战争与和平(上)-第115部分

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ed　every　word　and　gesture　of　Speransky’s　with　peculiar　intentness。　As　is　often　the　case　with　men；　particularly　with　those　who　criticise　their　fellows　severely；　Prince　Andrey　on　meeting　a　new　person；　especially　one　like　Speransky；　whom　he　knew　by　reputation；　had　always　a　hope　of　finding　in　him　a　full　perfection　of　human　qualities。
Speransky　said　to　Kotchubey　that　he　was　sorry　that　he　had　not　been　able　to　come　earlier；　because　he　had　been　detained　at　the　palace。　He　did　not　say　that　the　Tsar　had　kept　him。　And　this　affectation　of　modesty　did　not　escape　Prince　Andrey。　When　Kotchubey　mentioned　Prince　Andrey’s　name　to　him；　Speransky　slowly　transferred　his　eyes　to　Bolkonsky；　with　the　same　smile　on　his　face；　and　gazed　for　a　moment　at　him　in　silence。
“I　am　very　glad　to　make　your　acquaintance；　I　have　heard　of　you；　as　every　one　has；”　said　he。
Kotchubey　said　a　few　words　about　the　reception　Araktcheev　had　given　Bolkonsky。　Speransky’s　smile　broadened。
“The　chairman　of　the　Committee　of　Army　Regulations　is　a　friend　of　mine—M。　Magnitsky；”　he　said；　articulating　fully　every　word　and　every　syllable；　“and；　if　you　wish　it；　I　can　make　you　acquainted　with　him。”　（He　paused　at　the　full　stop。）　“I　expect　that　you　would　meet　with　sympathy　in　him　and　a　desire　to　assist　in　anything　reasonable。”
A　circle　formed　at　once　round　Speransky；　and　the　same　old　gentleman；　who　had　talked　of　his　clerk；　Pryanitchnikov；　addressed　a　question　to　Speransky。
Taking　no　part　in　the　conversation；　Prince　Andrey　watched　every　gesture　of　Speransky—this　man；　only　a　little　time　before　an　insignificant　divinity　student；　who　now　held　in　his　hands—those　plump　white　hands—the　fate　of　Russia；　as　Bolkonsky　thought。　Prince　Andrey　was　struck　by　the　extraordinarily　contemptuous　composure　with　which　Speransky　answered　the　old　gentleman。　He　seemed　to　drop　him　his　condescending　words　from　an　immeasurable　height　above　him。　When　the　old　gentleman　began　talking　too　loud；　Speransky　smiled　and　said　that　he　could　not　judge　of　the　advantage　or　disadvantage　of　what　the　Tsar　saw　fit　to　command。
After　talking　for　a　little　while　in　the　general　circle；　Speransky　got　up；　and　going　to　Prince　Andrey；　drew　him　away　to　the　other　end　of　the　room。　It　was　evident　that　he　thought　it　well　to　interest　himself　in　Bolkonsky。
“I　have　not　had　time　for　a　word　with　you；　prince；　in　the　engrossing　conversation　into　which　I　was　dragged　by　that　excellent　old　gentleman；”　he　said；　with　a　smile　of　bland　contempt；　by　which　he　seemed　to　take　for　granted　that　Prince　Andrey　and　himself　were　at　one　in　recognising　the　insignificance　of　the　people　with　whom　he　had　just　been　talking。　This　flattered　Prince　Andrey。　“I　have　known　you　for　a　long　while：　first　from　your　action　with　the　serfs；　the　first　instance　of　the　kind　among　us；　an　example　which　one　would　desire　to　find　many　following；　and；　secondly；　from　your　being　one　of　those　kammerherrs　who　have　not　considered　themselves　wronged　by　the　new　decree　in　regard　to　promotion　by　court　favour；　that　has　provoked　so　much　criticism　and　censure。”
“Yes；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　“my　father　did　not　care　for　me　to　take　advantage　of　that　privilege；　I　began　the　service　from　the　lower　grades。”
“Your　father；　a　man　of　the　older　generation；　is　undoubtedly　above　the　level　of　our　contemporaries；　who　condemn　this　measure；　though　it　is　simply　an　act　of　natural　justice。”
“I　imagine　there　is　some　basis　though　even　for　that　condemnation；”　said　Prince　Andrey；　trying　to　resist　the　influence　of　Speransky；　of　which　he　began　to　be　aware。　He　disliked　agreeing　with　him　in　everything；　he　tried　to　oppose　him。　Prince　Andrey；　who　usually　spoke　so　well　and　so　readily；　felt　a　difficulty　even　in　expressing　himself　as　he　talked　with　Speransky。　He　was　too　much　occupied　in　observing　the　personality　of　the　celebrated　man。
“In　the　interests　of　personal　ambition　perhaps；”　Speransky　slowly　put　in　his　word。
“And　to　some　extent　in　the　interests　of　the　state；”　said　Prince　Andrey。
“How　do　you　mean？…”　said　Speransky　slowly；　dropping　his　eyes。
“I　am　an　admirer　of　Montesquieu；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“And　his　theory　that　the　principle　of　monarchies　is　honour　seems　to　me　incontestable。　Certain　rights　and　privileges　of　the　nobility　appear　to　me　to　be　means　of　maintaining　that　sentiment。”
The　smile　vanished　from　Speransky’s　white　face；　and　his　countenance　gained　greatly　by　its　absence。　Probably　Prince　Andrey’s　idea　seemed　to　him　an　interesting　one。
“If　you　look　at　the　question　from　that　point　of　view；”　he　began；　pronouncing　French　with　obvious　difficulty；　and　speaking　even　more　deliberately　than　he　had　done　when　speaking　Russian；　but　still　with　perfect　composure。　He　said　that　honour；　l’honneur；　cannot　be　supported　by　privileges　prejudicial　to　the　working　of　the　government；　that　honour；　l’honneur；　is　either　a　negative　concept　of　avoidance　of　reprehensible　actions　or　a　certain　source　of　emulation　in　obtaining　the　commendation　and　rewards　in　which　it　finds　expression。
His　arguments　were　condensed；　simple；　and　clear。　“The　institution　that　best　maintains　that　honour；　the　source　of　emulation；　is　an　institution　akin　to　the　Legion　of　Honour　of　the　great　Emperor　Napoleon；　which　does　not　detract　from　but　conduces　to　the　successful　working　of　the　government　service；　and　not　a　class　or　court　privilege。”
“I　do　not　dispute　that；　but　there　is　no　denying　that　the　court　privileges　did　attain　the　same　object；”　said　Prince　Andrey。　“Every　courtier　thought　himself　bound　to　do　credit　to　his　position。”
“But　you　did　not　care　to　profit　by　it；　prince；”　said　Speransky；　showing　with　a　smile　that　he　wished　to　conclude　with　civility　an　argument　embarrassing　for　his　companion。　“If　you　will　do　me　the　honour　to　call　on　Wednesday；　then　I　shall　have　seen　Magnitsky；　and　shall　have　something　to　tell　you　that　may　interest　you；　and　besides　I　shall　have　the　pleasure　of　more　conversation　with　you。”　Closing　his　eyes；　he　bowed；　and　trying　to　escape　unnoticed；　he　went　out　of　the　drawing…room　without　saying　good…bye；　à　la　fran？aise。


Chpater　6
DURING　THE　FIRST　PART　of　his　stay　in　Petersburg；　Prince　Andrey　found　all　the　habits　of　thought　he　had　formed　in　his　solitary　life　completely　obscured　by　the　trifling　cares　which　engrossed　him　in　Petersburg。
In　the　evening　on　returning　home　he　noted　down　in　his　memorandum…book　four　or　five　unavoidable　visits　or　appointments　for　fixed　hours。　The　mechanism　of　life；　the　arrangement　of　his　day；　so　as　to　be　in　time　everywhere；　absorbed　the　greater　part　of　his　vital　energy。　He　did　nothing；　thought　of　nothing　even；　and　had　no　time　to　think；　but　only　talked；　and　talked　successfully；　of　what　he　had　had　time　to　think　about　in　the　past　in　the　country。
He　sometimes　noticed　with　dissatisfaction　that　it　happened　to　him　to　repeat　the　same　remarks　on　the　same　day　to　different　audiences。　But　he　was　so　busy　for　whole　days　together　that　he　had　no　time　to　reflect　that　he　was　thinking　of　nothing。　Just　as　at　their　first　meeting　at　Kotchubey’s；　Speransky　had　a　long　and　confidential　talk　with　Prince　Andrey　on　Wednesday　at　his　own　home；　where　he　received　Bolkonsky　alone　and　made　a　great　impression　on　him。
Prince　Andrey　regarded　the　immense　mass　of　men　as　contemptible　and　worthless　creatures；　and　he　had　such　a　longing　to　find　in　some　other　man　the　living　pattern　of　that　perfection　after　which　he　strove　himself；　that　he　was　ready　to　believe　that　in　Speransky　he　had　found　this　ideal　of　a　perfectly　rational　and　virtuous　man。　Had　Speransky　belonged　to　the　same　world　as　Prince　Andrey；　had　he　been　of　the　same　breeding　and　moral　traditions；　Bolkonsky　would　soon　have　detected　the　weak；　human；　unheroic　sides　of　his　character；　but　this　logical　turn　of　mind　was　strange　to　him　and　inspired　him　with　the　more　respect　from　his　not　fully　understanding　it。　Besides　this；　Speransky；　either　because　he　appreciated　Prince　Andrey’s　abilities　or　because　he　thought　it　as　well　to　secure　his　adherence；　showed　off　his　calm；　impartial　sagacity　before　Prince　Andrey；　and　flattered　him　with　that　delicate　flattery　that　goes　hand　in　hand　with　conceit；　and　consists　in　a　tacit　assumption　that　one’s　companion　and　oneself　are　the　only　people　capable　of　understanding　all　the　folly　of　the　rest　of　the　world　and　the　sagacity　and　profundity　of　their　own　ideas。
In　the　course　of　their　long　conversation　on　Wednesday　evening　Speransky　said　more　than　once：　“Among　us　everything　that　is　out　of　the　common　rut　of　tradition　is　looked　at；”　…　or　with　a　smile：　“But　we　want　the　wolves　to　be　well　fed　and　the　sheep　to　be　unhurt。”　…　or：　“They　can’t　grasp　that”　…　and　always　with　an　expression　that　said。　“We；　you　and　I；　we　understand　what　they　are　and　who　we　are。”
This　first　long　conversation　with　Speransky　only　strengthened　the　feeling　with　which　Prince　Andrey　had　seen　him　for　the　first　time。　He　saw　in　him　a　man　of　vast　intellect　and　sober；　accurate　judgment；　who　had　attained　power　by　energy　and　persistence；　and　was　using　it　for　the　good　of　Russia　only。　In　Prince　Andrey’s　eyes　Speransky　was　precisely　the　man—finding　a　rational　explanation　for　all　the　phenomena　of　life；　recognising　as　of　importance　only　what　was　rational　and　capable　of　applying　the　standard　of　reason　to　everything—that　he　would　have　liked　to　be　himself。　Everything　took　a　form　so　simple；　so　clear　in　Speransky’s　exposition　of　it　that　Prince　Andrey　could　not　help　agreeing　with　him　on　every　subject。　If　he　argued　and　raised　objections　it　was　simply　with　the　express　object　of　being　independent　and　not　being　entirely　swayed　by　Speransky’s　ideas。　Everything　was　right；　everything　was　as　it　should　be；　yet　one　thing　disconcerted　Prince　Andrey。　That　was　the　cold；　mirror…like　eye　of　Speransky；　which　seemed　to　refuse　all　admittance　to　his　soul；　and　his　flabby；　white　hand；　at　which　Prince　Andrey　instinctively　looked；　as　one　usually　does　look　at　the　hands　of　men　who　have　power。　That　mirror…like　eye　and　that　flabby　hand　vaguely　irritated　Prince　Andrey。　He　was　disagreeably　struck　too　by　the　excessive　contempt　for　other　people　that　he　observed　in　Speransky；　and　by　the　variety　of　the　lines　of　argument　he　employed　in　support　of　his　views。　He　made　use　of　every　possible　weapon　of　thought；　except　analogy；　and　his　transitions　from　one　line　of　defence　to　another　seemed　to　Prince　Andrey　too　violent。　At　one　time　he　to