War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy

CHAPTER IX

908 words | Chapter 134

At that time, as always happens, the highest society that met at court and at the grand balls was divided into several circles, each with its own particular tone. The largest of these was the French circle of the Napoleonic alliance, the circle of Count Rumyántsev and Caulaincourt. In this group Hélène, as soon as she had settled in Petersburg with her husband, took a very prominent place. She was visited by the members of the French embassy and by many belonging to that circle and noted for their intellect and polished manners. Hélène had been at Erfurt during the famous meeting of the Emperors and had brought from there these connections with the Napoleonic notabilities. At Erfurt her success had been brilliant. Napoleon himself had noticed her in the theater and said of her: “C’est un superbe animal.” * Her success as a beautiful and elegant woman did not surprise Pierre, for she had become even handsomer than before. What did surprise him was that during these last two years his wife had succeeded in gaining the reputation “d’ une femme charmante, aussi spirituelle que belle.” *(2) The distinguished Prince de Ligne wrote her eight-page letters. Bilíbin saved up his epigrams to produce them in Countess Bezúkhova’s presence. To be received in the Countess Bezúkhova’s salon was regarded as a diploma of intellect. Young men read books before attending Hélène’s evenings, to have something to say in her salon, and secretaries of the embassy, and even ambassadors, confided diplomatic secrets to her, so that in a way Hélène was a power. Pierre, who knew she was very stupid, sometimes attended, with a strange feeling of perplexity and fear, her evenings and dinner parties, where politics, poetry, and philosophy were discussed. At these parties his feelings were like those of a conjuror who always expects his trick to be found out at any moment. But whether because stupidity was just what was needed to run such a salon, or because those who were deceived found pleasure in the deception, at any rate it remained unexposed and Hélène Bezúkhova’s reputation as a lovely and clever woman became so firmly established that she could say the emptiest and stupidest things and everybody would go into raptures over every word of hers and look for a profound meaning in it of which she herself had no conception. * “That’s a superb animal.” * (2) “Of a charming woman, as witty as she is lovely.” Pierre was just the husband needed for a brilliant society woman. He was that absent-minded crank, a grand seigneur husband who was in no one’s way, and far from spoiling the high tone and general impression of the drawing room, he served, by the contrast he presented to her, as an advantageous background to his elegant and tactful wife. Pierre during the last two years, as a result of his continual absorption in abstract interests and his sincere contempt for all else, had acquired in his wife’s circle, which did not interest him, that air of unconcern, indifference, and benevolence toward all, which cannot be acquired artificially and therefore inspires involuntary respect. He entered his wife’s drawing room as one enters a theater, was acquainted with everybody, equally pleased to see everyone, and equally indifferent to them all. Sometimes he joined in a conversation which interested him and, regardless of whether any “gentlemen of the embassy” were present or not, lispingly expressed his views, which were sometimes not at all in accord with the accepted tone of the moment. But the general opinion concerning the queer husband of “the most distinguished woman in Petersburg” was so well established that no one took his freaks seriously. Among the many young men who frequented her house every day, Borís Drubetskóy, who had already achieved great success in the service, was the most intimate friend of the Bezúkhov household since Hélène’s return from Erfurt. Hélène spoke of him as “mon page” and treated him like a child. Her smile for him was the same as for everybody, but sometimes that smile made Pierre uncomfortable. Toward him Borís behaved with a particularly dignified and sad deference. This shade of deference also disturbed Pierre. He had suffered so painfully three years before from the mortification to which his wife had subjected him that he now protected himself from the danger of its repetition, first by not being a husband to his wife, and secondly by not allowing himself to suspect. “No, now that she has become a bluestocking she has finally renounced her former infatuations,” he told himself. “There has never been an instance of a bluestocking being carried away by affairs of the heart”—a statement which, though gathered from an unknown source, he believed implicitly. Yet strange to say Borís’ presence in his wife’s drawing room (and he was almost always there) had a physical effect upon Pierre; it constricted his limbs and destroyed the unconsciousness and freedom of his movements. “What a strange antipathy,” thought Pierre, “yet I used to like him very much.” In the eyes of the world Pierre was a great gentleman, the rather blind and absurd husband of a distinguished wife, a clever crank who did nothing but harmed nobody and was a first-rate, good-natured fellow. But a complex and difficult process of internal development was taking place all this time in Pierre’s soul, revealing much to him and causing him many spiritual doubts and joys.

Chapters

1. Chapter 1 2. CHAPTER XXVIII 3. CHAPTER XXI 4. CHAPTER XIX 5. CHAPTER XVI 6. CHAPTER XXII 7. CHAPTER XXVI 8. CHAPTER XIII 9. CHAPTER XXII 10. CHAPTER XXIII 11. CHAPTER XXXIX 12. CHAPTER XXXIV 13. CHAPTER XVI 14. CHAPTER XIX 15. CHAPTER XIX 16. CHAPTER XX 17. CHAPTER XVI 18. CHAPTER XII 19. CHAPTER I 20. CHAPTER II 21. CHAPTER III 22. CHAPTER IV 23. CHAPTER V 24. CHAPTER VI 25. CHAPTER VII 26. CHAPTER VIII 27. CHAPTER IX 28. CHAPTER X 29. CHAPTER XI 30. CHAPTER XII 31. CHAPTER XIII 32. CHAPTER XIV 33. CHAPTER XV 34. CHAPTER XVI 35. CHAPTER XVII 36. CHAPTER XVIII 37. CHAPTER XIX 38. CHAPTER XX 39. CHAPTER XXI 40. CHAPTER XXII 41. CHAPTER XXIII 42. CHAPTER XXIV 43. CHAPTER XXV 44. CHAPTER XXVI 45. CHAPTER XXVII 46. CHAPTER XXVIII 47. CHAPTER I 48. CHAPTER II 49. CHAPTER III 50. CHAPTER IV 51. CHAPTER V 52. CHAPTER VI 53. CHAPTER VII 54. CHAPTER VIII 55. CHAPTER IX 56. CHAPTER X 57. CHAPTER XI 58. CHAPTER XII 59. CHAPTER XIII 60. CHAPTER XIV 61. CHAPTER XV 62. CHAPTER XVI 63. CHAPTER XVII 64. CHAPTER XVIII 65. CHAPTER XIX 66. CHAPTER XX 67. CHAPTER XXI 68. CHAPTER I 69. CHAPTER II 70. CHAPTER III 71. CHAPTER IV 72. CHAPTER V 73. CHAPTER VI 74. CHAPTER VII 75. CHAPTER VIII 76. CHAPTER IX 77. CHAPTER X 78. CHAPTER XI 79. CHAPTER XII 80. CHAPTER XIII 81. CHAPTER XIV 82. CHAPTER XV 83. CHAPTER XVI 84. CHAPTER XVII 85. CHAPTER XVIII 86. CHAPTER XIX 87. CHAPTER I 88. CHAPTER II 89. CHAPTER III 90. CHAPTER IV 91. CHAPTER V 92. CHAPTER VI 93. CHAPTER VII 94. CHAPTER VIII 95. CHAPTER IX 96. CHAPTER X 97. CHAPTER XI 98. CHAPTER XII 99. CHAPTER XIII 100. CHAPTER XIV 101. CHAPTER XV 102. CHAPTER XVI 103. CHAPTER I 104. CHAPTER II 105. CHAPTER III 106. 1. Discretion, the keeping of the secrets of the Order. 2. Obedience to 107. CHAPTER IV 108. CHAPTER V 109. CHAPTER VI 110. CHAPTER VII 111. CHAPTER VIII 112. CHAPTER IX 113. CHAPTER X 114. CHAPTER XI 115. CHAPTER XII 116. CHAPTER XIII 117. CHAPTER XIV 118. CHAPTER XV 119. CHAPTER XVI 120. CHAPTER XVII 121. CHAPTER XVIII 122. CHAPTER XIX 123. CHAPTER XX 124. CHAPTER XXI 125. CHAPTER XXII 126. CHAPTER I 127. CHAPTER II 128. CHAPTER III 129. CHAPTER IV 130. CHAPTER V 131. CHAPTER VI 132. CHAPTER VII 133. CHAPTER VIII 134. CHAPTER IX 135. CHAPTER X 136. CHAPTER XI 137. CHAPTER XII 138. CHAPTER XIII 139. CHAPTER XIV 140. CHAPTER XV 141. CHAPTER XVI 142. CHAPTER XVII 143. CHAPTER XVIII 144. CHAPTER XIX 145. CHAPTER XX 146. CHAPTER XXI 147. CHAPTER XXII 148. CHAPTER XXIII 149. CHAPTER XXIV 150. CHAPTER XXV 151. CHAPTER XXVI 152. CHAPTER I 153. CHAPTER II 154. CHAPTER III 155. CHAPTER IV 156. CHAPTER V 157. CHAPTER VI 158. CHAPTER VII 159. CHAPTER VIII 160. CHAPTER IX 161. CHAPTER X 162. CHAPTER XI 163. CHAPTER XII 164. CHAPTER XIII 165. CHAPTER I 166. CHAPTER II 167. CHAPTER III 168. CHAPTER IV 169. CHAPTER V 170. CHAPTER VI 171. CHAPTER VII 172. CHAPTER VIII 173. CHAPTER IX 174. CHAPTER X 175. CHAPTER XI 176. CHAPTER XII 177. CHAPTER XIII 178. CHAPTER XIV 179. CHAPTER XV 180. CHAPTER XVI 181. CHAPTER XVII 182. CHAPTER XVIII 183. CHAPTER XIX 184. CHAPTER XX 185. CHAPTER XXI 186. CHAPTER XXII 187. CHAPTER I 188. CHAPTER II 189. CHAPTER III 190. CHAPTER IV 191. CHAPTER V 192. CHAPTER VI 193. CHAPTER VII 194. CHAPTER VIII 195. CHAPTER IX 196. CHAPTER X 197. CHAPTER XI 198. CHAPTER XII 199. CHAPTER XIII 200. CHAPTER XIV 201. CHAPTER XV 202. CHAPTER XVI 203. CHAPTER XVII 204. CHAPTER XVIII 205. CHAPTER XIX 206. CHAPTER XX 207. CHAPTER XXI 208. CHAPTER XXII 209. CHAPTER XXIII 210. CHAPTER I 211. CHAPTER II 212. CHAPTER III 213. CHAPTER IV 214. CHAPTER V 215. CHAPTER VI 216. CHAPTER VII 217. CHAPTER VIII 218. CHAPTER IX 219. CHAPTER X 220. CHAPTER XI 221. CHAPTER XII 222. CHAPTER XIII 223. CHAPTER XIV 224. CHAPTER XV 225. CHAPTER XVI 226. CHAPTER XVII 227. CHAPTER XVIII 228. CHAPTER XIX 229. CHAPTER XX 230. CHAPTER XXI 231. CHAPTER XXII 232. CHAPTER XXIII 233. CHAPTER XXIV 234. CHAPTER XXV 235. CHAPTER XXVI 236. CHAPTER XXVII 237. CHAPTER XXVIII 238. CHAPTER XXIX 239. CHAPTER XXX 240. CHAPTER XXXI 241. CHAPTER XXXII 242. CHAPTER XXXIII 243. CHAPTER XXXIV 244. CHAPTER XXXV 245. CHAPTER XXXVI 246. CHAPTER XXXVII 247. CHAPTER XXXVIII 248. CHAPTER XXXIX 249. CHAPTER I 250. CHAPTER II 251. CHAPTER III 252. CHAPTER IV 253. CHAPTER V 254. CHAPTER VI 255. CHAPTER VII 256. CHAPTER VIII 257. CHAPTER IX 258. CHAPTER X 259. CHAPTER XI 260. CHAPTER XII 261. CHAPTER XIII 262. CHAPTER XIV 263. CHAPTER XV 264. CHAPTER XVI 265. CHAPTER XVII 266. CHAPTER XVIII 267. CHAPTER XIX 268. CHAPTER XX 269. CHAPTER XXI 270. CHAPTER XXII 271. CHAPTER XXIII 272. CHAPTER XXIV 273. CHAPTER XXV 274. CHAPTER XXVI 275. CHAPTER XXVII 276. CHAPTER XXVIII 277. CHAPTER XXIX 278. CHAPTER XXX 279. CHAPTER XXXI 280. CHAPTER XXXII 281. CHAPTER XXXIII 282. CHAPTER XXXIV 283. CHAPTER I 284. CHAPTER II 285. CHAPTER III 286. CHAPTER IV 287. CHAPTER V 288. CHAPTER VI 289. CHAPTER VII 290. CHAPTER VIII 291. CHAPTER IX 292. CHAPTER X 293. CHAPTER XI 294. CHAPTER XII 295. CHAPTER XIII 296. CHAPTER XIV 297. CHAPTER XV 298. CHAPTER XVI 299. CHAPTER I 300. CHAPTER II 301. CHAPTER III 302. CHAPTER IV 303. CHAPTER V 304. CHAPTER VI 305. CHAPTER VII 306. CHAPTER VIII 307. CHAPTER IX 308. CHAPTER X 309. CHAPTER XI 310. CHAPTER XII 311. CHAPTER XIII 312. CHAPTER XIV 313. CHAPTER XV 314. CHAPTER XVI 315. CHAPTER XVII 316. CHAPTER XVIII 317. CHAPTER XIX 318. CHAPTER I 319. CHAPTER II 320. CHAPTER III 321. CHAPTER IV 322. CHAPTER V 323. CHAPTER VI 324. CHAPTER VII 325. CHAPTER VIII 326. CHAPTER IX 327. CHAPTER X 328. CHAPTER XI 329. CHAPTER XII 330. CHAPTER XIII 331. CHAPTER XIV 332. CHAPTER XV 333. CHAPTER XVI 334. CHAPTER XVII 335. CHAPTER XVIII 336. CHAPTER XIX 337. CHAPTER I 338. CHAPTER II 339. CHAPTER III 340. CHAPTER IV 341. CHAPTER V 342. CHAPTER VI 343. CHAPTER VII 344. CHAPTER VIII 345. CHAPTER IX 346. CHAPTER X 347. CHAPTER XI 348. CHAPTER XII 349. CHAPTER XIII 350. CHAPTER XIV 351. CHAPTER XV 352. CHAPTER XVI 353. CHAPTER XVII 354. CHAPTER XVIII 355. CHAPTER XIX 356. CHAPTER XX 357. CHAPTER I 358. CHAPTER II 359. CHAPTER III 360. CHAPTER IV 361. CHAPTER V 362. CHAPTER VI 363. CHAPTER VII 364. CHAPTER VIII 365. CHAPTER IX 366. CHAPTER X 367. CHAPTER XI 368. CHAPTER XII 369. CHAPTER XIII 370. CHAPTER XIV 371. CHAPTER XV 372. CHAPTER XVI 373. CHAPTER I 374. CHAPTER II 375. CHAPTER III 376. CHAPTER IV 377. CHAPTER V 378. CHAPTER VI 379. CHAPTER VII 380. CHAPTER VIII 381. CHAPTER IX 382. CHAPTER X 383. CHAPTER XI 384. CHAPTER XII

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