第109章

第109章intheseearlydaysprincevassily，morethanalltherest，tookcontrolofpierre’saffairs，andofpierrehimself.onthedeathofcountbezuhovhedidnotletpierreslipoutofhishands.princevassilyhadtheairofamanweigheddownbyaffairs，weary，worried，butfromsympatheticfeeling，unableinthelastresorttoabandonthishelplesslad，theson，afterall，ofhisfriend，andtheheirtosuchanimmensefortune，toleavehimtohisfatetobecomeapreytoplottingknaves.duringthefewdayshehadstayedoninmoscowaftercountbezuhov’sdeath，hehadinvitedpierretohim，orhadhimselfgonetoseepierre，andhaddictatedtohimwhathewastodoinatoneofwearinessandcertaintywhichseemedtobealwayssaying：“youknowthatiamoverwhelmedwithbusinessandthatitisoutofpurecharitythaticoncernmyselfwithyou，andmoreoveryouknowverywellthatwhatiproposetoyouistheonlyfeasiblething.”

“well，mydearboy，to-morrowweareoffatlast，”hesaidoneday，closinghiseyes，drumminghisfingersonhiselbow，andspeakingasthoughthematterhadlongagobeensettledbetweenthem，andcouldnotbesettledinanyotherway.

“to-morrowwesetoff；i’llgiveyouaplaceinmycoach.i’mveryglad.hereallourimportantbusinessissettled.andioughttohavebeenbacklongago.here，ihavereceivedthisfromthechancellor.ipetitionedhiminyourfavour，andyouareputonthediplomaticcorps，andcreatedagentlemanofthebedchamber.nowadiplomaticcareerliesopentoyou.”

notwithstandingtheeffectproducedonhimbythetoneofwearinessandcertaintywithwhichthesewordswereuttered，pierre，whohadsolongbeenponderingoverhisfuturecareer，triedtoprotest.butprincevassilybrokeinonhisprotestindroning，basstones，thatprecludedallpossibilityofinterruptingtheflowofhiswords；itwastheresourcehefellbackuponwhenextrememeasuresofpersuasionwereneeded.

“but，mydearboy，ihavedoneitformyownsake，formyconscience’sake，andthereisnoneedtothankme.noonehasevercomplainedyetofbeingtoomuchloved；andthenyouarefree，youcangiveitallupto-morrow.you’llseeforyourselfinpetersburg.anditishightimeyouweregettingawayfromtheseterribleassociations.”princevassilysighed.“sothat’sallsettled，mydearfellow.andletmyvaletgoinyourcoach.ah，yes，iwasalmostforgetting，”princevassilyadded.“youknow，mydearboy，ihadalittleaccounttosettlewithyourfather，soasihavereceivedsomethingfromtheryazanestate，i’llkeepthat；youdon’twantit.we’llgointoaccountslater.”

whatprincevassilycalled“somethingfromtheryazanestate”wasseveralthousandsofroublespaidinlieuofservicebythepeasants，andthissumhekeptforhimself.

inpetersburg，pierrewassurroundedbythesameatmosphereofaffectionandtendernessasinmoscow.hecouldnotdeclinethepost，orratherthetitle（forhedidnothing）thatprincevassilyhadobtainedforhim，andacquaintances，invitations，andsocialdutiesweresonumerousthatpierrewasevenmorethaninmoscowconsciousofthefeelingofstupefaction，hurryandcontinuedexpectationofsomefuturegoodwhichwasalwayscomingandwasneverrealised.

ofhisoldcircleofbacheloracquaintancestherewerenotmanyleftinpetersburg.theguardswereonactiveservice，dolohovhadbeendegradedtotheranks；anatolehadgoneintothearmyandwassomewhereintheprovinces；princeandreywasabroad；andsopierrehadnottheopportunityofspendinghisnightsinthewayhehadsolovedspendingthembefore，norcouldheopenhisheartinintimatetalkwiththefriendwhowasolderthanhimselfandamanherespected.allhistimewasspentatdinnersandballs，oratprincevassily’sinthesocietyofthefatprincess，hiswife，andthebeauty，hisdaughterellen.

likeeveryoneelse，annapavlovnascherershowedpierrethechangethathadtakenplaceintheattitudeofsocietytowardshim.

informerdays，pierrehadalwaysfeltinannapavlovna’spresencethatwhathewassayingwasunsuitable，tactless，nottherightthing；thatthephrases，whichseemedtohimcleverasheformedtheminhismind，becamesomehowstupidassoonasheutteredthemaloud，andthat，onthecontrary，ippolit’smostpointlessremarkshadtheeffectofbeingcleverandcharming.noweverythinghesaidwasalways“delightful.”evenifannapavlovnadidnotsayso，hesawshewaslongingtosayso，andonlyrefrainingfromdoingsofromregardforhismodesty.

atthebeginningofthewinter，intheyear1805，pierrereceivedoneofannapavlovna’scustomarypinknotesofinvitation，inwhichthewordsoccurred：“youwillfindthefairhélèneatmyhouse，whomonenevergetstiredofseeing.”

onreadingthatpassage，pierrefeltforthefirsttimethattherewasbeingformedbetweenhimselfandellensomesortoftie，recognisedbyotherpeople，andthisideaatoncealarmedhim，asthoughanobligationwerebeinglaiduponhimwhichhecouldnotfulfil，andpleasedhimasanamusingsupposition.