第367章

第367章afterallnapoleonhadsaidtohim，afterthoseoutburstsofwrath，andafterthelastfrigidlyutteredwords，“iwillnotdetainyou，general；youshallreceivemyletter，”balashovfeltcertainthatnapoleonwouldnotcaretoseehimagain，wouldavoidindeedseeingagaintheenvoywhohadbeentreatedbyhimwithcontumely，andhadbeentheeyewitnessofhisundignifiedoutburstoffury.buttohissurprisebalashovreceivedthroughdurocaninvitationtodinethatdayattheemperor’stable.

therewerepresentatdinner，bessières，caulaincourt，andberthier.

napoleonmetbalashovwithagood-humouredandfriendlyair.hehadnottheslightestappearanceofembarrassmentorregretforhisoutbreakinthemorning.onthecontraryheseemedtryingtoencouragebalashov.itwasevidentthatithadlongbeennapoleon’sconvictionthatnopossibilityexistedofhismakingmistakes.tohismindallhedidwasgood，notbecauseitwasinharmonywithanypreconceivednotionofgoodorbad，butsimplybecauseitwashewhodidit.

theemperorwasinexcellentspiritsafterhisrideaboutvilna，greetedandfollowedwithacclamationsbycrowdsoftheinhabitants.fromeverywindowinthestreetsthroughwhichhehadpasseddraperiesandflagswithhismonogramhadbeenhanging，andpolishladieshadbeenwavinghandkerchiefstowelcomehim.

atdinnerhesatbalashovbesidehim，andaddressedhimaffably.headdressedhimindeedasthoughheregardedbalashovasoneofhisowncourtiers，asoneofthepeople，whowouldsympathisewithhisplansandbesuretorejoiceathisesses.hetalked，amongotherthings，ofmoscow，andbeganaskingbalashovquestionsabouttheancientrussiancapital，notsimplyasatravellerofinquiringmindasksaboutanewplaceheintendstovisit，butapparentlywiththeconvictionthatbalashovasarussianmustbeflatteredathisinterestinit.

“howmanyinhabitantsarethereinmoscow，howmanyhorses？isittruethatmoscowiscalledtheholycity？howmanychurchesarethereinmoscow？”heasked.

andwhenhewastoldtherewereovertwohundredchurches，hesaid：“whyistheresuchagreatnumberofchurches？”

“therussiansareveryreligious，”repliedbalashov.

“agreatnumber，however，ofmonasteriesandchurchesisalwaysasignofthebackwardnessofapeople，”saidnapoleon，lookingatcaulaincourtforappreciationofthisremark.

balashovventuredrespectfullytodifferfromtheopinionofthefrenchemperor.

“everycountryhasitscustoms，”heobserved.

“butthere’snothinglikethatanywhereelseineurope，”saidnapoleon.

“ibegyourmajesty’spardon，”saidbalashov；“besidesrussia，thereisspain，wherethereisalsoagreatnumberofchurchesandmonasteries.”

thisreplyofbalashov’s，whichestedacovertallusiontotherecentdiscomfitureofthefrenchinspain，washighlyappreciatedwhenbalashovrepeateditatthecourtoftheemperoralexander，thoughatthetimeatnapoleon’sdinner-tableitwasverylittleappreciatedandpassedindeedunnoticed.