Book One: 1805 - Chapter XV

by Leo Tolstoy

　　"My dear Boris," said Princess Anna Mikhaylovna to her son asCountess Rostova's carriage in which they were seated drove over thestraw covered street and turned into the wide courtyard of Count CyrilVladimirovich Bezukhov's house. "My dear Boris," said the mother,drawing her hand from beneath her old mantle and laying it timidly andtenderly on her son's arm, "be affectionate and attentive to him.Count Cyril Vladimirovich is your godfather after all, your futuredepends on him. Remember that, my dear, and be nice to him, as youso well know how to be."

　　"If only I knew that anything besides humiliation would come ofit..." answered her son coldly. "But I have promised and will do itfor your sake."

　　Although the hall porter saw someone's carriage standing at theentrance, after scrutinizing the mother and son (who without asking tobe announced had passed straight through the glass porch between therows of statues in niches) and looking significantly at the lady's oldcloak, he asked whether they wanted the count or the princesses,and, hearing that they wished to see the count, said his excellencywas worse today, and that his excellency was not receiving anyone.

　　"We may as well go back," said the son in French.

　　"My dear!" exclaimed his mother imploringly, again laying her handon his arm as if that touch might soothe or rouse him.

　　Boris said no more, but looked inquiringly at his mother withouttaking off his cloak.

　　"My friend," said Anna Mikhaylovna in gentle tones, addressing thehall porter, I know Count Cyril Vladimirovich is very ill... that'swhy I have come... I am a relation. I shall not disturb him, myfriend... I only need see Prince Vasili Sergeevich: he is stayinghere, is he not? Please announce me."

　　The hall porter sullenly pulled a bell that rang upstairs, andturned away.

　　"Princess Drubetskaya to see Prince Vasili Sergeevich," he called toa footman dressed in knee breeches, shoes, and a swallow-tail coat,who ran downstairs and looked over from the halfway landing.

　　The mother smoothed the folds of her dyed silk dress before alarge Venetian mirror in the wall, and in her trodden-down shoesbriskly ascended the carpeted stairs.

　　"My dear," she said to her son, once more stimulating him by atouch, "you promised me!"

　　The son, lowering his eyes, followed her quietly.

　　They entered the large hall, from which one of the doors led tothe apartments assigned to Prince Vasili.

　　Just as the mother and son, having reached the middle of the hall,were about to ask their way of an elderly footman who had sprung up asthey entered, the bronze handle of one of the doors turned andPrince Vasili came out- wearing a velvet coat with a single star onhis breast, as was his custom when at home- taking leave of agood-looking, dark-haired man. This was the celebrated Petersburgdoctor, Lorrain.

　　"Then it is certain?" said the prince.

　　"Prince, humanum est errare,* but..." replied the doctor, swallowinghis r's, and pronouncing the Latin words with a French accent.

　　*To err is human.

　　"Very well, very well..."

　　Seeing Anna Mikhaylovna and her son, Prince Vasili dismissed thedoctor with a bow and approached them silently and with a look ofinquiry. The son noticed that an expression of profound sorrowsuddenly clouded his mother's face, and he smiled slightly.

　　"Ah, Prince! In what sad circumstances we meet again! And how is ourdear invalid?" said she, as though unaware of the cold offensivelook fixed on her.

　　Prince Vasili stared at her and at Boris questioningly andperplexed. Boris bowed politely. Prince Vasili without acknowledgingthe bow turned to Anna Mikhaylovna, answering her query by amovement of the head and lips indicating very little hope for thepatient.

　　"Is it possible?" exclaimed Anna Mikhaylovna. "Oh, how awful! Itis terrible to think.... This is my son," she added, indicating Boris."He wanted to thank you himself."

　　Boris bowed again politely.

　　"Believe me, Prince, a mother's heart will never forget what youhave done for us."

　　"I am glad I was able to do you a service, my dear AnnaMikhaylovna," said Prince Vasili, arranging his lace frill, and intone and manner, here in Moscow to Anna Mikhaylovna whom he had placedunder an obligation, assuming an air of much greater importance thanhe had done in Petersburg at Anna Scherer's reception.

　　"Try to serve well and show yourself worthy," added he, addressingBoris with severity. "I am glad.... Are you here on leave?" he went onin his usual tone of indifference.

　　"I am awaiting orders to join my new regiment, your excellency,"replied Boris, betraying neither annoyance at the prince's brusquemanner nor a desire to enter into conversation, but speaking soquietly and respectfully that the prince gave him a searching glance.

　　"Are you living with your mother?"

　　"I am living at Countess Rostova's," replied Boris, again adding,"your excellency."

　　"That is, with Ilya Rostov who married Nataly Shinshina," saidAnna Mikhaylovna.

　　"I know, I know," answered Prince Vasili in his monotonous voice. "Inever could understand how Nataly made up her mind to marry thatunlicked bear! A perfectly absurd and stupid fellow, and a gamblertoo, I am told."

　　"But a very kind man, Prince," said Anna Mikhaylovna with a patheticsmile, as though she too knew that Count Rostov deserved this censure,but asked him not to be too hard on the poor old man. "What do thedoctors say?" asked the princess after a pause, her worn face againexpressing deep sorrow.

　　"They give little hope," replied the prince.

　　"And I should so like to thank Uncle once for all his kindness to meand Boris. He is his godson," she added, her tone suggesting that thisfact ought to give Prince Vasili much satisfaction.

　　Prince Vasili became thoughtful and frowned. Anna Mikhaylovna sawthat he was afraid of finding in her a rival for Count Bezukhov'sfortune, and hastened to reassure him.

　　"If it were not for my sincere affection and devotion to Uncle,"said she, uttering the word with peculiar assurance and unconcern,"I know his character: noble, upright... but you see he has no onewith him except the young princesses.... They are still young...." Shebent her head and continued in a whisper: "Has he performed hisfinal duty, Prince? How priceless are those last moments! It canmake things no worse, and it is absolutely necessary to prepare him ifhe is so ill. We women, Prince," and she smiled tenderly, "always knowhow to say these things. I absolutely must see him, however painful itmay be for me. I am used to suffering."

　　Evidently the prince understood her, and also understood, as hehad done at Anna Pavlovna's, that it would be difficult to get ridof Anna Mikhaylovna.

　　"Would not such a meeting be too trying for him, dear AnnaMikhaylovna?" said he. "Let us wait until evening. The doctors areexpecting a crisis."

　　"But one cannot delay, Prince, at such a moment! Consider that thewelfare of his soul is at stake. Ah, it is awful: the duties of aChristian..."

　　A door of one of the inner rooms opened and one of the princesses,the count's niece, entered with a cold, stern face. The length ofher body was strikingly out of proportion to her short legs. PrinceVasili turned to her.

　　"Well, how is he?"

　　"Still the same; but what can you expect, this noise..." said theprincess, looking at Anna Mikhaylovna as at a stranger.

　　"Ah, my dear, I hardly knew you," said Anna Mikhaylovna with a happysmile, ambling lightly up to the count's niece. "I have come, and amat your service to help you nurse my uncle. I imagine what you havegone through," and she sympathetically turned up her eyes.

　　The princess gave no reply and did not even smile, but left the roomat Anna Mikhaylovna took off her gloves and, occupying the positionshe had conquered, settled down in an armchair, inviting Prince Vasilito take a seat beside her.

　　"Boris," she said to her son with a smile, "I shall go in to see thecount, my uncle; but you, my dear, had better go to Pierre meanwhileand don't forget to give him the Rostovs' invitation. They ask himto dinner. I suppose he won't go?" she continued, turning to theprince.

　　"On the contrary," replied the prince, who had plainly becomedepressed, "I shall be only too glad if you relieve me of that youngman.... Here he is, and the count has not once asked for him."

　　He shrugged his shoulders. A footman conducted Boris down one flightof stairs and up another, to Pierre's rooms.