第315章

第315章atthebeginningofthewinterprincenikolayandreitchbolkonskyandhisdaughtermovedtomoscow.hispast,hisintellectandoriginality,andstillmorethefallingoffataboutthattimeofthepopularenthusiasmfortheruleofthetsaralexanderandtheanti-frenchandpatrioticsentimentsthenprevailingatmoscow,allcontributedtomakeprincenikolayandreitchatonceanobjectofpeculiarvenerationandthecentreofthemoscowoppositiontothegovernment.

theprincehadgreatlyagedduringthatyear.hehadbeguntoshowunmistakablesignsoffailingpowers,suddenattacksofdrowsiness,andforgetfulnessofeventsnearestintime,andexactmemoryofremoteincidents,andachildlikevanityinplayingthepartofleaderofthemoscowopposition.butinspiteofthat,whentheoldmancameintothedrawing-roomintheeveningstotea,inhiswigandfurcoat,andonbeingincitedtodosobysomeone,beganutteringabruptobservationsonthepast,orstillmoreabruptandharshcriticismsonthepresent—hearousedthesamefeelingofesteemandreverenceinallhisguests.forvisitors,thatold-fashionedhouse,withitshugemirrors,pre-revolutionaryfurniture,andpowderedlackeys,andthesternandshrewdoldman,himselfarelicofapastage,withthegentledaughterandtheprettyfrenchwoman,bothsoreverentlydevotedtohim,madeastatelyandagreeablespectacle.butthosevisitorsdidnotreflectthat,apartfromthecoupleofhoursduringwhichtheysawthehousehold,thereweretwenty-twohoursofthedayandnightduringwhichthesecret,privatelifeofthehousewentonitsaccustomedway.