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Chapter 18 - Dinner at Speránski’s
Next day Prince Andrey thought of the ball, but his mind did not dwell on it long. “Yes, it was a very brilliant ball,” and then . . . “Yes, that little Rostova is very charming. There’s something fresh, original, un-Petersburg-like about her that distinguishes her.” That was all he thought about yesterday’s ball, and after his morning tea he set to work.
But either from fatigue1 or want of sleep he was ill-disposed for work and could get nothing done. He kept criticizing his own work, as he often did, and was glad when he heard someone coming.
The visitor was Bitski, who served on various committees, frequented all the societies in Petersburg, and a passionate2 devotee of the new ideas and of Speranski, and a diligent3 Petersburg newsmonger — one of those men who choose their opinions like their clothes according to the fashion, but who for that very reason appear to be the warmest partisans4. Hardly had he got rid of his hat before he ran into Prince Andrey’s room with a preoccupied5 air and at once began talking. He had just heard particulars of that morning’s sitting of the Council of State opened by the Emperor, and he spoke6 of it enthusiastically. The Emperor’s speech had been extraordinary. It had been a speech such as only constitutional monarchs7 deliver. “The Sovereign plainly said that the Council and Senate are estates of the realm, he said that the government must rest not on authority but on secure bases. The Emperor said that the fiscal8 system must be reorganized and the accounts published,” recounted Bitski, emphasizing certain words and opening his eyes significantly.
Prince Andrey listened to the account of the opening of the Council of State, which he had so impatiently awaited and to which he had attached such importance, and was surprised that this event, now that it had taken place, did not affect him, and even seemed quite insignificant10. He listened with quiet irony11 to Bitski’s enthusiastic account of it. A very simple thought occurred to him: “What does it matter to me or to Bitski what the Emperor was pleased to say at the Council? Can all that make me any happier or better?”
And this simple reflection suddenly destroyed all the interest Prince Andrey had felt in the impending12 reforms. He was going to dine that evening at Speranski’s, “with only a few friends,” as the host had said when inviting13 him. The prospect14 of that dinner in the intimate home circle of the man he so admired had greatly interested Prince Andrey, especially as he had not yet seen Speranski in his domestic surroundings, but now he felt disinclined to go to it.
At the appointed hour, however, he entered the modest house Speranski owned in the Taurida Gardens. In the parqueted15 dining room this small house, remarkable16 for its extreme cleanliness (suggesting that of a monastery), Prince Andrey, who was rather late, found the friendly gathering17 of Speranski’s intimate acquaintances already assembled at five o’clock. There were no ladies present except Speranski’s little daughter (long-faced like her father) and her governess. The other guests were Gervais, Magnitski, and Stolypin. While still in the anteroom Prince Andrey heard loud voices and a ringing staccato laugh — a laugh such as one hears on the stage. Someone — it sounded like Speranski — was distinctly ejaculating ha-ha-ha. Prince Andrey had never before heard Speranski’s famous laugh, and this ringing, high pitched laughter from a statesman made a strange impression on him.
He entered the dining room. The whole company were standing18 between two windows at a small table laid with hors-d’oeuvres. Speranski, wearing a gray swallow-tail coat with a star on the breast, and evidently still the same waistcoat and high white stock he had worn at the meeting of the Council of State, stood at the table with a beaming countenance19. His guests surrounded him. Magnitski, addressing himself to Speranski, was relating an anecdote20, and Speranski was laughing in advance at what Magnitski was going to say. When Prince Andrey entered the room Magnitski’s words were again crowned by laughter. Stolypin gave a deep bass21 guffaw22 as he munched23 a piece of bread and cheese. Gervais laughed softly with a hissing24 chuckle25, and Speranski in a high-pitched staccato manner.
Still laughing, Speranski held out his soft white hand to Prince Andrey.
“Very pleased to see you, Prince,” he said. “One moment . . . ” he went on, turning to Magnitski and interrupting his story. “We have agreed that this is a dinner for recreation, with not a word about business!” and turning again to the narrator he began to laugh afresh.
Prince Andrey looked at the laughing Speranski with astonishment26, regret, and disillusionment. It seemed to him that this was not Speranski but someone else. Everything that had formerly27 appeared mysterious and fascinating in Speranski suddenly became plain and unattractive.
At dinner the conversation did not cease for a moment and seemed to consist of the contents of a book of funny anecdotes28. Before Magnitski had finished his story someone else was anxious to relate something still funnier. Most of the anecdotes, if not relating to the state service, related to people in the service. It seemed that in this company the insignificance29 of those people was so definitely accepted that the only possible attitude toward them was one of good humored ridicule30. Speranski related how at the Council that morning a deaf dignitary, when asked his opinion, replied that he thought so too. Gervais gave a long account of an official revision, remarkable for the stupidity of everybody concerned. Stolypin, stuttering, broke into the conversation and began excitedly talking of the abuses that existed under the former order of things — threatening to give a serious turn to the conversation. Magnitski starting quizzing Stolypin about his vehemence31. Gervais intervened with a joke, and the talk reverted32 to its former lively tone.
Evidently Speranski liked to rest after his labors33 and find amusement in a circle of friends, and his guests, understanding his wish, tried to enliven him and amuse themselves. But their gaiety seemed to Prince Andrey mirthless and tiresome34. Speranski’s high-pitched voice struck him unpleasantly, and the incessant35 laughter grated on him like a false note. Prince Andrey did not laugh and feared that he would be a damper on the spirits of the company, but no one took any notice of his being out of harmony with the general mood. They all seemed very gay.
He tried several times to join in the conversation, but his remarks were tossed aside each time like a cork36 thrown out of the water, and he could not jest with them.
There was nothing wrong or unseemly in what they said, it was witty37 and might have been funny, but it lacked just that something which is the salt of mirth, and they were not even aware that such a thing existed.
After dinner Speranski’s daughter and her governess rose. He patted the little girl with his white hand and kissed her. And that gesture, too, seemed unnatural38 to Prince Andrey.
The men remained at table over their port — English fashion. In the midst of a conversation that was started about Napoleon’s Spanish affairs, which they all agreed in approving, Prince Andrey began to express a contrary opinion. Speranski smiled and, with an evident wish to prevent the conversation from taking an unpleasant course, told a story that had no connection with the previous conversation. For a few moments all were silent.
Having sat some time at table, Speranski corked39 a bottle of wine and, remarking, “Nowadays good wine rides in a carriage and pair,” passed it to the servant and got up. All rose and continuing to talk loudly went into the drawing room. Two letters brought by a courier were handed to Speranski and he took them to his study. As soon as he had left the room the general merriment stopped and the guests began to converse40 sensibly and quietly with one another.
“Now for the recitation!” said Speranski on returning from his study. “A wonderful talent!” he said to Prince Andrey, and Magnitski immediately assumed a pose and began reciting some humorous verses in French which he had composed about various well-known Petersburg people. He was interrupted several times by applause. When the verses were finished Prince Andrey went up to Speranski and took his leave.
“Where are you off to so early?” asked Speranski.
“I promised to go to a reception.”
They said no more. Prince Andrey looked closely into those mirrorlike, impenetrable eyes, and felt that it had been ridiculous of him to have expected anything from Speranski and from any of his own activities connected with him, or ever to have attributed importance to what Speranski was doing. That precise, mirthless laughter rang in Prince Andrey’s ears long after he had left the house.
When he reached home Prince Andrey began thinking of his life in Petersburg during those last four months as if it were something new. He recalled his exertions41 and solicitations, and the history of his project of army reform, which had been accepted for consideration and which they were trying to pass over in silence simply because another, a very poor one, had already been prepared and submitted to the Emperor. He thought of the meetings of a committee of which Berg was a member. He remembered how carefully and at what length everything relating to form and procedure was discussed at those meetings, and how sedulously42 and promptly43 all that related to the gist44 of the business was evaded45. He recalled his labors on the Legal Code, and how painstakingly46 he had translated the articles of the Roman and French codes into Russian, and he felt ashamed of himself. Then he vividly47 pictured to himself Bogucharovo, his occupations in the country, his journey to Ryazan; he remembered the peasants and Dron the village elder, and mentally applying to them the Personal Rights he had divided into paragraphs, he felt astonished that he could have spent so much time on such useless work.
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1
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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diligent
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| adj.勤勉的，勤奋的 | |
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4
partisans
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| 游击队员( partisan的名词复数 )； 党人； 党羽； 帮伙 | |
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preoccupied
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| adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式) | |
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6
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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monarchs
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| 君主，帝王( monarch的名词复数 ) | |
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fiscal
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| adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的 | |
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epoch
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| n.(新)时代；历元 | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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12
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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15
parqueted
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| v.镶木地板( parquet的过去式 )；（剧场的）正厅后排 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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18
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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21
bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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22
guffaw
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| n.哄笑；突然的大笑 | |
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23
munched
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| v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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25
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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26
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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27
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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28
anecdotes
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| n.掌故，趣闻，轶事( anecdote的名词复数 ) | |
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29
insignificance
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| n.不重要；无价值；无意义 | |
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30
ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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31
vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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32
reverted
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| 恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
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33
labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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34
tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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35
incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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36
cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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38
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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39
corked
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| adj.带木塞气味的，塞着瓶塞的v.用瓶塞塞住( cork的过去式 ) | |
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40
converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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41
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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42
sedulously
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| ad.孜孜不倦地 | |
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43
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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44
gist
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| n.要旨；梗概 | |
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45
evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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46
painstakingly
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| adv. 费力地 苦心地 | |
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47
vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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