第560章

第560章fromthecommanderofmilitia，hewenttothegovernor’s.thegovernorwasabrisklittleman，veryaffableandunpretentious.hementionedtonikolaythestud-farms，wherehemightobtainhorses，recommendedhimtoahorse-dealerinthetown，andagentlemanlivingtwentyverstsfromthetown，whohadthebesthorses，andpromisedhimeveryassistance.

“youarecountilyaandreitch’sson？mywifewasagreatfriendofyourmamma’s.wereceiveonthursdays：to-dayisthursday，praycomein，quitewithoutceremony，”saidthegovernor，ashetookleaveofhim.

nikolaytookapostingcarriage，andmakinghisquartermastergetinbesidehim，gallopedstraightofffromthegovernor’stothegentlemanwiththestudoffinehorsestwentyverstsaway.

duringtheearlydaysofhisstayinvoronezh，everythingseemedeasyandpleasanttonikolay，and，asisalwaysthecase，whenamanishimselfinahappyframeofmind，everythingwentwellandprosperedwithhim.

thecountrygentlemanturnedouttobeanoldcavalryofficer，abachelor，agreathorse-fancier，asportsman，andtheownerofasmoking-room，ofhundred-year-oldherb-brandy，ofsomeoldhungarianwine，andofsuperbhorses.

inacoupleofwords，nikolayhadboughtforsixthousandroublesseventeenstallions，allperfectexamplesoftheirseveralbreeds（ashesaid），asshowspecimensofhisremounts.afterdininganddrinkingaglassorsotoomuchofthehungarianwine，rostov，exchangingkisseswiththecountrygentleman，withwhomhewasalreadyonthefriendliestterms，gallopedbackoverthemostatrociouslybadroadinthehappiestframeofmind，continuallyurgingthedriveron，sothathemightbeintimeforthesoiréeatthegovernor’s.

afterdressing，scentinghimself，anddouchinghisheadwithcoldwater，nikolaymadehisappearanceatthegovernor’s，alittlelate，butwiththephrase，“betterlatethannever，”readyonthetipofhistongue.

itwasnotaball，andnothinghadbeensaidaboutdancing；buteveryoneknewthatkaterinapetrovnawouldplaywaltzesandécossaisesontheclavichord，andthattherewouldbedancing，andeveryonereckoningonit，hadcomedressedforaball.

provinciallifeintheyear1812wentonexactlythesameasalways，theonlydifferencebeingthattheprovincialtownswerelivelierowingtothepresenceofmanywealthyfamiliesfrommoscow，that，asineverythinggoingonatthattimeinrussia，therewasperceptibleinthegaietyacertaindevil-may-care，desperaterecklessness，andalsothatthesmalltalkindispensablebetweenpeoplewasnownotabouttheweatherandcommonacquaintances，butaboutmoscowandthearmyandnapoleon.

thegatheringatthegovernor’sconsistedofthebestsocietyinvoronezh.