第232章

第232章rostovhadarrivedattilsitonthedayleastsuitableforintercedingindenisov’sbehalf.itwasoutofthequestionforhimtogohimselftothegeneralinattendance,sincehewaswearingciviliandress,andhadcometotilsitwithoutpermissiontodoso,andboris,evenhadhebeenwilling,couldnothavedonesoonthedayfollowingrostov’sarrival.onthatday,the27thofjune,thepreliminariesofpeaceweresigned.theemperorsexchangedorders：alexanderreceivedthelegionofhonour,andnapoleontheorderofst.andreyofthefirstdegree,andthatdayhadbeenfixedforthedinnertobegivenbyabattalionoffrenchguardstothepreobrazhenskybattalion.theemperorsweretobepresentatthisbanquet.rostovfeltsouncomfortableandillateasewithboris,thatwhenthelatterpeepedinathimaftersupperhepretendedtobeasleep,andthenextdayheleftearlyinthemorningtoavoidseeinghim.inafrockcoatandroundhat,nikolaystrolledaboutthetown,staringatthefrenchandtheiruniforms,examiningthestreetsandthehouseswheretherussianandthefrenchemperorswerestaying.inthemarket-placehesawtablessetoutandpreparationsforthebanquet;inthestreetshesawdraperieshungacrosswithflagsoftherussianandfrenchcolours,andhugemonogramsofaandn.inthewindowsofthehouses,too,therewereflagsandmonograms.

“borisdoesn’tcaretohelpme,andidon’tcaretoapplytohim.thatquestion’sclosed,”thoughtnikolay;“everything’soverbetweenus,buti’mnotgoingawayfromherewithouthavingdoneallicanfordenisov,and,aboveall,gettingthelettergiventotheemperor.totheemperor？…heishere！”thoughtrostov,whohadunconsciouslygonebacktothehouseoccupiedbyalexander.

saddlehorseswerestandingattheentrance,andthesuitewereridingup,evidentlygettingreadyfortheemperortocomeout.

“anyminuteimayseehim,”thoughtrostov.“ifonlyicouldgivehimtheletterdirectly,andtellhimall…couldtheyreallyarrestmeformyfrockcoat？impossible.hewouldunderstandonwhichsidethetruthlay.heunderstandseverything,heknowseverything.whocanbejusterandmoremagnanimousthanhe？besides,eveniftheyweretoarrestmeforbeinghere,whatwoulditmatter？”hethought,lookingatanofficerwhowasgoingintothehouse.“why,peoplegoin,isee.oh！it’sallnonsense.i’llgoandgivethelettertotheemperormyself;somuchtheworsefordrubetskoywhohasdrivenmetoit.”andallatonce,withadecisionhewouldneverhaveexpectedofhimself,rostov,fingeringtheletterinhispocket,wentstraightintothehousewheretheemperorwasstaying.

“no,thistimeiwon’tmissmyopportunityasididafterausterlitz,”hethought,expectingeveryminutetomeettheemperor,andfeelingarushofbloodtotheheartattheidea.“iwillfallathisfeetandwillbeseechhim.hewillliftmeup,hearmeout,andthankmetoo.‘iamhappywhenicandogood,buttocancelinjusticeisthegreatesthappiness,’”rostovfanciedtheemperorwouldsaytohim.andhepassedupthestairsregardlessoftheinquisitiveeyesthatwereturneduponhim.thebroadstaircaseledstraightupwardsfromtheentry;ontherightwasacloseddoor.below,underthestairs,wasadoortotheroomsonthegroundfloor.

“whomareyoulookingfor？”someoneaskedhim.

“togivealetter,apetition,tohismajesty,”saidnikolay,withaquiverinhisvoice.

“apetition—totheofficeronduty,thisway;please”（hewasmotionedtothedoorbelow）.“onlyitwon’treceiveattention.”

hearingthisindifferentvoice,rostovfeltpanic-strickenatwhathewasdoing;theideathathemightmeettheemperoratanyminutewassofascinatingandconsequentlysoterrible,thathewasreadytofly;butanattendantmeetinghimopenedthedoortotheofficer’sroomforhim,androstovwentin.