Book One: 1805 - Chapter VI

by Leo Tolstoy

　　Having thanked Anna Pavlovna for her charming soiree, the guestsbegan to take their leave.

　　Pierre was ungainly. Stout, about the average height, broad, withhuge red hands; he did not know, as the saying is, to enter adrawing room and still less how to leave one; that is, how to saysomething particularly agreeable before going away. Besides this hewas absent-minded. When he rose to go, he took up instead of hisown, the general's three-cornered hat, and held it, pulling at theplume, till the general asked him to restore it. All hisabsent-mindedness and inability to enter a room and converse in itwas, however, redeemed by his kindly, simple, and modest expression.Anna Pavlovna turned toward him and, with a Christian mildness thatexpressed forgiveness of his indiscretion, nodded and said: "I hope tosee you again, but I also hope you will change your opinions, mydear Monsieur Pierre."

　　When she said this, he did not reply and only bowed, but againeverybody saw his smile, which said nothing, unless perhaps, "Opinionsare opinions, but you see what a capital, good-natured fellow I am."And everyone, including Anna Pavlovna, felt this.

　　Prince Andrew had gone out into the hall, and, turning his shouldersto the footman who was helping him on with his cloak, listenedindifferently to his wife's chatter with Prince Hippolyte who had alsocome into the hall. Prince Hippolyte stood close to the pretty,pregnant princess, and stared fixedly at her through his eyeglass.

　　"Go in, Annette, or you will catch cold," said the littleprincess, taking leave of Anna Pavlovna. "It is settled," she added ina low voice.

　　Anna Pavlovna had already managed to speak to Lise about the matchshe contemplated between Anatole and the little princess'sister-in-law.

　　"I rely on you, my dear," said Anna Pavlovna, also in a low tone."Write to her and let me know how her father looks at the matter. Aurevoir!"- and she left the hall.

　　Prince Hippolyte approached the little princess and, bending hisface close to her, began to whisper something.

　　Two footmen, the princess' and his own, stood holding a shawl anda cloak, waiting for the conversation to finish. They listened tothe French sentences which to them were meaningless, with an air ofunderstanding but not wishing to appear to do so. The princess asusual spoke smilingly and listened with a laugh.

　　"I am very glad I did not go to the ambassador's," said PrinceHippolyte "-so dull-. It has been a delightful evening, has it not?Delightful!"

　　"They say the ball will be very good," replied the princess, drawingup her downy little lip. "All the pretty women in society will bethere."

　　"Not all, for you will not be there; not all," said Prince Hippolytesmiling joyfully; and snatching the shawl from the footman, whom heeven pushed aside, he began wrapping it round the princess. Eitherfrom awkwardness or intentionally (no one could have said which) afterthe shawl had been adjusted he kept his arm around her for a longtime, as though embracing her.

　　Still smiling, she gracefully moved away, turning and glancing ather husband. Prince Andrew's eyes were closed, so weary and sleepy didhe seem.

　　"Are you ready?" he asked his wife, looking past her.

　　Prince Hippolyte hurriedly put on his cloak, which in the latestfashion reached to his very heels, and, stumbling in it, ran outinto the porch following the princess, whom a footman was helping intothe carriage.

　　"Princesse, au revoir," cried he, stumbling with his tongue aswell as with his feet.

　　The princess, picking up her dress, was taking her seat in thedark carriage, her husband was adjusting his saber; PrinceHippolyte, under pretense of helping, was in everyone's way.

　　"Allow me, sir," said Prince Andrew in Russian in a cold,disagreeable tone to Prince Hippolyte who was blocking his path.

　　"I am expecting you, Pierre," said the same voice, but gently andaffectionately.

　　The postilion started, the carriage wheels rattled. Prince Hippolytelaughed spasmodically as he stood in the porch waiting for the vicomtewhom he had promised to take home.

　　"Well, mon cher," said the vicomte, having seated himself besideHippolyte in the carriage, "your little princess is very nice, verynice indeed, quite French," and he kissed the tips of his fingers.Hippolyte burst out laughing.

　　"Do you know, you are a terrible chap for all your innocent airs,"continued the vicomte. "I pity the poor husband, that little officerwho gives himself the airs of a monarch."

　　Hippolyte spluttered again, and amid his laughter said, "And youwere saying that the Russian ladies are not equal to the French? Onehas to know how to deal with them."

　　Pierre reaching the house first went into Prince Andrew's study likeone quite at home, and from habit immediately lay down on the sofa,took from the shelf the first book that came to his hand (it wasCaesar's Commentaries), and resting on his elbow, began reading itin the middle.

　　"What have you done to Mlle Scherer? She will be quite ill now,"said Prince Andrew, as he entered the study, rubbing his small whitehands.

　　Pierre turned his whole body, making the sofa creak. He lifted hiseager face to Prince Andrew, smiled, and waved his hand.

　　"That abbe is very interesting but he does not see the thing inthe right light.... In my opinion perpetual peace is possible but- Ido not know how to express it... not by a balance of politicalpower...."

　　It was evident that Prince Andrew was not interested in suchabstract conversation.

　　"One can't everywhere say all one thinks, mon cher. Well, have youat last decided on anything? Are you going to be a guardsman or adiplomatist?" asked Prince Andrew after a momentary silence.

　　Pierre sat up on the sofa, with his legs tucked under him.

　　"Really, I don't yet know. I don't like either the one or theother."

　　"But you must decide on something! Your father expects it."

　　Pierre at the age of ten had been sent abroad with an abbe as tutor,and had remained away till he was twenty. When he returned to Moscowhis father dismissed the abbe and said to the young man, "Now go toPetersburg, look round, and choose your profession. I will agree toanything. Here is a letter to Prince Vasili, and here is money.Write to me all about it, and I will help you in everything." Pierrehad already been choosing a career for three months, and had notdecided on anything. It was about this choice that Prince Andrew wasspeaking. Pierre rubbed his forehead.

　　"But he must be a Freemason," said he, referring to the abbe whom hehad met that evening.

　　"That is all nonsense." Prince Andrew again interrupted him, "let ustalk business. Have you been to the Horse Guards?"

　　"No, I have not; but this is what I have been thinking and wanted totell you. There is a war now against Napoleon. If it were a war forfreedom I could understand it and should be the first to enter thearmy; but to help England and Austria against the greatest man inthe world is not right."

　　Prince Andrew only shrugged his shoulders at Pierre's childishwords. He put on the air of one who finds it impossible to reply tosuch nonsense, but it would in fact have been difficult to give anyother answer than the one Prince Andrew gave to this naive question.

　　"If no one fought except on his own conviction, there would be nowars," he said.

　　"And that would be splendid," said Pierre.

　　Prince Andrew smiled ironically.

　　"Very likely it would be splendid, but it will never come about..."

　　"Well, why are you going to the war?" asked Pierre.

　　"What for? I don't know. I must. Besides that I am going..." Hepaused. "I am going because the life I am leading here does not suitme!"