第268章

第268章onemorningcoloneladolpheberg，whompierreknewjustashekneweveryoneinmoscowandpetersburg，calleduponhim.hewaswearingabrand-newuniform，andhadhispowderedlocksstandingupoverhisforehead，aswornbythetsaralexanderpavlovitch.

“ihavejustbeencallingonthecountess，yourspouse，andtomymisfortune，myrequestcouldnotbegranted.ihopeishallbemorefortunatewithyou，count，”hesaid，smiling.

“whatisityoudesire，colonel？iamatyourdisposal.”

“iambynow，quitesettledinmynewquarters，”berginformedhimwithperfectconvictionthattohearthisfactcouldnotbutbeagreeable；“andsoiwasdesirousofgivingalittlesoiréeformyfriendsandmyspouse.”（hesmiledstillmoreblandly.）“imeanttoaskthecountessandyoutodomethehonourtocometousforacupoftea，and…tosupper.”

onlythecountesselenavassilyevna，whoconsidereditbeneathhertoassociatewithnobodieslikethebergs，couldhavehadthecrueltytorefusesuchaninvitation.bergexplainedsoclearlywhyhewantedtogathertogetherasmallandselectcompanyathisnewrooms；andwhyitwouldbeagreeabletohimtodoso；andwhyhewouldgrudgespendingmoneyoncards，oranythingelseharmful；butwasreadyforthesakeofgoodsocietytoincurexpense，thatpierrecouldnotrefuse，andpromisedtocome.

“onlynotlate，count，ifimayventuretobeg.tenminutestoeight，iventuretobeg.wewillmakeupapartyforboston.ourgeneraliscoming；heisverykindtome.wewillhavealittlesupper，count，soishallesteemitanhonour.”

contrarytohisusualhabit（hewasalmostalwayslate）pierrearrivedatthebergs’notattenminutestoeight，butataquartertoeight.

thebergshadmadeallnecessarypreparationsfortheirlittleparty，andwerequitereadytoreceivetheirguests.

bergandhiswifeweresittinginanew，clean，lightstudy，furnishedwithlittlebustsandpicturesandnewfurniture.berg，withhisnewuniformcloselybuttonedup，satbesidehiswife，andwasexplainingtoherthatonealwayscouldandoughttocultivatetheacquaintanceofpeopleaboveone—foronlythenisthereanythingagreeableinacquaintances.“youpickupsomething，youcanputinawordforsomething.lookatmenow，howiusedtomanageinthelowergrades（bergreckonedhislifenotbyyearsbutbypromotions）.“mycomradesarenothingstill，whilei’malieutenant-colonel.ihavethehappinessofbeingyourhusband”（hegotupandkissedvera’shand，butonthewayturnedbackthecorneroftherug，whichwasrucked-up）.“andhowdidiobtainallthis？chieflybyknowinghowtoselectmyacquaintances.itgoeswithoutsaying，ofcourse，thatonehastobeconscientiousandpunctualinthedischargeofone’sduties.”

bergsmiledwithasenseofhisownsuperiorityoveramereweakwoman，andpaused，reflectingthatthischarmingwifeofhiswas，afterall，aweakwoman，whocouldneverattainallthatconstitutedaman’sdignity，—einmannzusein.verasmiled，too，atthesametimewithasenseofhersuperiorityoverherconscientious，excellenthusband，whoyet，likeallmen，accordingtovera’sideasofthem，tooksuchamistakenviewoflife.berg，judgingfromhiswife，consideredallwomenweakandfoolish.vera，judgingfromherhusbandonly，andgeneralisingfromherobservationofhim，supposedthatallmenascribedcommon-sensetononebutthemselves，andatthesametimehadnounderstandingforanything，andwereconceitedandegoistic.