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Chapter 20 - Nikolai tries to present Denísov’s petition
Rostov had come to Tilsit the day least suitable for a petition on Denisov’s behalf. He could not himself go to the general in attendance as he was in mufti and had come to Tilsit without permission to do so, and Boris, even had he wished to, could not have done so on the following day. On that day, June 27, the preliminaries of peace were signed. The Emperors exchanged decorations: Alexander received the Cross of the Legion of Honor and Napoleon the Order of St. Andrey of the First Degree, and a dinner had been arranged for the evening, given by a battalion1 of the French Guards to the Preobrazhensk battalion. The Emperors were to be present at that banquet.
Rostov felt so ill at ease and uncomfortable with Boris that, when the latter looked in after supper, he pretended to be asleep, and early next morning went away, avoiding Boris. In his civilian2 clothes and a round hat, he wandered about the town, staring at the French and their uniforms and at the streets and houses where the Russian and French Emperors were staying. In a square he saw tables being set up and preparations made for the dinner; he saw the Russian and French colors draped from side to side of the streets, with hugh monograms3 A and N. In the windows of the houses also flags and bunting were displayed.
“Boris doesn’t want to help me and I don’t want to ask him. That’s settled,” thought Nikolai. “All is over between us, but I won’t leave here without having done all I can for Denisov and certainly not without getting his letter to the Emperor. The Emperor! . . . He is here!” thought Rostov, who had unconsciously returned to the house where Alexander lodged4.
Saddled horses were standing5 before the house and the suite6 were assembling, evidently preparing for the Emperor to come out.
“I may see him at any moment,” thought Rostov. “If only I were to hand the letter direct to him and tell him all . . . could they really arrest me for my civilian clothes? Surely not! He would understand on whose side justice lies. He understands everything, knows everything. Who can be more just, more magnanimous than he? And even if they did arrest me for being here, what would it matter?” thought he, looking at an officer who was entering the house the Emperor occupied. “After all, people do go in. . . . It’s all nonsense! I’ll go in and hand the letter to the Emperor myself so much the worse for Drubetskoy who drives me to it!” And suddenly with a determination he himself did not expect, Rostov felt for the letter in his pocket and went straight to the house.
“No, I won’t miss my opportunity now, as I did after Austerlitz,” he thought, expecting every moment to meet the monarch7, and conscious of the blood that rushed to his heart at the thought. “I will fall at his feet and beseech8 him. He will lift me up, will listen, and will even thank me. ‘I am happy when I can do good, but to remedy injustice9 is the greatest happiness,’” Rostov fancied the sovereign saying. And passing people who looked after him with curiosity, he entered the porch of the Emperor’s house.
A broad staircase led straight up from the entry, and to the right he saw a closed door. Below, under the staircase, was a door leading to the lower floor.
“Whom do you want?” someone inquired.
“A petition? This way, to the officer on duty” (he was shown the door leading downstairs), “only it won’t be accepted.”
On hearing this indifferent voice, Rostov grew frightened at what he was doing; the thought of meeting the Emperor at any moment was so fascinating and consequently so alarming that he was ready to run away, but the official who had questioned him opened the door, and Rostov entered.
A short stout12 man of about thirty, in white breeches and high boots and a batiste shirt that he had evidently only just put on, standing in that room, and his valet was buttoning on to the back of his breeches a new pair of handsome silk-embroidered braces13 that, for some reason, attracted Rostov’s attention. This man was was speaking to someone in the adjoining room.
“A good figure and in her first bloom,” he was saying, but on seeing Rostov, he stopped short and frowned.
“What is it? A petition?”
“What is it?” asked the person in the other room.
“Another petitioner,” answered the man with the braces.
“Tell him to come later. He’ll be coming out directly, we must go.”
“Later . . . later! Tomorrow. It’s too late . . . ”
Rostov turned and was about to go, but the man in the braces stopped him.
“Whom have you come from? Who are you?”
“I come from Major Denisov,” answered Rostov.
“Are you an officer?”
“Lieutenant Count Rostov.”
“What audacity14! Hand it in through your commander. And go along with you . . . go,” and he continued to put on the uniform the valet handed him.
Rostov went back into the hall and noticed that in the porch there were many officers and generals in full parade uniform, whom he had to pass.
Cursing his temerity15, his heart sinking at the thought of finding himself at any moment face to face with the Emperor and being put to shame and arrested in his presence, fully16 alive now to the impropriety of his conduct and repenting17 of it, Rostov, with downcast eyes, was making his way out of the house through the brilliant suite when a familiar voice called him and a hand detained him.
“What are you doing here, sir, in civilian dress?” asked a deep voice.
It was a cavalry18 general who had obtained the Emperor’s special favor during this campaign, and who had formerly19 commanded the division in which Rostov was serving.
Rostov, in dismay, began justifying20 himself, but seeing the kindly21, jocular face of the general, he took him aside and in an excited voice told him the whole affair, asking him to intercede22 for Denisov, whom the general knew. Having heard Rostov to the end, the general shook his head gravely.
“I’m sorry, sorry for that fine fellow. Give me the letter.”
Hardly had Rostov handed him the letter and finished explaining Denisov’s case, when hasty steps and the jingling23 of spurs were heard on the stairs, and the general, leaving him, went to the porch. The gentlemen of the Emperor’s suite ran down the stairs and went to their horses. Hayne, the same groom24 who had been at Austerlitz, led up the Emperor’s horse, and the faint creak of a footstep Rostov knew at once was heard on the stairs. Forgetting the danger of being recognized, Rostov went close to the porch, together with some inquisitive25 civilians26, and again, after two years, saw those features he adored: that same face and same look and step, and the same union of majesty and mildness. . . . And the feeling of enthusiasm and love for his sovereign rose again in Rostov’s soul in all its old force. In the uniform of the Preobrazhensk regiment27 — white chamois-leather breeches and high boots — and wearing a star Rostov did not know (it was that of the Legion d’honneur), the monarch came out into the porch, putting on his gloves and carrying his hat under his arm. He stopped and looked about him, brightening everything around by his glance. He spoke28 a few words to some of the generals, and, recognizing the former commander of Rostov’s division, smiled and beckoned29 to him.
All the suite drew back and Rostov saw the general talking for some time to the Emperor.
The Emperor said a few words to him and took a step toward his horse. Again the crowd of members of the suite and street gazers (among whom was Rostov) moved nearer to the Emperor. Stopping beside his horse, with his hand on the saddle, the Emperor turned to the cavalry general and said in a loud voice, evidently wishing to be heard by all:
“I cannot do it, General. I cannot, because the law is stronger than I,” and he raised his foot to the stirrup.
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1
battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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civilian
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| adj.平民的，民用的，民众的 | |
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3
monograms
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| n.字母组合( monogram的名词复数 ) | |
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lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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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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suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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beseech
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| v.祈求，恳求 | |
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injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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11
tremor
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| n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震 | |
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12
stout
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| adj.强壮的，粗大的，结实的，勇猛的，矮胖的 | |
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13
braces
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| n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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14
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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15
temerity
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| n.鲁莽，冒失 | |
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16
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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repenting
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的现在分词 ) | |
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18
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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19
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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20
justifying
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| 证明…有理( justify的现在分词 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护） | |
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21
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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22
intercede
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| vi.仲裁，说情 | |
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23
jingling
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| 叮当声 | |
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groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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26
civilians
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| 平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓 | |
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27
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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28
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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29
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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