第181章

第181章rostov’sshareintheduelbetweendolohovandbezuhovbadbeenhushedupbytheeffortsoftheoldcountandinsteadofbeingdegradedtotheranks,asnikolayhadexpected,hehadbeenappointedanadjutanttothegovernorofmoscow.inconsequenceofthis,hecouldnotgotothecountrywiththerestofthefamily,butwaskeptbyhisnewdutiesallthesummerinmoscow.dolohovrecovered,androstovbecameparticularlyfriendlywithhimduringhisconvalescence.dolohovlayillinthehouseofhismother,whowastenderlyandpassionatelydevotedtohim.maryaivanovna,whohadtakenafancytorostov,seeinghisattachmenttoherfedya,oftentalkedtohimaboutherson.

“yes,count,heistoonoble,toopure-hearted,”shewouldsay,“forthecorruptsocietyofourday.virtueisinfavourwithnoone;itisapttobeareproachtoeverybody.come,tellme,count,wasitright,wasithonourableonbezuhov’spart？fedyainhisnoble-heartedwaylovedhim,andevennowheneversaysawordagainsthim.inpetersburgthoseprankswiththepoliceconstables,thosepracticaljokestheyplayedthere,didn’ttheydoeverythingtogether？andbezuhovgotnothingforit,whilefedyatookalltheblameonhisshoulders.whathehashadtogothrough！hehasbeenreinstated,iknow,buthowcouldtheyhelpreinstatinghim？idon’tsupposethereweremanysuchgallant,truesonsoftheirfatherlandoutthere！andnow,what？—thisduel！isthereanyfeeling,anyhonourleftinmen？knowinghewastheonlyson,tocallhimoutandaimsostraightathim！wemaybethankfulgodhasbeenmercifultous.andwhatwasitallfor？why,whohasn’tintriguesnowadays？why,ifheweresojealous—icanunderstandit—heoughttohaveletitbeseenlongbefore,youknow,andithadbeengoingonforayear.andthentocallhimout,reckoningonfedya’snotfightinghimbecausehewasindebtedtohim.whatbaseness！whatvileness！iknowyouunderstandfedya,mydearcount,andthat’swhyiloveyou,believeme,frommyheart.fewdounderstandhim.hisissuchalofty,heavenlynature！”

dolohovhimself,duringhisconvalescence,oftensaidtorostovthingswhichcouldneverhavebeenexpectedfromhim.

“peoplethinkmeawickedman,iknow,”hewouldsay;“andthey’rewelcometothinkso.idon’tcaretoknowanyoneexceptthosewhomilove.butthoseidolove,iloveinsuchawaythatiwouldgivemylifeforthem,andalltherestiwillcrushiftheygetinmyway.ihaveapreciousandadoredmother,andtwoorthreefriends,youamongthem;andastotherest,ionlypayattentiontotheminsofarastheyareusefulormischievous.andalmostallaremischievous,especiallythewomen.yes,mydear,”hewenton,“menihavemetwhowereloving,noble,andlofty-minded.butwomenthatwerenotcattleforsale—countessesandcooks,they’reallalike—ihavenotcomeacrossyet.ihavenotyetmettheangelicpurityanddevotionwhichilookforinwoman.ificouldfindsuchawoman,iwouldgivemylifeforher！butthesecreatures！…”hemadeagestureofcontempt.“butbelieveme,ifistillcareforlife,icareforitbecauseistillhopetomeetsuchaheavenlycreature,whowouldregenerateandpurifyandelevateme.butyoudon’tunderstandthat.”

“yes,iquiteunderstand,”answeredrostov,whowasverymuchundertheinfluenceofhisnewfriend.