第555章

第555章inthehighercirclesinpetersburgtheintricateconflictbetweenthepartiesofrumyantsev，ofthefrench，ofmaryafyodorovna，ofthetsarevitch，andtherestwasgoingonallthistimewithmoreheatthanever，drowned，asalways，bythebuzzingofthecourtdrones.buttheeasy，luxuriouslifeofpetersburg，troubledonlyaboutphantasms，thereflectionoflife，wentonitsoldway；andthecourseofthatlifemadeitadifficulttasktobelieveinthedangerandthedifficultpositionoftherussianpeople.therewerethesameleveesandballs，thesamefrenchtheatre，thesamecourtinterests，thesameinterestsandintriguesinthegovernmentservice.itwasonlyintheveryhighestcirclesthateffortsweremadetorecollectthedifficultyoftherealposition.therewaswhisperedgossipofhowthetwoempresseshadactedinoppositiontooneanotherinthesedifficultcircumstances.theempressmaryafyodorovna，anxiousforthewelfareofthebenevolentandeducationalinstitutionsunderherpatronage，hadarrangementsmadefortheremovalofalltheinstitutestokazan，andallthebelongingsoftheseestablishmentswerealreadypacked.theempresselizavetaalexyevnaonbeingaskedwhatcommandsshewasgraciouslypleasedtogive，hadbeenpleasedtoreplythatinregardtostatemattersshecouldgivenocommands，sincethatwasallinthetsar’shands；asfarasshepersonallywasconcerned，shehadgraciouslydeclared，withhercharacteristicrussianpatriotism，thatshewouldbethelasttoleavepetersburg.

onthe26thofaugust，theverydayofthebattleofborodino，therewasasoiréeatannapavlovna’s，thechiefattractionofwhichwastobethereadingofthemetropolitan’sletter，writtenontheoccasionofhissendingtothetsartheholypictureofsaintsergey.thisletterwaslookeduponasamodelofpatrioticecclesiasticaleloquence.itwastobereadbyprincevassilyhimself，whowasfamedforhisfineelocution.（heusedeventoreadaloudintheempress’sdrawing-room.）thebeautyofhiselocutionwassupposedtolieintheloud，resonantvoice，varyingbetweenadespairinghowlandatenderwhine，inwhichherolledoffthewordsquiteindependentlyofthesense，sothatahowlfellononewordandawhineonothersquiteatrandom.thisreading，aswasalwaysthecasewithannapavlovna’sentertainments，hadapoliticalsignificance.shewasexpectingatthissoiréeseveralimportantpersonageswhoweretobemadetofeelashamedofpatronisingthefrenchtheatre，andtoberousedtopatrioticfervour.agoodmanypeoplehadalreadyarrived，butannapavlovnadidnotyetseethosepersonswhosepresenceinherdrawing-roomwasnecessary，andshewasthereforestartinggeneraltopicsofconversationbeforeproceedingtothereading.

thenewsofthedayinpetersburgwastheillnessofcountessbezuhov.thecountesshadbeentakenillafewdayspreviously；shehadmissedseveralentertainments，ofwhichshewasusuallytheornament，anditwassaidthatshewasseeingnoone，andthatinsteadofthecelebratedpetersburgphysicians，whousuallyattendedher，shehadputherselfintothehandsofsomeitaliandoctor，whowastreatingheronsomenewandextraordinarymethod.

everybodywasverywellawarethatthecharmingcountess’sillnesswasduetoinconveniencesarisingfrommarryingtwohusbandsatonce，andthattheitaliandoctor’streatmentconsistedintheremovalofsuchinconvenience.butinthepresenceofannapavlovnanooneventuredtothinkaboutthatviewofthequestion，oreven，asitwere，toknowwhattheydidknowaboutit.

“theysaythepoorcountessisveryill.thedoctorsaysitisanginapectoris.”

“angine？oh，that’saterribleillness.”

“theysaytherivalsarereconciled，thankstotheangine…”thewordanginewasrepeatedwithgreatrelish.

“iamtoldtheoldcountistouching.hecriedlikeachildwhenthedoctortoldhimtherewasdanger.”

“oh，itwouldbeaterribleloss.sheisafascinatingwoman.”