AMONG THE INNUMERABLE CATEGORIES into which it is possible to classify the phenomena1 of life, one may classify them all into such as are dominated by matter and such as are dominated by form. To the latter class one may refer the life of Petersburg, especially in its drawing-rooms, as distinguished2 from the life of the country, of the district, of the province, or even of Moscow. That life of the drawing-rooms is unchanging.
Between the years 1805 and 1812 we had made peace with Bonaparte and quarrelled with him again; we had made new constitutions and unmade them again, but the salons4 of Anna Pavlovna and of Ellen were precisely5 as they had been—the former seven, the latter five years—before. Anna Pavlovna's circle were still speaking with incredulous wonder of Bonaparte's successes; and saw in his successes, and in the submissive attitude of the sovereigns of Europe, a malicious6 conspiracy7, the sole aim of which was to give annoyance8 and anxiety to the court circle of which Anna Pavlovna was the representative. The set that gathered about Ellen, whom no less a person than Rumyantsev condescended9 to visit, and looked on as a remarkably10 intelligent woman, talked in 1812 with the same enthusiasm as in 1808, of the “great nation,” and the “great man,” and regretted the breach11 with France, which must, they believed, shortly end in peace.
Of late after the Tsar's return from the army, some increase of excitement was perceptible in these antagonistic12 salons, and they made something like demonstrations13 of hostility14 to one another, but the bias15 of each circle remained unaffected. Anna Pavlovna's set refused to admit any French people but the most unimpeachable16 legitimists; and in her drawing-room the patriotic17 view found expression that the French theatre ought not to be patronised, and that the maintenance of the French company there cost as much as the maintenance of a whole army corps18. The progress of the war was eagerly followed, and rumours19 greatly to the advantage of our army were circulated. In the circle of Ellen, of Rumyantsev, the French circle, the reports of the enemy's cruelty and barbarous methods of warfare20 were discredited21; and all sorts of conciliatory efforts on the part of Napoleon were discussed. This set discountenanced the premature22 counsels of those who advised preparations for the removal to Kazan of the court and the girls' schools, that were under the protection of the empress mother. The whole war was in fact regarded in Ellen's salon3 as a series of merely formal demonstrations, very shortly to be terminated by peace; and the view prevailed, expressed by Bilibin, who was now in Petersburg and constantly seen at Ellen's, as every man of wit was sure to be, that the war would be ended not by gunpowder23 but by those who had invented it. The patriotic fervour of Moscow, of which tidings reached Petersburg with the Tsar, was in Ellen's salon a subject of ironical24, and very witty25, though circumspect26, raillery.
In Anna Pavlovna's circle, on the contrary, these patriotic demonstrations roused the greatest enthusiasm, and were spoken of as Plutarch speaks of his ancient Romans. Prince Vassily, who still filled the same important positions, constituted the connecting link between the two circles. He used to visit “my good friend Anna Pavlovna,” and was also seen in the “diplomatic salon of my daughter”; and often was led into blunders from his frequent transitions from one to the other, and said in one drawing-room what should have been reserved for the other.
Soon after the Tsar's arrival, Prince Vassily, in conversation about the progress of the war at Anna Pavlovna's, severely28 criticised Barclay de Tolly, and expressed himself unable to decide who should be appointed commander-in-chief. One of the guests, usually spoken of as a “man of great abilities,” described how he had that day seen the newly elected commander of the Petersburg militia29, Kutuzov, presiding over the enrolment of militiamen in the Court of Exchequer30, and ventured discreetly31 to suggest that Kutuzov would be the man who might satisfy all requirements.
Anna Pavlovna smiled mournfully, and observed that Kutuzov had done nothing but cause the Tsar annoyance.
“I have said so over and over again in the assembly of nobility,” interposed Prince Vassily, “but they wouldn't listen to me. I said that his election to the command of the militia would not be pleasing to his majesty32. They wouldn't listen to me. It's all this mania33 for being in the opposition,” he went on. “And to what public are they playing, I should like to know. It's all because we are trying to ape the silly enthusiasm of Moscow,” said Prince Vassily, forgetting for a moment that it was at Ellen's that that enthusiasm was jeered34 at, while at Anna Pavlovna's it was as well to admire it. But he hastened to retrieve35 his mistake. “Is it suitable for Kutuzov, the oldest general in Russia, to be presiding in the Court? Et il en restera pour sa peine! Did any one hear of such a thing as appointing a man commander-in-chief who cannot sit a horse, who drops asleep at a council—a man, too, of the lowest morals! A pretty reputation he gained for himself in Bucharest! To say nothing of his qualities as a general, can we appoint, at such a moment, a man decrepit36 and blind—yes, simply blind! A fine idea—a blind general! He sees nothing. Playing blind-man's buff—that's all he's fit for!”
No one opposed that view.
On the 24th of July it was accepted as perfectly37 correct. But on the 29th Kutuzov received the title of prince. The bestowal38 of this title might be taken to indicate a desire to shelve him, and therefore Prince Vassily's dictum still remained correct, though he was in no such hurry now to express it. But on the 8th of August a committee, consisting of General Field-Marshal Saltykov, Araktcheev, Vyazmitinov, Lopuhin, and Kotchubey was held to consider the progress of the war. This committee decided39 that the disasters were due to divided authority; and although the members of the committee were aware of the Tsar's dislike of Kutuzov, after a deliberation they advised the appointment of Kutuzov as commander-in-chief. And that same day Kutuzov was appointed commander-in-chief of the army, and intrusted with unlimited40 authority over the whole region occupied by the troops.
On the 9th of August Prince Vassily once more met the “man of great abilities” at Anna Pavlovna's. The latter gentleman was assiduous in his attendance at Anna Pavlovna's, in the hope of receiving, through her influence, an appointment on one of the institutions of female education. Prince Vassily strode into the room with the air of a victorious41 general, of a man who has succeeded in attaining42 the object of his desires.
“Well, you know the great news! Prince Kutuzov is marshal! All differences of opinion are at an end. I am so glad, so delighted!” said Prince Vassily. “At last here is a man!” he declared, looking sternly and significantly at all the company. In spite of his desire to secure the post he coveted43, the “man of great abilities” could not refrain from reminding Prince Vassily of the view he had expressed shortly before. (This was a breach of civility to Prince Vassily in Anna Pavlovna's drawing-room, and also to Anna Pavlovna, who had received the tidings with equal enthusiasm; but he could not refrain.)
“But they say he is blind, prince,” he said to recall to Prince Vassily his own words.
“Allez donc, il y voit assez,” said Prince Vassily, with the rapid bass45 voice and the cough with which he always disposed of all difficulties. “He sees quite enough,” he repeated. “And what I'm particularly glad of,” he went on, “is that the Emperor has given him unlimited authority over all the troops, over the whole region, an authority no commander-in-chief has ever had before. It's another autocrat,” he concluded, with a victorious smile.
“God grant it may be,” said Anna Pavlovna.
The “man of great abilities,” a novice46 in court society, was anxious to flatter Anna Pavlovna by maintaining her former opinion against this new view of the position. He said: “They say the Emperor was unwilling47 to give Kutuzov such authority. They say he blushed like a young lady to whom Joconde is read, saying to him, ‘The sovereign and the country decree you this honour.' ”
“Perhaps the heart was not of the party,” said Anna Pavlovna.
“Oh no, no,” Prince Vassily maintained warmly. Now he would not put Kutuzov second to any one. To hear Prince Vassily now Kutuzov was not simply a good man in himself, but idolised by every one. “No, that's impossible, for the sovereign has always known how to appreciate him,” he added.
“God only grant that Prince Kutuzov may take the control of things into his own hands,” said Anna Pavlovna, “and not permit any one to put a spoke27 in his wheel.”
Prince Vassily knew at once who was meant. He whispered, “I know for a fact that Kutuzov made it an express condition that the Tsarevitch should not be with the army. Vous savez ce qu'il a dit à l'Empereur.” And Prince Vassily repeated the words said to have been spoken by Kutuzov to the Tsar: “ ‘I can neither punish him if he does wrong, nor reward him if he does well.' Oh! he's a shrewd fellow, Prince Kutuzov. I have known him a long while.”
“They do say,” observed the “man of great abilities,” who had not acquired a courtier's tact48, “that his excellency even made it an express condition that the Emperor himself should not be with the army.”
He had hardly uttered the words when Anna Pavlovna and Prince Vassily simultaneously49 turned their backs on him, and looked mournfully at one another, with a sigh at his na?vet44é.
对生活现象，可分成无数部类，所有这些部类可以划分成以下二类，其中一类以内容为主，另外一类——则以形式为主。属于这后一类别的，是截然不同于乡下的，地方的，省城的，甚至莫斯科的生活的彼得堡的生活，尤其是沙龙生活。
这种生活是不变的。
自从一八○五年以来，我们同波拿巴又和解又断交，多次立了宪法又废除它，而安娜·帕夫洛夫娜的沙龙和海伦的沙龙从前怎样，现在还怎样——一个跟七年前一样，另一个跟五年前一样，在安娜·帕夫洛夫娜那里，人们依旧困惑地谈论波拿巴的成功，并且看到，无论在他的成功还是在欧洲君主对他的姑息中，都有一种恶毒的阴谋，其唯一目的便是给安娜·帕夫洛夫娜代表的宫廷集团制造不快和烦恼。在海伦那里也完全一样（鲁缅采夫本人常去光顾，认为她是绝顶聪明的女人），一八○八和一八一二毫无二致，人们依然兴奋地谈论着那个伟大的民族和那个伟大的人物，并遗憾地看待同法国的决裂，依照聚集在海伦沙龙里的人的意见，此事应以和平告终。
近来，在皇上从军队返驾之后，这两个对立的沙龙集团出现了某种不安，发生了某些相互指责的情况，但两个集团的方向仍旧不变。参加安娜·帕夫洛夫娜集团的法国人仅限于顽固的保皇党，所以，这里表现出来的爱国思想是，不该上法国剧院，认为维持一个剧团的经费抵得上维持一个军团的经费。他们专心地注视战事进展，并传播对我军最有利的新闻。在海伦的圈子内，即鲁缅采夫派和法国派的圈子内，关于战争和敌人残酷的传闻受到驳斥，拿破仑求和的各种尝试被加以讨论。在这个圈子里，人们谴责那些建议尽早下令，让皇太后保护的宫廷女子学堂准备向喀山疏散的人。总的说来，战争的全部内容在海伦的沙龙里不过是以一些空洞的示威开始，很快就会以和平告终，而左右一切的是比利宾的意见，他现时在彼得堡成了海伦的常客（所有聪明的人都应去她那里作客），他认为问题不取决于火药，而取决于发明火药的人。在这个圈子里，人们冷嘲热讽而又十分巧妙地（尽管也很谨慎地）讥笑莫斯科的狂热，关于那种狂热的消息，是随皇上驾临彼得堡而传来的。
在安娜·帕夫洛夫娜的圈子里则相反，人们赞美和谈论那种狂热，像普鲁塔克①谈论远古伟人似的。依旧身居要职的瓦西里公爵，成了两个圈子的连环扣。他到ma bonne amie（自己的尊贵朋友）安娜·帕夫洛夫娜那里去，也到dans le salon diplomatique de ma fille（自己女儿的外交沙龙）那里去，由于频繁交替地出入于这一阵营和另一阵营之间，因此常常给搞糊涂了，在海伦那里说了本该在安娜·帕夫洛夫娜那里说的话，或者相反。
①普鲁塔克（约46～123），古希腊传记作家。
在皇上到达之后不久，瓦西里公爵在安娜·帕夫洛夫娜那里议论战事，严厉谴责巴克莱—德—托利，但又对任命谁作总司令迟疑不决。客人中的一位平时被称作un homme de beaucoup de mérite（有许多优点的人），讲述了他看见新近担任彼得堡民团司令的库图佐夫在省税务局主持征募新兵的会议，然后谨慎地表达了自己的初步看法，库图佐夫是一个能满足各种要求的人选。
安娜·帕夫洛夫娜凄戚地笑了笑，指出库图佐夫净给皇上制造不愉快，此外便没有干过什么。
“我在贵族会上一再地说，”瓦西里公爵插嘴说道，“但没有人听我的。我说推选他作民团司令会使皇上不悦。他们没有听我的。”
“全是一派反对的狂热，”他继续说，“也不看看当着谁的面？而且全是由于我们想摹仿莫斯科的愚蠢的狂热。”瓦西里公爵说，一时间糊里糊涂，忘了在海伦那里才嘲笑莫斯科的狂热，而在安娜·帕夫洛夫娜这里是应该加以赞扬的。但他立即改正过来。“呶，库图佐夫伯爵，俄国最老的将军，在税务局那地方召集会议适当吗，et il en restera pour sa peine（他的忙碌会一事无成的）！难道可以任命为总司令的竟是一个不能跃马扬鞭的，开会打瞌睡的，脾气最坏的人吗！他在布加勒斯特毛遂自荐得够瞧的了？我这还不是谈他作为将军的资格问题，难道在这种时刻能够任命一个老朽的瞎眼的人，一个十足的瞎子吗？瞎眼将军好极了！他什么也看不见。可以捉迷藏……他简直什么都看不见！”
没有维持异议。
这在七月二十四日是完全公允之论。但七月二十九日库图佐夫被加封公爵头衔。授予公爵头衔可能意味着摆脱，所以，瓦西里公爵的见解仍然正确，虽然他并不急于在此时有所表示，但八月八日，由萨尔特科夫大将，阿拉克切耶夫，维亚济米季诺夫，洛普欣和科丘别伊组成的委员会，开会讨论战争事宜。委员会一致认为，战事之不利，源出于无统一指挥，虽然委员会成员知道皇上不赏识库图佐夫，但经过简短磋商，仍建议任命库图佐夫为总司令。因此，就在那一天，库图佐夫被任命为全军及各个部队据守区域的全权总司令。
八月九日，瓦西里公爵又在安娜·帕夫洛夫娜家遇到了l'homme de beaucoup de mérite（那个有许多优点的人）。l'homme de beaucoup de mérite瓦西里公爵近来对安娜·帕夫洛夫娜很殷勤，希望获得一个女子学校学监的任命。他走进客厅时，像达到目的的胜利者那样喜气洋洋。“Eh bien，vous savez la grande nouvelle？Le prince Koutouzoff est maréchal①。一切分歧消除了。我真幸福，真高兴！”瓦西里公爵说。“Enfin voilà un homme”②，他不停地说，意味深长地严肃地环视所有在客厅里的人。L'homme de beaucoup de mèrite虽然意在谋职，仍忍不住提醒瓦西里公爵曾经发表过的议论。（这在安娜的客厅里对瓦西里公爵和已欣然得知这一消息的安娜·帕夫洛夫娜都是失礼的；但他忍耐不住。）
“Mais on dit qu'il est aveugle，mon
prince？”③他使瓦西里公爵想起他说过的话。
“Allez donc，il y voit assez，”④瓦西里公爵以低沉、急速的声音，咳嗽着说，这样的嗓音和咳嗽他常常用来解决一切困难。“Allez donc，il y voit assez，”他又重复了一遍。“我之所以高兴，”他往下说，“是因为，陛下授予了他掌握全国军队和各个军区的全权——这是任何一位总司令从未有过的权力。这是第二位主宰。”他说完之后，露出得胜的微笑。
①法语：呃，你们可知道一个重大消息？库图佐夫成了元帅了。
②法语：毕竟是一个人才。
③法语：但是听说他眼睛瞎了，公爵？
④法语：呃，胡说，他看得相当清楚，您放心。
“但愿如此，但愿如此。”安娜·帕夫洛夫娜说。L'homme de beaucoup de merite（那个有许多优点人）在宫廷社交界还是个生手，为了阿谀安娜·帕夫洛夫娜，他以此为她先前对这一议论表示的见解解围，说道：
“据说，陛下不大情愿授予库图佐夫这一权力。On dit qu'il rougit comme une demoiselle à laquelle on lirait Joconde，en lui disant：‘le souverain et la Patrie vous decernent cet honneur'。”①“Peut—être que le coeur n'était pas de la partie。②”安娜·帕夫洛夫娜说。
①法语：据说，当他对他说：“国王与祖国赐与您这一荣誉”时，他脸红得像听到诵读《约康德》的姑娘那样。（《约康德》是拉封丹的第一篇韵文故事，被认为是恶劣的作品。）。
②法语：或许不完全合他的心意。
“噢不，不，”瓦西里公爵激烈地偏袒库图佐夫，现在已不在任何人面前让步。照瓦西里公爵的见解，不仅库图佐夫本人出色，而且大家都崇拜他。“不，这不可能，因为皇上从前就很能赏识他。”他说。
“但愿库图佐夫公爵，”安娜·帕夫洛夫娜说，“真正掌握着权力，不让任何人捣鬼——des batons dans les roues．”
瓦西里公爵立即明白了，这任何人指的是谁。他悄声地说：
“我确切地得知，库图佐夫提出皇太子不留在军中。这个必要的条件，Vous savez ce qu'il a dit a l'émpereur（你们知道他对皇上说了什么吗）？”瓦西里公爵复述了似乎是库图佐夫对皇上说的原话：“如太子行为不轨，臣不便罚其过，反之，亦不便赏其功。啊！这是一个绝顶聪明的人，库图佐夫公爵，je le connais de longue date．（我早就认识他了。）”
“他们甚至说，”还不知宫廷待人接物分寸的l'homme de beaucoup de merite说，“公爵大人还提出一个必要条件；国王不要亲自驾临军队。”
此人话刚说完，瓦西里公爵和安娜·帕夫洛夫娜刹那背转身去，为他的幼稚而叹气，二人忧郁地交换了一下眼神。
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phenomena
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distinguished
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salon
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| n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室 | |
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salons
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| n.（营业性质的）店( salon的名词复数 )；厅；沙龙（旧时在上流社会女主人家的例行聚会或聚会场所）；（大宅中的）客厅 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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condescended
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| 屈尊，俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 )； 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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antagonistic
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| adj.敌对的 | |
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demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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bias
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| n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见 | |
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unimpeachable
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| adj.无可指责的；adv.无可怀疑地 | |
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patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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discredited
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| 不足信的，不名誉的 | |
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premature
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| adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的 | |
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gunpowder
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| n.火药 | |
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ironical
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| adj.讽刺的，冷嘲的 | |
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witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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circumspect
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| adj.慎重的，谨慎的 | |
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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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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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militia
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| n.民兵，民兵组织 | |
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exchequer
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| n.财政部；国库 | |
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discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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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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mania
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| n.疯狂；躁狂症，狂热，癖好 | |
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jeered
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| v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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retrieve
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| vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索 | |
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decrepit
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| adj.衰老的，破旧的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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bestowal
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| 赠与，给与； 贮存 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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attaining
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的现在分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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vet
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| n.兽医，退役军人；vt.检查 | |
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bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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novice
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| adj.新手的，生手的 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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