战争与和平(上)-第122章

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　that’s　all　we　can　say。　This　was　what　the　political　thermometer　indicated　at　Anna　Pavlovna’s　soirée。　When　Boris；　who　was　to　be　offered　up　to　the　guests；　came　into　the　drawing…room；　almost　all　the　company　had　assembled；　and　the　conversation；　guided　by　Anna　Pavlovna；　was　of　our　diplomatic　relations　with　Austria；　and　the　hope　of　an　alliance　with　her。
Boris；　fresh；　rosy；　and　manlier　looking；　walked　easily　into　the　drawing…room；　wearing　the　elegant　uniform　of　an　adjutant。　He　was　duly　conducted　to　pay　his　respects　to　the　aunt；　and　then　joined　the　general　circle。
Anna　Pavlovna　gave　him　her　shrivelled　hand　to　kiss；　introduced　him　to　several　persons　whom　he　did　not　know；　and　gave　him　a　whispered　description　of　each　of　them。　“Prince　Ippolit　Kuragin；　M。　Krug；　chargé　d’affaires　from　Copenhagen；　a　profound　intellect　and　simple；　M。　Shitov；　a　man　of　a　great　deal　of　merit　…”　this　of　the　young　man　always　so　spoken　of。
Thanks　to　the　efforts　of　Anna　Mihalovna；　his　own　tastes　and　the　peculiarities　of　his　reserved　character；　Boris　had　succeeded　by　that　time　in　getting　into　a　very　advantageous　position　in　the　service。　He　was　an　adjutant　in　the　suite　of　a　personage　of　very　high　rank；　he　had　received　a　very　important　commission　in　Prussia；　and　had　only　just　returned　thence　as　a　special　messenger。　He　had　completely　assimilated　that　unwritten　code　which　had　so　pleased　him　at　Olmütz；　that　code　in　virtue　of　which　a　lieutenant　may　stand　infinitely　higher　than　a　general；　and　all　that　is　needed　for　success　in　the　service　is　not　effort；　not　work；　not　gallantry；　not　perseverance；　but　simply　the　art　of　getting　on　with　those　who　have　the　bestowal　of　promotion；　and　he　often　himself　marvelled　at　the　rapidity　of　his　own　progress；　and　that　others　failed　to　grasp　the　secret　of　it。　His　whole　manner　of　life；　all　his　relations　with　his　old　friends；　all　his　plans　for　the　future　were　completely　transformed　in　consequence　of　this　discovery。　He　was　not　well　off；　but　he　spent　his　last　copeck　to　be　better　dressed　than　others。　He　would　have　deprived　himself　of　many　pleasures　rather　than　have　allowed　himself　to　drive　in　an　inferior　carriage；　or　to　be　seen　in　the　streets　of　Petersburg　in　an　old　uniform。　He　sought　the　acquaintance　and　cultivated　the　friendship　only　of　persons　who　were　in　a　higher　position；　and　could　consequently　be　of　use　to　him。　He　loved　Petersburg　and　despised　Moscow。　His　memories　of　the　Rostov　household　and　his　childish　passion　for　Natasha　were　distasteful　to　him；　and　he　had　not　once　been　at　the　Rostovs’　since　he　had　entered　the　army。　In　Anna　Pavlovna’s　drawing…room；　his　entry　into　which　he　looked　upon　as　an　important　step　upward　in　the　service；　he　at　once　took　his　cue；　and　let　Anna　Pavlovna　make　the　most　of　what　interest　he　had　to　offer；　while　himself　attentively　watching　every　face　and　appraising　the　advantages　and　possibilities　of　intimacy　with　every　one　of　the　persons　present。　He　sat　on　the　seat　indicated　to　him　beside　the　fair　Ellen　and　listened　to　the　general　conversation。
“Vienna　considers　the　bases　of　the　proposed　treaty　so　unattainable　that　not　even　a　continuance　of　the　most　brilliant　successes　would　put　them　within　reach；　and　doubts　whether　any　means　could　gain　them　for　us。　These　are　the　actual　words　of　the　ministry　in　Vienna；”　said　the　Danish　chargé　d’affaires。
“It　is　polite　of　them　to　doubt；”　said　the　man　of　profound　intellect　with　a　subtle　smile。
“We　must　distinguish　between　the　ministry　in　Vienna　and　the　Emperor　of　Austria；”　said　Mortemart。　“The　Emperor　of　Austria　can　never　have　thought　of　such　a　thing；　it　is　only　the　ministers　who　say　it。”
“Ah；　my　dear　vicomte；”　put　in　Anna　Pavlovna；　“Europe　will　never　be　our　sincere　ally。”
Then　Anna　Pavlovna　turned　the　conversation　upon　the　courage　and　firmness　of　the　Prussian　king；　with　the　object　of　bringing　Boris　into　action。
Boris　listened　attentively　to　the　person　who　was　speaking；　and　waited　for　his　turn；　but　meanwhile　he　had　leisure　to　look　round　several　times　at　the　fair　Ellen；　who　several　times　met　the　handsome　young　adjutant’s　eyes　with　a　smile。
Very　naturally；　speaking　of　the　position　of　Prussia；　Anna　Pavlovna　asked　Boris　to　describe　his　journey　to　Glogau；　and　the　position　in　which　he　had　found　the　Prussian　army。　Boris　in　his　pure；　correct　French；　told　them　very　deliberately　a　great　many　interesting　details　about　the　armies；　and　the　court；　studiously　abstaining　from　any　expression　of　his　own　opinion　in　regard　to　the　facts　he　was　narrating。　For　some　time　Boris　engrossed　the　whole　attention　of　the　company；　and　Anna　Pavlovna　felt　that　the　novelty　she　was　serving　her　guests　was　being　accepted　by　them　all　with　pleasure。　Of　all　the　party；　the　person　who　showed　most　interest　in　Boris’s　description　was　Ellen。　She　asked　him　several　questions　about　his　expedition；　and　seemed　to　be　extremely　interested　in　the　position　of　the　Prussian　army。　As　soon　as　he　had　finished；　she　turned　to　him　with　her　habitual　smile。
“You　absolutely　must　come　and　see　me；”　she　said　in　a　tone　that　suggested　that　for　certain　considerations；　of　which　he　could　have　no　knowledge；　it　was　absolutely　essential。　“On　Tuesday　between　eight　and　nine。　It　will　give　me　great　pleasure。”
Boris　promised　to　do　so；　and　was　about　to　enter　into　conversation　with　her；　when　Anna　Pavlovna　drew　him　aside　on　the　pretext　that　her　aunt　wished　to　hear　his　story。
“You　know　her　husband；　of　course？”　said　Anna　Pavlovna；　dropping　her　eyelids；　and　with　a　melancholy　gesture　indicating　Ellen。　“Ah；　such　an　unhappy　and　exquisite　woman！　Don’t　speak　of　him　before　her；　pray；　don’t　speak　of　him。　It’s　too　much　for　her！”


Chapter　7
WHEN　BORIS　AND　ANNA　PAVLOVNA　returned　to　the　rest；　Prince　Ippolit　was　in　possession　of　the　ear　of　the　company。　Bending　forward　in　his　low　chair；　he　was　saying：
“The　King　of　Prussia！”　and　as　he　said　it；　he　laughed。　Every　one　turned　towards　him。　“The　King　of　Prussia；”　Ippolit　said　interrogatively；　and　again　he　laughed　and　again　settled　himself　placidly　and　seriously　in　the　depths　of　his　big；　low　chair。　Anna　Pavlovna　paused　a　little　for　him；　but　as　Ippolit　seemed　quite　certainly　not　intending　to　say　more；　she　began　to　speak　of　how　the　godless　Bonaparte　had　at　Potsdam　carried　off　the　sword　of　Frederick　the　Great。
“It　is　the　sword　of　Frederick　the　Great；　which　I　…”　she　was　beginning；　but　Ippolit　interrupted　her　with　the　words：
“The　King　of　Prussia　…”　and　again　as　soon　as　all　turned　to　listen　to　him；　he　excused　himself　and　said　no　more。　Anna　Pavlovna　frowned。　Mortemart；　Ippolit’s　friend；　addressed　him　with　decision：
“Come；　what　are　you　after　with　your　King　of　Prussia？”
Ippolit　laughed　as　though　he　were　ashamed　of　his　own　laughter。
“No；　it’s　nothing。　I　only　meant　…”　（He　had　intended　to　repeat　a　joke　that　he　had　heard　in　Vienna　and　had　been　trying　all　the　evening　to　get　in。）　“I　only　meant　that　we　are　wrong　to　make　war　for　the　King　of　Prussia。”
Boris　smiled　circumspectly；　a　smile　that　might　do　duty　either　for　a　sneer　or　a　tribute　to　the　jest；　according　to　the　way　it　was　received。　Every　one　laughed。
“It　is　too　bad；　your　joke；　very　witty　but　unjust；”　said　Anna　Pavlovna；　shaking　her　little　wrinkled　finger　at　him。　“We　are　not　making　war　for　the　sake　of　the　King　of　Prussia；　but　for　the　sake　of　right　principles。　Ah；　le　méchant；　ce　Prince　Hippolyte！”　she　said。
The　conversation　did　not　flag　all　the　evening；　and　turned　principally　upon　the　political　news。　Towards　the　end　of　the　evening　it　became　particularly　eager；　when　the　rewards　bestowed　by　the　Tsar　were　the　subjects　of　discussion。
“Why；　last　year　N。N。　received　the　snuff…box　with　the　portrait；”　said　the　man　of　profound　intellect。　“Why　shouldn’t　S。　S。　receive　the　same　reward？”
“I　beg　your　pardon；　a　snuff…box　with　the　Emperor’s　portrait　is　a　reward；　but　not　a　distinction；”　said　a　diplomatist。　“A　present；　rather。”
“There　are　precedents。　I　would　instance　Schwartzenberg。”
“It　is　impossible；”　retorted　another。
“A　bet　on　it。　The　ribbon　of　the　order　is　different。”
When　every　one　got　up　to　take　leave；　Ellen；　who　had　said　very　little　all　the　evening；　turned　to　Boris　again　with　a　request；　and　a　caressing；　impressive　command　that　he　would　come　to　her　on　Tuesday。
“It　is　of　great　importance　to　me；”　she　said　with　a　smile；　lookin