第2章

第2章“inamoment.bytheway，”sheaddedsubsidingintocalmagain，“therearetwoveryinterestingmentobehereto-night，thevicomtedemortemart；heisconnectedwiththemontmorenciesthroughtherohans，oneofthebestfamiliesinfrance.heisoneofthegoodemigrants，therealones.thenabbémorio；youknowthatprofoundintellect？hehasbeenreceivedbytheemperor.doyouknowhim？”

“ah！ishallbedelighted，”saidtheprince.“tellme，”headded，asthoughhehadjustrecollectedsomething，speakingwithspecialnon-chalance，thoughthequestionwasthechiefmotiveofhisvisit：“isittruethatthedowagerempressdesirestheappointmentofbaronfunkeasfirstsecretarytotheviennalegation？heisapoorcreature，itappears，thatbaron.”princevassilywouldhavelikedtoseehissonappointedtothepost，whichpeopleweretrying，throughtheempressmaryafyodorovna，toobtainforthebaron.

annapavlovnaalmostclosedhereyestosignifythatneithershenoranyoneelsecouldpassjudgmentonwhattheempressmightbepleasedorseefittodo.

“baronfunkehasbeenrecommendedtotheempress-motherbyhersister，”wasallshesaidinadry，mournfultone.whenannapavlovnaspokeoftheempresshercountenancesuddenlyassumedaprofoundandgenuineexpressionofdevotionandrespect，mingledwithmelancholy，andthishappenedwhenevershementionedinconversationherillustriouspatroness.shesaidthatherimperialmajestyhadbeengraciouslypleasedtoshowgreatesteemtobaronfunke，andagainashadeofmelancholypassedoverherface.theprincepreservedanindifferentsilence.annapavlovna，withtheadroitnessandquicktactofacourtierandawoman，feltaninclinationtochastisetheprinceforhistemerityinreferringinsuchtermstoapersonrecommendedtotheempress，andatthesametimetoconsolehim.

“butaboutyourownfamily，”shesaid，“doyouknowthatyourdaughter，sinceshehascomeout，charmseverybody？peoplesaysheisasbeautifulastheday.”

theprincebowedintokenofrespectandacknowledgment.

“ioftenthink，”pursuedannapavlovna，movinguptotheprinceandsmilingcordiallytohim，asthoughtomarkthatpoliticalandworldlyconversationwasoverandnowintimatetalkwastobegin：“ioftenthinkhowunfairlytheblessingsoflifearesometimesapportioned.whyhasfategivenyoutwosuchsplendidchildren—idon’tincludeanatole，youryoungest—himidon’tlike”（sheputinwithadecisionadmittingofnoappeal，raisinghereyebrows）—“suchcharmingchildren？andyoureallyseemtoappreciatethemlessthananyone，andsoyoudon’tdeservethem.”

andshesmiledherecstaticsmile.

“whatwouldyouhave？lavaterwouldhavesaidthatihavenotthebumpofpaternity，”saidtheprince.

“don’tkeeponjoking.iwantedtotalktoyouseriously.doyouknowi’mnotpleasedwithyouryoungestson.betweenourselves”（herfacetookitsmournfulexpression），“peoplehavebeentalkingabouthimtohermajestyandcommiseratingyou…”

theprincedidnotanswer，butlookingathimsignificantly，shewaitedinsilenceforhisanswer.princevassilyfrowned.

“whatwouldyouhavemedo？”hesaidatlast.“youknowihavedoneeverythingfortheireducationafathercoulddo，andtheyhavebothturnedoutdesimbéciles.ippolitisatleastaquietfool，whileanatole’safoolthatwon’tkeepquiet，that’stheonlydifference，”hesaid，withasmile，moreunnaturalandmoreanimatedthanusual，bringingoutwithpeculiarprominencesomethingsurprisinglybrutalandunpleasantinthelinesabouthismouth.

“whyarechildrenborntomenlikeyou？ifyouweren’tafather，icouldfindnofaultwithyou，”saidannapavlovna，raisinghereyespensively.

“iamyourfaithfulslaveandtoyoualoneicanconfess.mychildrenarethebaneofmyexistence.it’sthecrossihavetobear，that’showiexplainittomyself.whatwouldyouhave？”…hebrokeoffwithagestureexpressinghisresignationtoacruelfate.annapavlovnaponderedamoment.

“haveyouneverthoughtofmarryingyourprodigalsonanatole？peoplesay，”shesaid，“thatoldmaidshaveamaniaformatchmaking.ihaveneverbeenconsciousofthisfailingbefore，butihavealittlepersoninmymind，whoisveryunhappywithherfather，arelationofours，theyoungprincessbolkonsky.”

princevassilymadenoreply，butwiththerapidityofreflectionandmemorycharacteristicofworldlypeople，hesignifiedbyamotionoftheheadthathehadtakeninandwasconsideringwhatshesaid.

“no，doyouknowthatthatboyiscostingmefortythousandroublesayear？”hesaid，evidentlyunabletorestrainthegloomycurrentofhisthoughts.hepaused.“whatwillitbeinfiveyearsifthisgoeson？thesearetheadvantagesofbeingafather.…issherich，youryoungprincess？”

“herfatherisveryrichandmiserly.helivesinthecountry.youknowthatnotoriousprincebolkonsky，retiredunderthelateemperor，andnicknamedthe‘prussianking.’he’saverycleverman，buteccentricandtedious.thepoorlittlethingisasunhappyaspossible.herbrotheritiswhohaslatelybeenmarriedtolizameinen，anadjutantofkutuzov’s.he’llbeherethisevening.”

“listen，dearannette，”saidtheprince，suddenlytakinghiscompanion’shand，andforsomereasonbendingitdownwards.“arrangethismatterformeandiamyourfaithfulslaveforeverandever.she’sofgoodfamilyandwelloff.that’salliwant.”

andwiththefreedom，familiarity，andgracethatdistinguishedhim，hetookthemaid-of-honour’shand，kissedit，andashekisseditwavedherhand，whilehestretchedforwardinhislowchairandgazedawayintothedistance.

“wait，”saidannapavlovna，considering.“i’lltalktolise（thewifeofyoungbolkonsky）thisveryevening，andperhapsitcanbearranged.i’lltrymyprenticehandasanoldmaidinyourfamily.”