第359章

第359章therussianemperorhadmeanwhilebeenspendingmorethanamonthinvilna，holdingreviewsandinspectingman？uvres.nothingwasinreadinessforthewar，whichallwereexpecting，thoughitwastoprepareforitthatthetsarhadcomefrompetersburg.therewasnogeneralplanofaction.thevacillationbetweenalltheplansthatwereproposedandtheinabilitytofixonanyoneofthem，wasmoremarkedthaneverafterthetsarhadbeenforamonthatheadquarters.therewasaseparatecommander-in-chiefattheheadofeachofthethreearmies；buttherewasnocommanderwithauthorityoverallofthem，andthetsardidnotundertakethedutiesofsuchacommander-in-chiefhimself.

thelongerthetsarstayedatvilna，thelessreadywastherussianarmyforthewar，whichithadgrownwearyofexpecting.everyeffortofthemenwhosurroundedthetsarseemedtobedevotedtomakingtheirsovereignspendhistimepleasantlyandforgettheimpendingwar.

manyballsandfêtesweregivenbythepolishmagnates，bymembersofthecourt，andbythetsarhimself；andinthemonthofjuneitoccurredtooneofthepolishgeneralsattachedtothetsar’sstaffthatallthegeneralsonthestaffshouldgiveadinnerandaballtothetsar.theestionwaseagerlytakenup.thetsargavehisconsent.thegeneralsonthestaffsubscribedthenecessaryfunds.theladywhowasmostlikelytopleasethetsar’stastewasselectedashostessfortheball.countbennigsen，whohadlandinthevilnaprovince，offeredhishouseintheoutskirtsforthisfête，andthe13thofjunewasthedayfixedforaball，adinner，witharegattaandfireworksatzakreta，countbennigsen’ssuburbanhouse.

ontheverydayonwhichnapoleongavetheordertocrosstheniemen，andthevanguardofhisarmycrossedtherussianfrontier，drivingbackthecossacks，alexanderwasattheballgivenbythegeneralsonhisstaffatcountbennigsen’shouse.

itwasabrilliantandfestiveentertainment.connoisseursdeclaredthatrarelyhadsomanybeautiesbeengatheredtogetheratoneplace.countessbezuhov，whohadbeenamongtherussianladieswhohadfollowedthetsarfrompetersburgtovilna，wasatthatball，herheavy，russianstyleofbeauty—asitiscalled—overshadowingthemorerefinedpolishladies.shewasmuchnoticed，andthetsarhaddeignedtobestowadanceuponher.

borisdrubetskoy，whohadlefthiswifeatmoscow，andwasliving“engar？on，”ashesaid，atvilna，wasalsoatthatball；andalthoughhewasnotageneralonthestaff，hehadsubscribedalargesumtotheball.boriswasnowawealthymanwhohadrisentohighhonours.henolongersoughtpatronage，butwasonanequalfootingwiththemostdistinguishedmenofhisage.atvilnahemetellen，whomhehadnotseenforalongwhile.asellenwasenjoyingthegoodgracesofaveryimportantpersonageindeed，andborishadsorecentlybeenmarried，theymadenoallusiontothepast，butmetasgood-natured，oldfriends.

atmidnightdancingwasstillgoingon.ellenhappeningtohavenosuitablepartnerhadherselfproposedamazurkatoboris.theywerethethirdcouple.boriswaslookingcoldlyatellen’ssplendidbareshoulders，whichroseoutofherdressofdarkgauzeandgold，andwastalkingtoherofoldacquaintances，andyetthoughothersandhimselftoowereunawareofit，heneverforasecondceasedobservingthetsarwhowasinthesameroom.thetsarwasnotdancing；hewasstandinginthedoorway，stoppingonepersonaftertheotherwiththegraciouswordshealoneknewhowtoutter.