim."My dear Anna Mikhaylovna," said he with his usual familiarity andweariness of tone, "it is almost impossible for me to do what you ask;but to prove my devotion to you and how I respect your father'smemory, I will do the impossible--your son shall be transferred to theGuards. Here is my hand on it. Are you satisfied?""My dear benefactor! This is what I expected from you--I knew yourkindness!" He turned to go."Wait--just a word! When he has been transferred to the Guards..."she faltered. "You are on good terms with Michael IlarionovichKutuzov... recommend Boris to him as adjutant! Then I shall be atrest, and then..."Prince Vasili smiled."No, I won't promise that. You don't know how Kutuzov is pesteredsince his appointment as Commander in Chief. He told me himself thatall the Moscow ladies have conspired to give him all their sons asadjutants.""No, but do promise! I won't let you go! My dear benefactor...""Papa," said his beautiful daughter in the same tone as before,"we shall be late.""Well, au revoir! Good-by! You hear her?""Then tomorrow you will speak to the Emperor?""Certainly; but about Kutuzov, I don't promise.""Do promise, do promise, Vasili!" cried Anna Mikhaylovna as he went,with the smile of a coquettish girl, which at one time probably camenaturally to her, but was now very ill-suited to her careworn face.Apparently she had forgotten her age and by force of habitemployed all the old feminine arts. But as soon as the prince had goneher face resumed its former cold, artificial expression. Shereturned to the group where the vicomte was still talking, and againpretended to listen, while waiting till it would be time to leave. Hertask was accomplished.......and much much more...<a class="user" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2600">http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2600</a>
stinkipeteMar 29, 2006
not necessarily...surely the heat could be simply dispersed into the atmosphere. I dunno, but I would have thought this was possible.I see what you're saying though.
hoohoonickMar 31, 2006
there is a god!