War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy (latest ebook reader .TXT) π
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- Author: graf Leo Tolstoy
Read book online Β«War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy (latest ebook reader .TXT) πΒ». Author - graf Leo Tolstoy
βThatβs right, quite right! Just so!β
Pierre wished to say that he was ready to sacrifice his money, his serfs, or himself, only one ought to know the state of affairs in order to be able to improve it, but he was unable to speak. Many voices shouted and talked at the same time, so that Count RostΓ³v had not time to signify his approval of them all, and the group increased, dispersed, re-formed, and then moved with a hum of talk into the largest hall and to the big table. Not only was Pierreβs attempt to speak unsuccessful, but he was rudely interrupted, pushed aside, and people turned away from him as from a common enemy. This happened not because they were displeased by the substance of his speech, which had even been forgotten after the many subsequent speeches, but to animate it the crowd needed a tangible object to love and a tangible object to hate. Pierre became the latter. Many other orators spoke after the excited nobleman, and all in the same tone. Many spoke eloquently and with originality.
GlΓnka, the editor of the Russian Messenger, who was recognized (cries of βauthor! author!β were heard in the crowd), said that βhell must be repulsed by hell,β and that he had seen a child smiling at lightning flashes and thunderclaps, but βwe will not be that child.β
βYes, yes, at thunderclaps!β was repeated approvingly in the back rows of the crowd.
The crowd drew up to the large table, at which sat gray-haired or bald seventy-year-old magnates, uniformed and besashed, almost all of whom Pierre had seen in their own homes with their buffoons, or playing boston at the clubs. With an incessant hum of voices the crowd advanced to the table. Pressed by the throng against the high backs of the chairs, the orators spoke one after another and sometimes two together. Those standing behind noticed what a speaker omitted to say and hastened to supply it. Others in that heat and crush racked their brains to find some thought and hastened to utter it. The old magnates, whom Pierre knew, sat and turned to look first at one and then at another, and their faces for the most part only expressed the fact that they found it very hot. Pierre, however, felt excited, and the general desire to show that they were ready to go to all lengthsβwhich found expression in the tones and looks more than in the substance of the speechesβinfected him too. He did not renounce his opinions, but felt himself in some way to blame and wished to justify himself.
βI only said that it would be more to the purpose to make sacrifices when we know what is needed!β said he, trying to be heard above the other voices.
One of the old men nearest to him looked round, but his attention was immediately diverted by an exclamation at the other side of the table.
βYes, Moscow will be surrendered! She will be our expiation!β shouted one man.
βHe is the enemy of mankind!β cried another. βAllow me to speak....β βGentlemen, you are crushing me!...β
At that moment Count RostopchΓn with his protruding chin and alert eyes, wearing the uniform of a general with sash over his shoulder, entered the room, stepping briskly to the front of the crowd of gentry.
βOur sovereign the Emperor will be here in a moment,β said RostopchΓn. βI am straight from the palace. Seeing the position we are in, I think there is little need for discussion. The Emperor has deigned to summon us and the merchants. Millions will pour forth from thereββhe pointed to the merchantsβ hallββbut our business is to supply men and not spare ourselves.... That is the least we can do!β
A conference took place confined to the magnates sitting at the table. The whole consultation passed more than quietly. After all the preceding noise the sound of their old voices saying one after another, βI agree,β or for variety, βI too am of that opinion,β and so on had even a mournful effect.
The secretary was told to write down the resolution of the Moscow nobility and gentry, that they would furnish ten men, fully equipped, out of every thousand serfs, as the SmolΓ©nsk gentry had done. Their chairs made a scraping noise as the gentlemen who had conferred rose with apparent relief, and began walking up and down, arm in arm, to stretch their legs and converse in couples.
βThe Emperor! The Emperor!β a sudden cry resounded through the halls and the whole throng hurried to the entrance.
The Emperor entered the hall through a broad path between two lines of nobles. Every face expressed respectful, awe-struck curiosity. Pierre stood rather far off and could not hear all that the Emperor said. From what he did hear he understood that the Emperor spoke of the danger threatening the empire and of the hopes he placed on the Moscow nobility. He was answered by a voice which informed him of the resolution just arrived at.
βGentlemen!β said the Emperor with a quivering voice.
There was a rustling among the crowd and it again subsided, so that Pierre distinctly heard the pleasantly human voice of the Emperor saying with emotion:
βI never doubted the devotion of the Russian nobles, but today it has surpassed my expectations. I thank you in the name of the Fatherland! Gentlemen, let us act! Time is most precious....β
The Emperor ceased speaking, the crowd began pressing round him, and rapturous exclamations were heard from all sides.
βYes, most precious... a royal word,β said Count RostΓ³v, with a sob. He stood at the back, and, though he had heard hardly anything, understood everything in his own way.
From the hall of the nobility the Emperor went to that of the merchants. There he remained about ten minutes. Pierre was among those who saw him come out from the merchantsβ hall with tears of emotion in his eyes. As became known later, he had scarcely begun to address the merchants before tears gushed from his eyes and he concluded in a trembling voice. When Pierre saw the Emperor he was coming out accompanied by two merchants, one of whom Pierre knew, a fat otkupshchΓk. The other was the mayor, a man with a thin sallow face and narrow beard. Both were weeping. Tears filled the thin manβs eyes, and the fat otkupshchΓk sobbed outright like a child and kept repeating:
βOur lives and propertyβtake them, Your Majesty!β
Pierreβs one feeling at the moment was a desire to show that he was ready to go all lengths and was prepared to sacrifice everything. He now felt ashamed of his speech with its constitutional tendency and sought an opportunity of effacing it. Having heard that Count MamΓ³nov was furnishing a regiment, BezΓΊkhov at once informed RostopchΓn that he would give a thousand men and their maintenance.
Old RostΓ³v could not tell his wife of what had passed without tears, and at once consented to PΓ©tyaβs request and went himself to enter his name.
Next day the Emperor left Moscow. The assembled nobles all took off their uniforms and settled down again in their homes and clubs, and not without
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