第556章

第556章“youspeakofthepoorcountess，”saidannapavlovna，comingup.“isenttoinquireafterher.iwastoldshewasgettingbetter.oh，nodoubtofit，sheisthemostcharmingwomanintheworld，”saidannapavlovna，withasmileatherownenthusiasm.“webelongtodifferentcamps，butthatdoesnotpreventmefromappreciatingherasshedeserves.sheisveryunhappy，”addedannapavlovna.

supposingthatbytheselastwordsannapavlovnahadslightlyliftedtheveilofmysterythathungoverthecountess’sillness，oneunwaryyoungmanpermittedhimselftoexpresssurprisethatnowell-knowndoctorhadbeencalledin，andthatthecountessshouldbetreatedbyacharlatan，whomightmakeuseofdangerousremedies.

“yourinformationmaybebetterthanmine，”criedannapavlovna，fallingupontheinexperiencedyouthwithsuddenviciousness，“butihaveitongoodauthoritythatthisdoctorisaverylearnedandskilfulman.heistheprivatephysicianofthequeenofspain.”

andhavingthusannihilatedtheyoungman，annapavlovnaturnedtobilibin，whowastalkinginanothergroupabouttheaustrians，andhadhisforeheadpuckeredupinwrinklesinreadinesstoutterunmot.

“ithinkitischarming！”hewassayingofthediplomaticnotewhichhadbeensenttoviennawiththeaustrianflagstakenbywittgenstein，“lehérosdepétropol，”ashewascalledatpetersburg.

“what？whatwasit？”annapavlovnainquired，creatingasilenceforthemottobeheard，thoughshehadinfacthearditbefore.

andbilibinrepeatedtheprecisewordsofthediplomaticdespatchhehadcomposed.

“theemperorsendsbacktheaustrianflags，”saidbilibin；“drapeauxamisetégarésqu’ilatrouvéshorsdelaroute，”bilibinconcluded，lettingthewrinklesrunoffhisforehead.

“charming，charming！”saidprincevassily.

“theroadtowarsaw，perhaps，”princeippolitsaidloudly，tothegeneralsurprise.everybodylookedathim，atalosstoguesswhathemeant.princeippolit，too，lookedabouthimwithlight-heartedwonder.hehadnomorenotionthanotherpeoplewhatwasmeantbyhiswords.inthecourseofhisdiplomaticcareerhehadmorethanoncenoticedthatwordssuddenlyutteredinthatwaywereacceptedashighlydiverting，andoneveryoccasionheutteredinthatwaythefirstwordsthatchancedtocometohistongue.“maybe，itwillcomeoutallright，”hethought，“andifitdoesn’t，theywillknowhowtogivesometurntoit.”andtheawkwardsilencethatreignedwasinfactbrokenbytheentranceofthepersonageofdefectivepatriotismwhomannapavlovnawaswaitingfortoconverttoabettermind；andsmiling，andshakingherfingeratprinceippolit，shesummonedprincevassilytothetable，andsettingtwocandlesandamanuscriptbeforehim，sheedhimtobegin.therewasageneralhush.

“mosthighandgraciousemperorandtsar！”princevassilyboomedoutsternly，andhelookedroundathisaudienceasthoughtoinquirewhetheranyonehadanythingtosayagainstthat.butnobodysaidanything.“thechiefcapitalcity，moscow，thenewjerusalem，receiveshermessiah”—hethrewasuddenemphasisonthe“her”—“evenasamotherintheembracesofherzealoussons，andthroughthegatheringdarkness，foreseeingthedazzlinggloryofthydominion，singsaloudintriumph：‘hosanna！blessedbehethatcometh！”’

princevassilyutteredtheselastwordsinatearfulvoice.

bilibinscrutinisedhisnailsattentively，andmanyoftheaudiencewerevisiblycowed，asthoughwonderingwhattheyhaddonewrong.annapavlovnamurmuredthewordsoverbeforehand，asoldwomenwhispertheprayertocomeatcommunion：“letthebaseandinsolentgoliath…”shewhispered.

princevassilycontinued：

“letthebaseandinsolentgoliathfromthebordersoffranceencompasstherealmofrussiawiththehorrorsofdeath；lowlyfaith，theslingoftherussiandavid，shallsmiteaswiftblowattheheadofhispridethatthirstethforblood.thisholyimageofthemostvenerablesaintsergey，ofoldazealouschampionofourcountry’swelfare，isbornetoyourimperialmajesty.igrievethatmyfailingstrengthhindersmefromthejoyofyourmostgraciouspresence.ferventprayersiamofferinguptoheaven，andthealmightywillexaltthefaithfulandfulfilinhismercythehopesofyourmajesty.”

“quelforce！quelstyle！”wasmurmuredinapplauseofthereaderandtheauthor.rousedbythisappeal，annapavlovna’sguestscontinuedforalongwhiletalkingofthepositionofthecountry，andmadevarioussurmisesastotheissueofthebattletobefoughtinafewdays.

“youwillsee，”saidannapavlovna，“thatto-morrowontheemperor’sbirthdayweshallgetnews.ihaveapresentimentofsomethinggood.”