Book One: 1805 - Chapter XXIV

by Leo Tolstoy

　　There was now no one in the reception room except Prince Vasiliand the eldest princess, who were sitting under the portrait ofCatherine the Great and talking eagerly. As soon as they saw Pierreand his companion they became silent, and Pierre thought he saw theprincess hide something as she whispered:

　　"I can't bear the sight of that woman."

　　"Catiche has had tea served in the small drawing room," saidPrince Vasili to Anna Mikhaylovna. "Go and take something, my poorAnna Mikhaylovna, or you will not hold out."

　　To Pierre he said nothing, merely giving his arm a sympatheticsqueeze below the shoulder. Pierre went with Anna Mikhaylovna into thesmall drawing room.

　　"There is nothing so refreshing after a sleepless night as a cupof this delicious Russian tea," Lorrain was saying with an air ofrestrained animation as he stood sipping tea from a delicate Chinesehandleless cup before a table on which tea and a cold supper were laidin the small circular room. Around the table all who were at CountBezukhov's house that night had gathered to fortify themselves. Pierrewell remembered this small circular drawing room with its mirrorsand little tables. During balls given at the house Pierre, who did notknow how to dance, had liked sitting in this room to watch theladies who, as they passed through in their ball dresses with diamondsand pearls on their bare shoulders, looked at themselves in thebrilliantly lighted mirrors which repeated their reflections severaltimes. Now this same room was dimly lighted by two candles. On onesmall table tea things and supper dishes stood in disorder, and in themiddle of the night a motley throng of people sat there, notmerrymaking, but somberly whispering, and betraying by every wordand movement that they none of them forgot what was happening and whatwas about to happen in the bedroom. Pierre did not eat anything thoughhe would very much have liked to. He looked inquiringly at hismonitress and saw that she was again going on tiptoe to thereception room where they had left Prince Vasili and the eldestprincess. Pierre concluded that this also was essential, and after ashort interval followed her. Anna Mikhaylovna was standing besidethe princess, and they were both speaking in excited whispers.

　　"Permit me, Princess, to know what is necessary and what is notnecessary," said the younger of the two speakers, evidently in thesame state of excitement as when she had slammed the door of her room.

　　"But, my dear princess," answered Anna Mikhaylovna blandly butimpressively, blocking the way to the bedroom and preventing the otherfrom passing, "won't this be too much for poor Uncle at a momentwhen he needs repose? Worldly conversation at a moment when his soulis already prepared..."

　　Prince Vasili was seated in an easy chair in his familiarattitude, with one leg crossed high above the other. His cheeks, whichwere so flabby that they looked heavier below, were twitchingviolently; but he wore the air of a man little concerned in what thetwo ladies were saying.

　　"Come, my dear Anna Mikhaylovna, let Catiche do as she pleases.You know how fond the count is of her."

　　"I don't even know what is in this paper," said the younger of thetwo ladies, addressing Prince Vasili and pointing to an inlaidportfolio she held in her hand. "All I know is that his real will isin his writing table, and this is a paper he has forgotten...."

　　She tried to pass Anna Mikhaylovna, but the latter sprang so as tobar her path.

　　"I know, my dear, kind princess," said Anna Mikhaylovna, seizing theportfolio so firmly that it was plain she would not let go easily."Dear princess, I beg and implore you, have some pity on him! Jevous en conjure..."

　　The princess did not reply. Their efforts in the struggle for theportfolio were the only sounds audible, but it was evident that if theprincess did speak, her words would not be flattering to AnnaMikhaylovna. Though the latter held on tenaciously, her voice lostnone of its honeyed firmness and softness.

　　"Pierre, my dear, come here. I think he will not be out of placein a family consultation; is it not so, Prince?"

　　"Why don't you speak, cousin?" suddenly shrieked the princess soloud that those in the drawing room heard her and were startled."Why do you remain silent when heaven knows who permits herself tointerfere, making a scene on the very threshold of a dying man's room?Intriguer!" she hissed viciously, and tugged with all her might at theportfolio.

　　But Anna Mikhaylovna went forward a step or two to keep her holdon the portfolio, and changed her grip.

　　Prince Vasili rose. "Oh!" said he with reproach and surprise,"this is absurd! Come, let go I tell you."

　　The princess let go.

　　"And you too!"

　　But Anna Mikhaylovna did not obey him.

　　"Let go, I tell you! I will take the responsibility. I myself willgo and ask him, I!... does that satisfy you?"

　　"But, Prince," said Anna Mikhaylovna, "after such a solemnsacrament, allow him a moment's peace! Here, Pierre, tell them youropinion," said she, turning to the young man who, having come quiteclose, was gazing with astonishment at the angry face of theprincess which had lost all dignity, and at the twitching cheeks ofPrince Vasili.

　　"Remember that you will answer for the consequences," said PrinceVasili severely. "You don't know what you are doing."

　　"Vile woman!" shouted the princess, darting unexpectedly at AnnaMikhaylovna and snatching the portfolio from her.

　　Prince Vasili bent his head and spread out his hands.

　　At this moment that terrible door, which Pierre had watched solong and which had always opened so quietly, burst noisily open andbanged against the wall, and the second of the three sisters rushedout wringing her hands.

　　"What are you doing!" she cried vehemently. "He is dying and youleave me alone with him!"

　　Her sister dropped the portfolio. Anna Mikhaylovna, stooping,quickly caught up the object of contention and ran into the bedroom.The eldest princess and Prince Vasili, recovering themselves, followedher. A few minutes later the eldest sister came out with a pale hardface, again biting her underlip. At sight of Pierre her expressionshowed an irrepressible hatred.

　　"Yes, now you may be glad!" said she; "this is what you have beenwaiting for." And bursting into tears she hid her face in herhandkerchief and rushed from the room.

　　Prince Vasili came next. He staggered to the sofa on which Pierrewas sitting and dropped onto it, covering his face with his hand.Pierre noticed that he was pale and that his jaw quivered and shook asif in an ague.

　　"Ah, my friend!" said he, taking Pierre by the elbow; and therewas in his voice a sincerity and weakness Pierre had never observed init before. "How often we sin, how much we deceive, and all for what? Iam near sixty, dear friend... I too... All will end in death, all!Death is awful..." and he burst into tears.

　　Anna Mikhaylovna came out last. She approached Pierre with slow,quiet steps.

　　"Pierre!" she said.

　　Pierre gave her an inquiring look. She kissed the young man on hisforehead, wetting him with her tears. Then after a pause she said:

　　"He is no more...."

　　Pierre looked at her over his spectacles.

　　"Come, I will go with you. Try to weep, nothing gives such relief astears."

　　She led him into the dark drawing room and Pierre was glad no onecould see his face. Anna Mikhaylovna left him, and when she returnedhe was fast asleep with his head on his arm.

　　In the morning Anna Mikhaylovna said to Pierre:

　　"Yes, my dear, this is a great loss for us all, not to speak of you.But God will support you: you are young, and are now, I hope, incommand of an immense fortune. The will has not yet been opened. Iknow you well enough to be sure that this will not turn your head, butit imposes duties on you, and you must be a man."

　　Pierre was silent.

　　"Perhaps later on I may tell you, my dear boy, that if I had notbeen there, God only knows what would have happened! You know, Unclepromised me only the day before yesterday not to forget Boris. Buthe had no time. I hope, my dear friend, you will carry out yourfather's wish?"

　　Pierre understood nothing of all this and coloring shyly looked insilence at Princess Anna Mikhaylovna. After her talk with Pierre, AnnaMikhaylovna returned to the Rostovs' and went to bed. On waking in themorning she told the Rostovs and all her acquaintances the detailsof Count Bezukhov's death. She said the count had died as she wouldherself wish to die, that his end was not only touching butedifying. As to the last meeting between father and son, it was sotouching that she could not think of it without tears, and did notknow which had behaved better during those awful moments- the fatherwho so remembered everything and everybody at last and last and hadspoken such pathetic words to the son, or Pierre, whom it had beenpitiful to see, so stricken was he with grief, though he tried hard tohide it in order not to sadden his dying father. "It is painful, butit does one good. It uplifts the soul to see such men as the old countand his worthy son," said she. Of the behavior of the eldestprincess and Prince Vasili she spoke disapprovingly, but in whispersand as a great secret.