战争与和平(上)-第114部分

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sonal　qualities；　he　has　been　commissioned　to　look　at　my　note；　consequently　he　is　the　only　person　who　can　get　it　adopted；”　thought　Prince　Andrey；　as　he　waited　among　many　persons　of　importance　and　unimportance　in　Count　Araktcheev’s　anteroom。
During　the　years　of　his　service—for　the　most　part　as　an　adjutant—Prince　Andrey　had　seen　the　anterooms　of　many　great　personages；　and　the　various　characteristic　types　of　such　anterooms　were　very　readily　recognised　by　him。　Count　Araktcheev’s　anteroom　had　quite　a　special　character。　The　faces　of　the　persons　of　no　consequence　who　were　awaiting　their　turns　for　an　audience　with　Count　Araktcheev　betrayed　a　feeling　of　humiliation　and　servility；　the　faces　of　those　of　superior　rank　all　wore　an　expression　of　general　discomfort；　concealed　under　a　mask　of　ease　and　ridicule；　of　themselves　and　their　position　and　the　person　they　were　waiting　to　see。　Some　of　them　walked　up　and　down　plunged　in　thought；　others　were　laughing　and　whispering　together；　and　Prince　Andrey　caught　the　nickname　Sila　Andreitch　（Sila　meaning　Force　or　Violence）；　and　the　words　“the　governor’ll　give　it　you；”　referring　to　Count　Araktcheev。　One　general　（a　person　of　great　consequence）；　unmistakably　chagrined　at　being　kept　waiting　so　long；　sat　with　crossed　legs；　disdainfully　smiling　to　himself。
But　as　soon　as　the　door　opened；　all　faces　instantly　betrayed　one　feeling　only—terror。
Prince　Andrey　asked　the　adjutant　on　duty　to　mention　his　name　again；　but　he　received　a　sarcastic　stare；　and　was　told　his　turn　would　come　in　due　course。　After　several　persons　had　been　let　in　and　let　out　of　the　minister’s　room　by　the　adjutant；　an　officer　was　admitted　at　the　dreadful　door；　whose　abject　and　panic…stricken　face　had　struck　Prince　Andrey。　The　officer’s　audience　lasted　a　long　while。　Suddenly　the　roar　of　a　harsh　voice　was　heard　through　the　door；　and　the　officer；　with　a　white　face　and　trembling　lips；　came　out；　and　clutching　at　his　head；　crossed　the　anteroom。　After　that；　Prince　Andrey　was　conducted　to　the　door；　and　the　adjutant　in　a　whisper　said：　“To　the　right；　at　the　window。”
Prince　Andrey　went　into　a　plain；　neat　study；　and　saw　at　the　table　a　man　of　forty　with　a　long　waist；　with　a　long；　closely…cropped　head；　deep　wrinkles；　scowling　brows　over　brown…green；　dull　eyes；　and　a　red；　over…hanging　nose。　Araktcheev　turned　his　head　towards　him；　without　looking　at　him。
“What　is　it　you　are　petitioning　for？”　asked　Araktcheev。
“There　is　nothing　that　I　am…petitioning　for；　your　excellency；”　Prince　Andrey　pronounced　softly。　Araktcheev’s　eyes　turned　to　him。
“Sit　down；”　said　Araktcheev。　“Prince　Bolkonsky？”
“I　have　no　petition　to　make；　but　his　majesty　the　Tsar　has　graciously　sent　to　your　excellency　a　note　submitted　by　me—”
“Be　so　good　as　to　see；　my　dear　sir；　I　have　read　your　note；”　Araktcheev　interrupted；　uttering　only　the　first　words　civilly；　again　looking　away　from　him；　and　relapsing　more　and　more　into　a　tone　of　grumbling　contempt。　“Is　it　new　army　regulations　you　propose？　There　are　regulations　in　plenty；　no　one　will　carry　out　the　old　ones。　Nowadays　every　one’s　drawing　up　regulations；　it’s　easier　writing　than　doing。”
“I　have　come　by　the　desire　of　his　majesty　the　Tsar　to　learn　from　your　excellency　how　you　propose　to　deal　with　my　project；”　said　Prince　Andrey　courteously。
“I　have　proposed　a　resolution　in　regard　to　your　note；　and　have　forwarded　it　to　the　committee。　I　do　not　approve；”　said　Araktcheev；　getting　up　and　taking　a　paper　out　of　the　writing…table。　“Here。”　He　gave　it　to　Prince　Andrey。　Right　across　the　note　had　been　scrawled；　without　punctuation　or　capital　letters　and　with　words　misspelt：　“Superficially　compiled　seeing　that　it’s　drawn　up　in　imitation　of　the　French　army　regulations　and　needlessly　departing　from　the　standing　orders。”
“To　what　committee　has　the　note　been　referred？”　asked　Prince　Andrey。
“To　the　Committee　on　Army　Regulations；　and　I　have　proposed　your　honour　being　enrolled　among　its　members。　Only　without　salary。”
Prince　Andrey　smiled。
“I　am　not　seeking　a　salary。”
“A　member　without　salary；”　repeated　Araktcheev。　“I　wish　you　good　day。　Hey！　call！　who’s　the　next？”　he　shouted；　as　he　bowed　to　Prince　Andrey。


Chapter　5
WHILE　AWAITING　THE　ANNOUNCEMENT　of　his　name　having　been　put　on　the　committee；　Prince　Andrey　looked　up　old　acquaintances；　especially　among　those　persons　whom　he　knew　to　be　in　power；　and　so　able　to　be　of　use　to　him。　He　experienced　now　in　Petersburg　a　sensation　akin　to　what　he　had　known　on　the　eve　of　a　battle；　when　he　was　fretted　by　restless　curiosity　and　irresistibly　attracted　to　those　higher　spheres；　where　the　future　was　in　preparation；　that　future　on　which　hung　the　fate　of　millions。　From　the　angry　irritability　of　the　elder　generation；　from　the　curiosity　of　the　uninitiated　and　the　reserve　of　the　initiated；　from　the　hurry　and　anxious　absorption　of　every　one；　from　the　multiplicity　of　committees　and　commissions—he　was　learning　of　new　ones　every　day—he　felt　that　now；　in　the　year　1809；　there　was　in　preparation　here　in　Petersburg　some　vast　political　contest；　and　the　commander…in…chief　in　it　was　a　mysterious　personage　whom　he　did　not　know；　but　imagined　to　be　a　man　of　genius—Speransky。
And　this　movement　of　reform；　of　which　he　knew　vaguely；　and　Speransky；　the　moving　spirit　of　it；　began　to　interest　him　so　keenly　that　his　proposed　reform　of　the　army　regulations　very　soon　fell　into　a　subordinate　position　in　his　mind。
Prince　Andrey　happened　to　be　most　favourably　placed　for　obtaining　a　good　reception　in　the　highest　and　most　various　circles　of　the　Petersburg　society　of　that　day。　The　reforming　party　welcomed　him　warmly；　and　sought　him　out；　in　the　first　place；　because　he　had　the　reputation　of　being　clever　and　very　well　read；　and　secondly　because　he　had　already　gained　the　reputation　of　being　a　liberal　by　the　emancipation　of　his　serfs。　The　party　of　the　dissatisfied　older　generation　welcomed　him　simply　as　the　son　of　his　father；　and　reckoned　upon　his　sympathy　in　their　disapproval　of　the　reforms。　The　feminine　world；　society；　received　him　cordially　because　he　was　a　wealthy　match　of　high　rank；　and　a　person　almost　new；　encircled　by　a　halo　of　romance　from　his　narrow　escape　from　death　and　the　tragic　loss　of　his　young　wife。　Moreover　the　general　verdict　of　all　who　had　known　him　previously　was　that　he　had　greatly　changed　for　the　better　during　the　last　five　years；　had　grown　softer　and　more　manly；　that　he　had　lost　his　old　affectation；　pride；　and　sarcastic　irony；　and　had　gained　the　serenity　that　comes　with　years。　People　talked　of　him；　were　interested　in　him；　and　eager　to　see　him
The　day　after　his　interview　with　Count　Araktcheev；　Prince　Andrey　was　at　a　soirée　at　Count　Kotchubey’s。　He　described　to　the　latter　his　interview　with　Sila　Andreitch。　（This　was　the　name　by　which　Kotchubey　spoke　of　Araktcheev　with　that　vague　note　of　jeering　in　his　voice　which　Prince　Andrey　had　noticed　in　the　anteroom　of　the　minister　of　war。）
“Mon　cher；　even　in　this　affair　you　can’t　do　without　Mihail　Mihalovitch。　He　has　a　hand　in　everything。　I’ll　speak　to　him。　He　promised　to　come　in　the　evening…”
“But　what　has　Speransky　to　do　with　the　army　regulations？”　asked　Prince　Andrey。
Kotchubey　shook　his　head；　smiling；　as　though　wondering　at　Bolkonsky’s　simplicity。
“We　were　talking　to　him　about　you　the　other　day；”　Kotchubey　continued；　“about　your　free　cultivators…”
“Yes；　so　it　was　you；　prince；　who　freed　your　serfs？”　said　an　old　gentleman　of　Catherine’s　court；　turning　disdainfully　to　Bolkonsky。
“The　little　estate　brought　me　no　income　as　it　was；”　answered　Bolkonsky；　trying　to　minimise　what　he　had　done　to　the　old　gentleman；　to　avoid　irritating　him　needlessly。
“You　are　afraid　of　being　late；”　said　the　old　gentleman；　looking　at　Kotchubey。
“There’s　one　thing　I　don’t　understand；”　pursued　the　old　gentleman。　“Who　is　to　till　the　land　if　they　are　set　free？　It’s　easy　to　pass　laws；　but　hard　work　to　govern。　It’s　just　the　same　as　now；　I　ask　you；　count；　who　will　preside　over　the　courts　when　all　have　to　pass　examinations？”
“Those　who　pass　the　examinations；　I　suppose；”　answered　Kotchubey；　crossing　his　legs　and　looking　about　him。
“Here　I　have　Pryanitchnikov　in　my　department；　a　capital　man；　a　priceless　man；　but　he　is　sixty；　how　is　he　to　go　in　for　examinations？…”
“Yes；　that’s　a　difficult　question；　considering　that　education　is　so　restricted；　but…”
Count　Kotchubey　did　not　finish　his　sentence；　he　got　up；　and　taking　Prince　Andrey　by　the　arm；　went　to　meet　a　tall；　bald；　fair…haired　man　of　forty；　who　had　just　come　in。　He　had　a　large；　open　forehead；　and　his　long　face　was　of　a　strange；　exceptional　whiteness；　he　wore　a　blue　frock　coat　and　had　a　cross　at　his　neck　and　a　star　on　the　left　side　of　his　breast。　It　was　Speransky。　Prince　Andrey　recognised　him　at　once；　and　that　thrill　passed　through　him　that　comes　at　the　great　moments　of　one’s　life。　Whether　it　was　a　thrill　of　respect；　of　envy；　of　anticipation；　he　did　not　know。　Speransky’s　whole　figure　had　a　peculiar　character　by　which　he　could　be　distinguished　immediately。　Never　in　any　one　of　the　circles　in　which　Prince　Andrey　had　moved　had　he　seen　such　calm　and　self…confidence　as　was　manifest　in　this　man’s　heavy　and　ungainly　movements。　Never　in　any　one　had　he　seen　a　glance　so　resolute；　and　yet　so　soft；　as　now　in　those　half…closed　and　moist…looking　eyes；　never　had　he　seen　such　firmness　as　in　that　smile　that　meant　nothing。　Never　had　he　heard　a　voice　so　delicate；　smooth；　and　soft；　but　what　struck　him　most　of　all　was　the　tender　whiteness　of　the　face；　and　still　more　the　hands；　which　were　rather　broad；　but　extremely　plump；　soft；　and　white。　Such　whiteness　and　softness　Prince　Andrey　had　seen　only　in　the　faces　of　soldiers　who　had　been　a　long　while　in　hospital。
This　was　Speransky；　the　secretary　of　state；　the　Tsar’s　confidential　adviser；　who　had　accompanied　him　to　Erfurt；　and　there　had　more　than　once　seen　and　talked　with　Napoleon。　Speransky’s　eyes　did　not　shift　from　one　face　to　another；　as　one’s　eyes　unconsciously　do　on　first　coming　into　a　large　company；　and　he　was　in　no　hurry　to　speak。　He　spoke　slowly；　with　conviction　that　he　would　be　listened　to；　and　looked　only　at　the　person　to　whom　he　was　speaking。　Prince　Andrey　watched　every　word　and　gesture　of　Speransky’s　with　peculiar　intentness。　As　is　often　the　case　with　men；　p