战争与和平(上)-第143章

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ew；　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；　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。　Certa