第30章

第30章countessrostov，withherdaughtersandthegreaternumberoftheguests，wassittinginthedrawing-room.thecountledthegentlemenofthepartytohisroom，callingtheirattentiontohisconnoisseur’scollectionofturkishpipes.nowandthenhewentoutandinquired，hadshecomeyet？theywerewaitingformaryadmitryevnaahrosimov，knowninsocietyasleterribledragon，aladywhoowedherrenownnottoherwealthorherrank，buttohermentaldirectnessandheropen，unconventionalbehaviour.maryadmitryevnawasknowntotheimperialfamily；shewasknowntoallmoscowandallpetersburg，andbothcities，whiletheymarvelledather，laughedintheirsleevesatherrudeness，andtoldgoodstoriesabouther，nevertheless，allwithoutexceptionrespectedandfearedher.

inthecount’sroom，fullofsmoke，therewastalkofthewar，whichhadbeendeclaredinamanifesto，andoftheleviesoftroops.themanifestonoonehadyetread，buteveryoneknewofitsappearance.thecountwassittingonanottomanwithamansmokingandtalkingoneachsideofhim.thecounthimselfwasneithersmokingnortalking，but，withhisheadcockedfirstononesideandthenontheother，gazedwithevidentsatisfactionatthesmokers，andlistenedtotheargumenthehadgotupbetweenhistwoneighbours.

oneofthesetwowasacivilianwithathin，wrinkled，bilious，close-shavenface，amanpastmiddleage，thoughdressedlikethemostfashionableyoungman.hesatwithhislegupontheottoman，asthoughhewereathome，andwiththeambermouthpieceinthesideofhismouth，hesmokedspasmodically，puckeringuphisface.thiswasanoldbachelor，shinshin，acousinofthecountess’s，famedinmoscowdrawing-roomsforhisbitingwit.heseemedsuperciliousinhismannertohiscompanion，afresh，rosyofficeroftheguards，irreproachablywashedandbrushedandbuttoned.heheldhispipeinthemiddleofhismouth，anddrawinginalittlesmoke，sentitcoilinginringsoutofhisfineredlips.hewaslieutenantberg，anofficerinthesemenovskyregimentwithwhomboriswastogoaway，andaboutwhomnatashahadtauntedvera，callingberghersuitor.thecountsatbetweenthesetwolisteningintentlytothem.thecount’sfavouriteentertainment，nexttoplayingboston，ofwhichhewasveryfond，wasthatoflisteningtoconversation，especiallywhenhehadeededingettingupadisputebetweentwotalkativefriends.

“come，howisit，montrèshonorablealphonsekarlitch，”saidshinshin，chuckling，andusingacombinationofthemostpopularrussiancolloquialismsandthemostrecherchèsfrenchexpressions，whichconstitutedthepeculiarityofhisphraseology.“youreckonyou’llgetanincomefromthegovernment，andyouwanttogetalittlesomethingfromyourcompanytoo？”

“no，pyotrnikolaitch，ionlywanttoshowthatinthecavalrytheadvantagesarefewascomparedwiththeinfantry.considermypositionnow，forinstance，pyotrnikolaitch.”bergtalkedveryprecisely，serenely，andpolitely.allhesaidwasalwaysconcerninghimself.healwaysmaintainedaserenesilencewhenanysubjectwasdiscussedthathadnodirectbearingonhimself.andhecouldbesilentinthatwayforseveralhoursatatime，neitherexperiencingnorcausinginotherstheslightestembarrassment.butassoonastheconversationconcernedhimpersonally，hebegantotalkatlengthandwithvisiblesatisfaction.

“considermyposition，pyotrnikolaitch：ifiwereinthecavalry，ishouldgetnomorethantwohundredroubleseveryfourmonths，evenattherankoflieutenant，whileasitisigettwohundredandthirty，”heexplainedwithabeaming，friendlysmile，lookingatshinshinandthecountasthoughhehadnodoubtthathisesswouldalwaysbethechiefgoalofallotherpeople’swishes.“besidesthat，pyotrnikolaitch，exchangingintotheguards，i’msomuchnearerthefront，”pursuedberg，“andvacanciesoccursomuchmorefrequentlyintheinfantryguards.thenyoucanfancyhowwellicanmanageontwohundredandthirtyroubles.why，i’mputtingbyandsendingsomeofftomyfathertoo，”hepursued，lettingoffaringofsmoke.

“thereisabalance.agermanwillthrashwheatoutoftheheadofanaxe，astherussianproverbhasit，”saidshinshin，shiftinghispipetotheothersideofhismouthandwinkingtothecount.

thecountchuckled.theothervisitorsseeingthatshinshinwastalkingcameuptolisten.berg，withoutperceivingeithertheirsneersortheirlackofinterest，proceededtoexplainhowbyexchangingintotheguardshehadalreadygainedastepinadvanceofhisoldcomradesinthecorps；howinwar-timethecommanderofacompanymaysoeasilybekilled，andheasnextincommandmightveryeasilyeedhim，andhoweveryoneintheregimentlikedhim，andhowpleasedhisfatherwaswithhim.bergwasunmistakablyenjoyinghimselfashetoldallthis，andseemednevertosuspectthatotherpeopletoomighthavetheirowninterests.butallhesaidwassonice，sosedate，thena？vetéofhisyouthfulegoismwassoundisguised，thathedisarmedhislisteners.

“well，mygoodfellow，whetheryou’reintheinfantryorinthecavalry，you’llalwaysgetonallright，thativenturetopredict，”saidshinshin，pattinghimontheshoulder，andsettinghisfeetdownofftheottoman.bergsmiledgleefully.thecountandtheguestsafterhimwentintothedrawing-room.

itwasthatintervaljustbeforeadinnerwhentheassembledguestsdonotcaretoenteronalengthyconversation，expectingtobesummonedtothedining-room；whiletheyfeelitincumbentonthemtomoveaboutandnottobesilent，soastoshowthattheyarenotimpatienttositdowntotable.thehostandhostesslooktowardsthedoor，andoccasionallyatoneanother.thegueststryfromtheseglancestodivinewhomorwhattheyarewaitingfor；someimportantrelationlateinarriving，orsomedishwhichisnotready.