Book Eight: 1811-12 - Chapter XI

by Leo Tolstoy

　　Anatole Kuragin was staying in Moscow because his father had senthim away from Petersburg, where he had been spending twenty thousandrubles a year in cash, besides running up debts for as much more,which his creditors demanded from his father.

　　His father announced to him that he would now pay half his debts forthe last time, but only on condition that he went to Moscow asadjutant to the commander in chief- a post his father had procured forhim- and would at last try to make a good match there. He indicated tohim Princess Mary and Julie Karagina.

　　Anatole consented and went to Moscow, where he put up at Pierre'shouse. Pierre received him unwillingly at first, but got used to himafter a while, sometimes even accompanied him on his carousals, andgave him money under the guise of loans.

　　As Shinshin had remarked, from the time of his arrival Anatole hadturned the heads of the Moscow ladies, especially by the fact thathe slighted them and plainly preferred the gypsy girls and Frenchactresses- with the chief of whom, Mademoiselle George, he was said tobe on intimate relations. He had never missed a carousal atDanilov's or other Moscow revelers', drank whole nights through,outvying everyone else, and was at all the balls and parties of thebest society. There was talk of his intrigues with some of the ladies,and he flirted with a few of them at the balls. But he did not runafter the unmarried girls, especially the rich heiresses who were mostof them plain. There was a special reason for this, as he had gotmarried two years before- a fact known only to his most intimatefriends. At that time while with his regiment in Poland, a Polishlandowner of small means had forced him to marry his daughter. Anatolehad very soon abandoned his wife and, for a payment which he agreed tosend to his father-in-law, had arranged to be free to pass himself offas a bachelor.

　　Anatole was always content with his position, with himself, and withothers. He was instinctively and thoroughly convinced that wasimpossible for him to live otherwise than as he did and that he hadnever in his life done anything base. He was incapable ofconsidering how his actions might affect others or what theconsequences of this or that action of his might be. He wasconvinced that, as a duck is so made that it must live in water, soGod had made him such that he must spend thirty thousand rubles a yearand always occupy a prominent position in society. He believed this sofirmly that others, looking at him, were persuaded of it too and didnot refuse him either a leading place in society or money, which heborrowed from anyone and everyone and evidently would not repay.

　　He was not a gambler, at any rate he did not care about winning.He was not vain. He did not mind what people thought of him. Stillless could he be accused of ambition. More than once he had vexedhis father by spoiling his own career, and he laughed atdistinctions of all kinds. He was not mean, and did not refuseanyone who asked of him. All he cared about was gaiety and women,and as according to his ideas there was nothing dishonorable inthese tastes, and he was incapable of considering what thegratification of his tastes entailed for others, he honestlyconsidered himself irreproachable, sincerely despised rogues and badpeople, and with a tranquil conscience carried his head high.

　　Rakes, those male Magdalenes, have a secret feeling of innocencesimilar to that which female Magdalenes have, based on the same hopeof forgiveness. "All will be forgiven her, for she loved much; and allwill be forgiven him, for he enjoyed much."

　　Dolokhov, who had reappeared that year in Moscow after his exile andhis Persian adventures, and was leading a life of luxury, gambling,and dissipation, associated with his old Petersburg comrade Kuraginand made use of him for his own ends.

　　Anatole was sincerely fond of Dolokhov for his cleverness andaudacity. Dolokhov, who needed Anatole Kuragin's name, position, andconnections as a bait to draw rich young men into his gambling set,made use of him and amused himself at his expense without lettingthe other feel it. Apart from the advantage he derived from Anatole,the very process of dominating another's will was in itself apleasure, a habit, and a necessity to Dolokhov.

　　Natasha had made a strong impression on Kuragin. At supper after theopera he described to Dolokhov with the air of a connoisseur theattractions of her arms, shoulders, feet, and hair and expressed hisintention of making love to her. Anatole had no notion and wasincapable of considering what might come of such love-making, as henever had any notion of the outcome of any of his actions.

　　"She's first-rate, my dear fellow, but not for us," repliedDolokhov.

　　"I will tell my sister to ask her to dinner," said Anatole. "Eh?"

　　"You'd better wait till she's married...."

　　"You know, I adore little girls, they lose their heads at once,"pursued Anatole.

　　"You have been caught once already by a 'little girl,'" saidDolokhov who knew of Kuragin's marriage. "Take care!"

　　"Well, that can't happen twice! Eh?" said Anatole, with agood-humored laugh.