Chapter Summaries: Dole: Count Bezukhoi receives his sixth stroke of apoplexy. Scenes at the mansion. Prince Vasili's interview with the Princess Katish. Discussion of Pierre's chances of the inheritance. Prince Vasili's scheme for preventing it.
Briggs (chapter 18): Prince Vasily Kuragin's machinations over the dying count's inheritance.
Maude (chapter 21): At Count Bezukhov's. Prince Vasili and Catiche
Pevear and Volkhonsky (chapters 18-21): Prince Vassily and Catiche at Count Bezukhov's. Anna Mikhailovna and Pierre arrive. The dispute over the inlaid portfolio.
Translation:
XVIII.
At the time the Rostovs danced in the hall the sixth English dance below the sounds of the fatigue of fake musicians, and tired waiters and cooks preparing dinner, Count Bezuhov had his sixth stroke. The doctor declared that there were no hopes to recover; the sick gave a deaf confession and sacrament; did preparation for unction, and the house was fussing with the anxiety of expectations ordinary at such minutes. Beyond the home, behind the gates crowded, hiding from driving crews, were undertakers expecting a rich order in the burial of the count. The commander in chief of Moscow, who incessantly sent adjutants to find out about the position of the count, on this evening himself came to say goodbye to the well-known nobleman of Catherine, Count Bezuhov.
The great reception room was full. All respectfully got up, when the commander in chief, having been for about half an hour alone with the sick, got out from there, answering in bows and trying to quickly take in the direct views of the doctors, spiritual persons and relatives. Prince Vasiliy, thinner and becoming paler on this day, brought in the commander in chief and a few times quietly repeated something to him.
Having spent the commander in chief, Prince Vasiliy sat down in the hall alone in a chair, throwing high a leg on leg, on his knee resting his elbow and with a hand closing his eye. After sitting so for some time, he got up and with unusually hasty steps, looking back around with scared eyes, went through the long corridor to the back half of the home, to the older princess.
Located in a weakly lighted room, the uneven whispers were spoken between themselves and every time it fell silent and completed the issue with expectant eyes looking around at the door, which led into the chambers of the dying, issuing a weak sound, when someone went out from it or entered into it.
— The limit of humanity, — spoke an old man, with a spiritual face, to a lady, sitting next to him and naively listen to him, — the limit is laid, he cannot go ahead.
— I think is it not too late for unction? — adding a spiritual title, asked the lady, as if she had not a score for these opinions.
— The sacrament, mother, is great, — answered the spiritual face, carrying his hand to his bald spot, running it through a few strands of combed half-gray hair.
— Who was that? The commander in chief himself? — asked in the other end of the room. — What youth!...
— But he’s seventy! What, they say, that the count does not recognize already? Would he like unction?
— I once knew one: seven times received unction.
The second princess exited from the room of the sick with crying eyes and sat beside Doctor Lorren, who in a graceful pose sat below a portrait of Catherine, leaning on a table.
—Perfectly— spoke the doctor, answering to a question about the weather, — beautiful weather, beautiful, princess, and then Moscow is so similar to the villages.175
— Is it really?176 — said the princess, sighing. — So can he drink?
Lorren thought.
— He accepted the medicine?
— Yes.
The doctor looked at the Breguet watch.
— Take a glass of boiled water and place a pinch (he with his own thin fingers showed, what he meant by une pincée (a pinch)) of cream of tartar…177
— Not one has heard, — spoke the German doctor to the adjutant, — recovery from a third stroke has been stayed.
— But what a fresh man he was! — spoke the adjutant. — And to whom will his wealth go? — he added in a whisper.
— One will find out, — smiling, responded the German.
All again looked around at the door: it creaked, and the second princess, with the drink, showed Lorren, and carried it to the sick. The German doctor came up to Lorren.
— Still, may, he reach until tomorrow morning? — asked the German, badly negligent in French.
Lorren, tucking his lips, strictly and negatively waved a finger to his nose.
— Tonight, not later, — he said quietly, with a decent smile of complacency that it was clear he knew and understood how to express the position of the sick, and walked away.
————
Between this Prince Vasiliy opened the door to the room of the princesses.
The room was half dark; only two icon lamps burned before the images, and it smelled like smoke and flowers. All over the room were placed the shallow furniture of wardrobe, cupboards, and tables. From behind the screen were seen white bedspreads and a high downy bed. A dog barked.
— Ah, is this you, mon cousin?
She got up and straightened her hair, which in her always, even now, had been so unusually smooth, as if it had been made out of one piece from her head and covered with varnish.
— What, has something happened? — she asked. — I am already so scared.
— Nothing, everything is the same; I only came to talk with you, Katish, about business, — spoke the Prince, tiredly sitting down in a chair from which she got up. — How you heated up, however, — he said, — well, sit down here and talk.178
— I think, what if it hadn’t happened? — said the princess and with her unchanged, stone strict expression on her face sitting opposite prince, prepared to listen.
— I wanted to fall asleep, mon cousin, and cannot.
— Well, what, my pretty? — said Prince Vasiliy, taking the hand of the princess and crouching down by her as a habit.
It was seen that this “well, what” was to carry off such a big “what”, not named, that they both understood.
The princess, with her incongruously long legs, lean and straight waist, impassively watched the prince’s convex gray eyes. She shook her head and sighed, looking at an image. Her gesture was to explain and express sorrow and devotion, and the expression of fatigue and hopes of a fast rest. Prince Vasiliy explained this gesture as an expression of fatigue.
— But I, — he said, — you think, have it easier? I am as frozen as a postal horse;179 all the same I need to have a talk with you, Katish, and a very serious one.
Prince Vasiliy fell silent, and his cheeks began to nervously twitch from one side to the other side, giving his face an unpleasant expression that never showed up on the face of Prince Vasiliy when he had been in living rooms. His eyes too have not been such as always: they looked brazenly, playfully, and scared around.
The princess, her own dry, thin hands holding onto a lap dog, carefully watched the eyes of Prince Vasiliy; but it was seen that she would not interrupt the silence of the issue, although she would had to have been silent until morning.
— See here if, my pretty princess and cousin, Katerina Semenovna, — continued Prince Vasiliy, apparently, not without an internal fight to begin the continuation of his speech, — in such minutes, as now, about everything we need to think. We need to think about the future, about you... I love all of you, as children, you know this.
The princess was already dull and still watched him.
— Finally, we need to think about my family, — angrily pushing himself away from the table and not looking at her, continued Prince Vasiliy, — you know, Katish, that you, the three Mamontovs sisters, and still my wife, we alone are the direct heirs of the count. I know, I know, how it is heavy for you to speak and think about these things. And for me it is not easier; yet, my friend, I’m in my sixties, I need to be ready for all. You know that I sent for Pierre, and that the count, pointing to his portrait, demanded him to himself?
Prince Vasiliy interrogatively looked at the princess, but could not understand, if she thought about what he said to her, or simply watched him…
— I about this alone do not stop to pray to God, mon cousin, — she answered, — so he has mercy for him and would give him a beautiful soul to calmly abandon this...
— Yes, this is so, — impatiently continued Prince Vasiliy, rubbing his bald head and again with malice pushing himself to the pushed back table, — but, finally... finally the business that you yourself know, that in the past winter the count wrote a will, by which all of his estate, in addition to direct heirs and us, is given back to Pierre.
— It matters little if he writes wills! — calmly said the princess, — But to Pierre he could not bequeath. Pierre is unlawful.
— Ma chère (my pretty), — suddenly said Prince Vasiliy, pressing himself to the table, perking up and beginning to speak quickly, — but what if a letter is written to the sovereign, and the count asks to adopt Pierre? Understand, by desert the count’s request will be respected...
The princess smiled, as is the smile of people that think that they know business more than those with whom they are talking.
— I say to you more, — continued Prince Vasiliy, grabbing her behind the arm, — the letter was written, although not sent out, and the sovereign knew about it. The question only is whether it is destroyed, or not. If not, then we’re soon all finished, — Prince Vasiliy sighed, by this giving the understanding that he understood from the words that all was finished, — and the will is in the paperwork of the count, the will letter will be delivered to the sovereign, and his request, maybe, will be respected. Pierre, now a lawful son, will receive everything.
— But our part? — asked the princess, ironically smiling as if everything, but only not this, could happen.
— But, pretty Katish, this is as clear as day.180 He then would be the one lawful heir, but you would not get this. You should know, my pretty, whether there has been written a will and letter, and whether they were destroyed. And if for some reason they are forgotten, you should know where they are, and find them, because...
— This alone was lacking! — he was interrupted by the princess, sardonically smiling and not changing the expression of her eyes. — I’m a woman; to you we are all stupid; but I know that an unlawful son may not inherit... Unlawful,181 — she added, believing by this to translate and finally show the prince his baselessness.
— How do you not understand, finally, Katish! You’re so smart: how do you not understand, — if the count wrote a letter to the sovereign, in which he asks to acknowledge his son as legal, Pierre already will not be Pierre, but Count Bezuhov, and so by will receives all? And should the will with the letter not be destroyed, that you, besides consolation that you were totally virtuous, what from here follows.182 Nothing will remain. This is right.
— I know that the will was written; but I know too that it is invalid, and you, it seems, consider me a perfect fool, mon cousin, — said the princess with that expression, with which speaks a woman, believing that they have said something witty and abusive.
— You are pretty my Princess Katerina Semenovna! — Prince Vasiliy impatiently began speaking. — I came to you not to be caustic with you, but so that as with a relative, become a prettier, good, and true relative, to talk about your same interests. I speak to you for a tenth time, if a letter to the sovereign and will in favor of Pierre is in the papers of the count, that you, my darling, and your sisters, are not heiresses. If you do not believe me, believe people in the know: I’ve now spoken with Dmitry Onufriich (this was the lawyer at home), he said the same.
Apparently, something suddenly changed in the thoughts of the princess; her subtle lips became pale (the eyes stayed the same), and her voice in that time as she began talking, broke through with such reverberation that she, apparently, did not await herself.
— This would be okay, — she said. — I wanted nothing and do not want. —
She dropped her dog from her knees and straightened the folds of her dress.
— Here is gratitude, here is the appreciation of people, to whom was donated all, — she said. — Perfect! Extremely okay! I need nothing, prince.
— Yes yet you are not alone, your sisters, — replied Prince Vasiliy.
But the princess did not listen to him.
— Yes, this for a long time I knew, but forgot, that besides baseness, cheating, envy, intrigue, besides ingratitude, most black ingratitude, I could expect nothing in this house...
— Do you know or not know where this will is? — asked Prince Vasiliy still with, bigger than before, twitching cheeks.
— Yes, I was stupid, I still believed in people and loved them and donated myself. But I have time only for those that are vile and nasty. I know whose intrigue this is.
The princess wanted to get up, but the prince kept her behind the arm. The princess had the view of a person, suddenly disappointed in all humankind; she viciously watched her interlocutor.
— There is still time, my friend. You remember, Katish, that all this is made accidentally, in a moment of anger, disease, and then forgotten. Our duty, my pretty, is to correct his mistake, facilitate his last minutes so that to not allow him to do this injustice, not to give his temper in thoughts that he did miserable to these people...
— These people that donated all to him, — picked up the princess, tearing again to get up, but the prince did not let her, — he will never be able to appreciate. No, mon cousin, — she added with a sigh, — I will remember that in this world you cannot be awaiting awards, that in this world there is no honor or justice. In this world you need to be cunning and evil.
— Well, well, well,183 calm down; I know your beautiful heart.
— No, in me is an evil heart.
— I know your heart, — repeated the prince, — appreciate your friendship and would desire that you would have the same opinions as me. Calm down and talk properly,184 while there is time — it may be, a day, may be an hour; tell me everything that you know about the will, and the main thing, where it is: you should know. We can now already take it and show the count. He, rightly, already forgot about it and will want to destroy it. You understand that my one wish — it is holy to perform his free will; I then had only arrived here. I am here only so that to help him and you.
— Now I understand everything. I know whose intrigue this is. I know, — said the princess.
— Not in this business, my soul.
— This is your protégée, your pretty Anna Mihaylovna, whom I would not have wanted as the maid, this vile, nasty woman.
— There will be no time to lose.185
— Ah, don’t speak! The past winter she rubbed here such filth, and such abominations she spoke to the count about all of us, especially Sophie, — I cannot repeat, — that the count was ill and for two weeks did not want to see us. In this time, I know that he wrote this nasty, vile paper; but I think that this paper means nothing.
— In this business,186 from what already have you not told me before?
— In a mosaic portfolio he held under his pillow. Now I know, — said the princess, not answering. — Yes, if there is for me a sin, a big sin, it is hatred for this scum, — almost screamed the princess, completely changed. — And for what did she rub here? But I will express to her everything, everything. The time will come!
175. Très beau, — très beau, princesse et puis, à Moscou on se croit à la campagne (Very beautiful -- very beautiful, princess and then in Moscow one believes in the countryside)
176. N’est-ce-pas? (Isn't it?)
177. une pincée de cremortartari (a pinch of cream of tartar)
178. Causons. (Let's talk.)
179. Je suis éreinté, comme un cheval de poste; (I am worn out, like a post horse;)
180. Mais, ma pauvre Catiche, c’est clair, comme le jour. (180. But, my poor Catiche, it is as clear as day.)
181. Un bâtard, (A bastard,)
182. et tout ce qui s’en suit, (and all that follows,)
183. Voyons, (Let's see,)
184. parlons raison, (talk reason)
185. Ne perdons point de temps. (Do not lose time.)
186. Nous y voilà, (Here we are,)
Time: "During the time that they were dancing"
Mentioned: the days of Catherine, the last two days (last few days in Garnett, Maude, and Mandelker. Undefined in Dole and Bell.), tomorrow and tonight, and "the future", "last winter"
Locations: Outside and inside Count Bezukhoi's house in Moscow, including the parlour, the corridor to the back part of the house, where the apartments of the elder princess were.
Mentioned: the Rostovs', Germany (as in Germans)
Pevear and Volkhonsky Notes: Sixth dance/sixth stroke. Servants, musicians, and cooks are “weary.” The contrast being Bezukhov’s house, which is filled with “bustle and anxiety of expectation.”
Briggs (chapter 18): Prince Vasily Kuragin's machinations over the dying count's inheritance.
Maude (chapter 21): At Count Bezukhov's. Prince Vasili and Catiche
Pevear and Volkhonsky (chapters 18-21): Prince Vassily and Catiche at Count Bezukhov's. Anna Mikhailovna and Pierre arrive. The dispute over the inlaid portfolio.
Translation:
XVIII.
At the time the Rostovs danced in the hall the sixth English dance below the sounds of the fatigue of fake musicians, and tired waiters and cooks preparing dinner, Count Bezuhov had his sixth stroke. The doctor declared that there were no hopes to recover; the sick gave a deaf confession and sacrament; did preparation for unction, and the house was fussing with the anxiety of expectations ordinary at such minutes. Beyond the home, behind the gates crowded, hiding from driving crews, were undertakers expecting a rich order in the burial of the count. The commander in chief of Moscow, who incessantly sent adjutants to find out about the position of the count, on this evening himself came to say goodbye to the well-known nobleman of Catherine, Count Bezuhov.
The great reception room was full. All respectfully got up, when the commander in chief, having been for about half an hour alone with the sick, got out from there, answering in bows and trying to quickly take in the direct views of the doctors, spiritual persons and relatives. Prince Vasiliy, thinner and becoming paler on this day, brought in the commander in chief and a few times quietly repeated something to him.
Having spent the commander in chief, Prince Vasiliy sat down in the hall alone in a chair, throwing high a leg on leg, on his knee resting his elbow and with a hand closing his eye. After sitting so for some time, he got up and with unusually hasty steps, looking back around with scared eyes, went through the long corridor to the back half of the home, to the older princess.
Located in a weakly lighted room, the uneven whispers were spoken between themselves and every time it fell silent and completed the issue with expectant eyes looking around at the door, which led into the chambers of the dying, issuing a weak sound, when someone went out from it or entered into it.
— The limit of humanity, — spoke an old man, with a spiritual face, to a lady, sitting next to him and naively listen to him, — the limit is laid, he cannot go ahead.
— I think is it not too late for unction? — adding a spiritual title, asked the lady, as if she had not a score for these opinions.
— The sacrament, mother, is great, — answered the spiritual face, carrying his hand to his bald spot, running it through a few strands of combed half-gray hair.
— Who was that? The commander in chief himself? — asked in the other end of the room. — What youth!...
— But he’s seventy! What, they say, that the count does not recognize already? Would he like unction?
— I once knew one: seven times received unction.
The second princess exited from the room of the sick with crying eyes and sat beside Doctor Lorren, who in a graceful pose sat below a portrait of Catherine, leaning on a table.
—Perfectly— spoke the doctor, answering to a question about the weather, — beautiful weather, beautiful, princess, and then Moscow is so similar to the villages.175
— Is it really?176 — said the princess, sighing. — So can he drink?
Lorren thought.
— He accepted the medicine?
— Yes.
The doctor looked at the Breguet watch.
— Take a glass of boiled water and place a pinch (he with his own thin fingers showed, what he meant by une pincée (a pinch)) of cream of tartar…177
— Not one has heard, — spoke the German doctor to the adjutant, — recovery from a third stroke has been stayed.
— But what a fresh man he was! — spoke the adjutant. — And to whom will his wealth go? — he added in a whisper.
— One will find out, — smiling, responded the German.
All again looked around at the door: it creaked, and the second princess, with the drink, showed Lorren, and carried it to the sick. The German doctor came up to Lorren.
— Still, may, he reach until tomorrow morning? — asked the German, badly negligent in French.
Lorren, tucking his lips, strictly and negatively waved a finger to his nose.
— Tonight, not later, — he said quietly, with a decent smile of complacency that it was clear he knew and understood how to express the position of the sick, and walked away.
————
Between this Prince Vasiliy opened the door to the room of the princesses.
The room was half dark; only two icon lamps burned before the images, and it smelled like smoke and flowers. All over the room were placed the shallow furniture of wardrobe, cupboards, and tables. From behind the screen were seen white bedspreads and a high downy bed. A dog barked.
— Ah, is this you, mon cousin?
She got up and straightened her hair, which in her always, even now, had been so unusually smooth, as if it had been made out of one piece from her head and covered with varnish.
— What, has something happened? — she asked. — I am already so scared.
— Nothing, everything is the same; I only came to talk with you, Katish, about business, — spoke the Prince, tiredly sitting down in a chair from which she got up. — How you heated up, however, — he said, — well, sit down here and talk.178
— I think, what if it hadn’t happened? — said the princess and with her unchanged, stone strict expression on her face sitting opposite prince, prepared to listen.
— I wanted to fall asleep, mon cousin, and cannot.
— Well, what, my pretty? — said Prince Vasiliy, taking the hand of the princess and crouching down by her as a habit.
It was seen that this “well, what” was to carry off such a big “what”, not named, that they both understood.
The princess, with her incongruously long legs, lean and straight waist, impassively watched the prince’s convex gray eyes. She shook her head and sighed, looking at an image. Her gesture was to explain and express sorrow and devotion, and the expression of fatigue and hopes of a fast rest. Prince Vasiliy explained this gesture as an expression of fatigue.
— But I, — he said, — you think, have it easier? I am as frozen as a postal horse;179 all the same I need to have a talk with you, Katish, and a very serious one.
Prince Vasiliy fell silent, and his cheeks began to nervously twitch from one side to the other side, giving his face an unpleasant expression that never showed up on the face of Prince Vasiliy when he had been in living rooms. His eyes too have not been such as always: they looked brazenly, playfully, and scared around.
The princess, her own dry, thin hands holding onto a lap dog, carefully watched the eyes of Prince Vasiliy; but it was seen that she would not interrupt the silence of the issue, although she would had to have been silent until morning.
— See here if, my pretty princess and cousin, Katerina Semenovna, — continued Prince Vasiliy, apparently, not without an internal fight to begin the continuation of his speech, — in such minutes, as now, about everything we need to think. We need to think about the future, about you... I love all of you, as children, you know this.
The princess was already dull and still watched him.
— Finally, we need to think about my family, — angrily pushing himself away from the table and not looking at her, continued Prince Vasiliy, — you know, Katish, that you, the three Mamontovs sisters, and still my wife, we alone are the direct heirs of the count. I know, I know, how it is heavy for you to speak and think about these things. And for me it is not easier; yet, my friend, I’m in my sixties, I need to be ready for all. You know that I sent for Pierre, and that the count, pointing to his portrait, demanded him to himself?
Prince Vasiliy interrogatively looked at the princess, but could not understand, if she thought about what he said to her, or simply watched him…
— I about this alone do not stop to pray to God, mon cousin, — she answered, — so he has mercy for him and would give him a beautiful soul to calmly abandon this...
— Yes, this is so, — impatiently continued Prince Vasiliy, rubbing his bald head and again with malice pushing himself to the pushed back table, — but, finally... finally the business that you yourself know, that in the past winter the count wrote a will, by which all of his estate, in addition to direct heirs and us, is given back to Pierre.
— It matters little if he writes wills! — calmly said the princess, — But to Pierre he could not bequeath. Pierre is unlawful.
— Ma chère (my pretty), — suddenly said Prince Vasiliy, pressing himself to the table, perking up and beginning to speak quickly, — but what if a letter is written to the sovereign, and the count asks to adopt Pierre? Understand, by desert the count’s request will be respected...
The princess smiled, as is the smile of people that think that they know business more than those with whom they are talking.
— I say to you more, — continued Prince Vasiliy, grabbing her behind the arm, — the letter was written, although not sent out, and the sovereign knew about it. The question only is whether it is destroyed, or not. If not, then we’re soon all finished, — Prince Vasiliy sighed, by this giving the understanding that he understood from the words that all was finished, — and the will is in the paperwork of the count, the will letter will be delivered to the sovereign, and his request, maybe, will be respected. Pierre, now a lawful son, will receive everything.
— But our part? — asked the princess, ironically smiling as if everything, but only not this, could happen.
— But, pretty Katish, this is as clear as day.180 He then would be the one lawful heir, but you would not get this. You should know, my pretty, whether there has been written a will and letter, and whether they were destroyed. And if for some reason they are forgotten, you should know where they are, and find them, because...
— This alone was lacking! — he was interrupted by the princess, sardonically smiling and not changing the expression of her eyes. — I’m a woman; to you we are all stupid; but I know that an unlawful son may not inherit... Unlawful,181 — she added, believing by this to translate and finally show the prince his baselessness.
— How do you not understand, finally, Katish! You’re so smart: how do you not understand, — if the count wrote a letter to the sovereign, in which he asks to acknowledge his son as legal, Pierre already will not be Pierre, but Count Bezuhov, and so by will receives all? And should the will with the letter not be destroyed, that you, besides consolation that you were totally virtuous, what from here follows.182 Nothing will remain. This is right.
— I know that the will was written; but I know too that it is invalid, and you, it seems, consider me a perfect fool, mon cousin, — said the princess with that expression, with which speaks a woman, believing that they have said something witty and abusive.
— You are pretty my Princess Katerina Semenovna! — Prince Vasiliy impatiently began speaking. — I came to you not to be caustic with you, but so that as with a relative, become a prettier, good, and true relative, to talk about your same interests. I speak to you for a tenth time, if a letter to the sovereign and will in favor of Pierre is in the papers of the count, that you, my darling, and your sisters, are not heiresses. If you do not believe me, believe people in the know: I’ve now spoken with Dmitry Onufriich (this was the lawyer at home), he said the same.
Apparently, something suddenly changed in the thoughts of the princess; her subtle lips became pale (the eyes stayed the same), and her voice in that time as she began talking, broke through with such reverberation that she, apparently, did not await herself.
— This would be okay, — she said. — I wanted nothing and do not want. —
She dropped her dog from her knees and straightened the folds of her dress.
— Here is gratitude, here is the appreciation of people, to whom was donated all, — she said. — Perfect! Extremely okay! I need nothing, prince.
— Yes yet you are not alone, your sisters, — replied Prince Vasiliy.
But the princess did not listen to him.
— Yes, this for a long time I knew, but forgot, that besides baseness, cheating, envy, intrigue, besides ingratitude, most black ingratitude, I could expect nothing in this house...
— Do you know or not know where this will is? — asked Prince Vasiliy still with, bigger than before, twitching cheeks.
— Yes, I was stupid, I still believed in people and loved them and donated myself. But I have time only for those that are vile and nasty. I know whose intrigue this is.
The princess wanted to get up, but the prince kept her behind the arm. The princess had the view of a person, suddenly disappointed in all humankind; she viciously watched her interlocutor.
— There is still time, my friend. You remember, Katish, that all this is made accidentally, in a moment of anger, disease, and then forgotten. Our duty, my pretty, is to correct his mistake, facilitate his last minutes so that to not allow him to do this injustice, not to give his temper in thoughts that he did miserable to these people...
— These people that donated all to him, — picked up the princess, tearing again to get up, but the prince did not let her, — he will never be able to appreciate. No, mon cousin, — she added with a sigh, — I will remember that in this world you cannot be awaiting awards, that in this world there is no honor or justice. In this world you need to be cunning and evil.
— Well, well, well,183 calm down; I know your beautiful heart.
— No, in me is an evil heart.
— I know your heart, — repeated the prince, — appreciate your friendship and would desire that you would have the same opinions as me. Calm down and talk properly,184 while there is time — it may be, a day, may be an hour; tell me everything that you know about the will, and the main thing, where it is: you should know. We can now already take it and show the count. He, rightly, already forgot about it and will want to destroy it. You understand that my one wish — it is holy to perform his free will; I then had only arrived here. I am here only so that to help him and you.
— Now I understand everything. I know whose intrigue this is. I know, — said the princess.
— Not in this business, my soul.
— This is your protégée, your pretty Anna Mihaylovna, whom I would not have wanted as the maid, this vile, nasty woman.
— There will be no time to lose.185
— Ah, don’t speak! The past winter she rubbed here such filth, and such abominations she spoke to the count about all of us, especially Sophie, — I cannot repeat, — that the count was ill and for two weeks did not want to see us. In this time, I know that he wrote this nasty, vile paper; but I think that this paper means nothing.
— In this business,186 from what already have you not told me before?
— In a mosaic portfolio he held under his pillow. Now I know, — said the princess, not answering. — Yes, if there is for me a sin, a big sin, it is hatred for this scum, — almost screamed the princess, completely changed. — And for what did she rub here? But I will express to her everything, everything. The time will come!
175. Très beau, — très beau, princesse et puis, à Moscou on se croit à la campagne (Very beautiful -- very beautiful, princess and then in Moscow one believes in the countryside)
176. N’est-ce-pas? (Isn't it?)
177. une pincée de cremortartari (a pinch of cream of tartar)
178. Causons. (Let's talk.)
179. Je suis éreinté, comme un cheval de poste; (I am worn out, like a post horse;)
180. Mais, ma pauvre Catiche, c’est clair, comme le jour. (180. But, my poor Catiche, it is as clear as day.)
181. Un bâtard, (A bastard,)
182. et tout ce qui s’en suit, (and all that follows,)
183. Voyons, (Let's see,)
184. parlons raison, (talk reason)
185. Ne perdons point de temps. (Do not lose time.)
186. Nous y voilà, (Here we are,)
Time: "During the time that they were dancing"
Mentioned: the days of Catherine, the last two days (last few days in Garnett, Maude, and Mandelker. Undefined in Dole and Bell.), tomorrow and tonight, and "the future", "last winter"
Locations: Outside and inside Count Bezukhoi's house in Moscow, including the parlour, the corridor to the back part of the house, where the apartments of the elder princess were.
Mentioned: the Rostovs', Germany (as in Germans)
Pevear and Volkhonsky Notes: Sixth dance/sixth stroke. Servants, musicians, and cooks are “weary.” The contrast being Bezukhov’s house, which is filled with “bustle and anxiety of expectation.”
Parodic scene of undertakers lining up trying to get the bid for the funeral. Prince Vassily is “grown thin and pale during those days" and seems to have actual worry and fear. Dr. Lorrian sits much more relaxed and “graceful.” He’s
talking about the weather, “with a decent smile of self-satisfaction at being able to clearly understand and explain the patient’s condition..” Line break after this.
talking about the weather, “with a decent smile of self-satisfaction at being able to clearly understand and explain the patient’s condition..” Line break after this.
Clerical person: “a limit has been set to human life, which cannot be overstepped.”
The little details, “I knew a man who received extreme unction seven times" helps color the scene. But the German doctor (who of course speaks oddly) says no one lives after a second stroke.
The princess's gesture is interpreted as “an expression of weariness.”
In this second section Prince Vassily must talk about the inheritance, pushing the conversation, getting angry even when the princess does not seem to want this conversation.
“The princess smiled as people smile who think they know more about a matter than those they are talking with.” We see this later in the novel with Berg and Vera.
The princess accuses Vassily of sexism but is stubborn and doesn’t process the rules of inheritance. Tolstoy’s own sexism comes into account: “that expression with which women speak when they suppose they have said
something witty and insulting.” (this also should be recalled in aforementioned Berg and Vera house party scene)
something witty and insulting.” (this also should be recalled in aforementioned Berg and Vera house party scene)
“The princess had the air of someone who has suddenly become disappointed in the whole human race; she looked spitefully at her interlocutor…”I shall remember that one can expect no reward in this world, that in this world
there is neither honor nor justice...One must be cunning and wicked in this world.”
there is neither honor nor justice...One must be cunning and wicked in this world.”
The princess blames Anna Mikhailovna for the will.
Characters (characters who do not appear, but are mentioned are placed in italics. First appearances are in Bold. First mentions are underlined. Final appearance denoted by *):
Count Kirill Vladimirovitch Bezukhov (just “Count Bezukhov.” You could argue, because of the opening paragraph, he is technically in the chapter.)
military governor of Moscow (as in Dole, Briggs, and Maude (first two words capitalized in the latter), “governor of Moscow” in Garnett. “Governor General of Moscow” in Dunnigan. Pevear and Volkhonsky call him
“commander-in-chief of Moscow”, which may confuse him with an earlier mentioned character, though they probably should not be confused)
“commander-in-chief of Moscow”, which may confuse him with an earlier mentioned character, though they probably should not be confused)
Catherine the Great (just “Catherine” and only in relation to a reference to Bezukhov, with Dole calling him “the famous grandee of..” Mandelker, Maude, and Dunnigan use “celebrated grandee…” “famous dignitary…” in
Wiener, “illustrious contemporary…” in Bell (who also calls her “great), “renowned grandee…” in Edmonds. Called “Empress” in second mention in the chapter, when her portrait is referenced by Dole, Edmonds, and Bell but not
Garnett or Wiener. “Catherine the Great” there in Briggs and Mandelker)
Wiener, “illustrious contemporary…” in Bell (who also calls her “great), “renowned grandee…” in Edmonds. Called “Empress” in second mention in the chapter, when her portrait is referenced by Dole, Edmonds, and Bell but not
Garnett or Wiener. “Catherine the Great” there in Briggs and Mandelker)
Prince Vasili
Katerina Semyonovna Mamontof (as in Dole, “........Mamontov” in Dunnigan, Briggs, and Garnett. “...Semenovna Mamontov” in Wiener. “Catherine Semenovna Mamontov” in Maude, the same in Bell except the last name not
mentioned. “Katerina Semeonovna Mamontov” in Edmonds. The oldest princess or niece of Bezukhov. Prince Vasili calls her “Katish”, as in Dole, Garnett, and Dunnigan, “Katerina” in Wiener, “Katishe” in Edmonds, “Catiche” in
Bell and Maude, Vasili also calls her “cousin” consistently.)
mentioned. “Katerina Semeonovna Mamontov” in Edmonds. The oldest princess or niece of Bezukhov. Prince Vasili calls her “Katish”, as in Dole, Garnett, and Dunnigan, “Katerina” in Wiener, “Katishe” in Edmonds, “Catiche” in
Bell and Maude, Vasili also calls her “cousin” consistently.)
A priest (as in Dole, Mandelker, and Maude. “a little old man”, Maude and Mandelker say he is old but does not mention that he is little. Garnett has him little but no mention of old and calls him alternatively an “ecclesiastic of
some sort” and “clerk”. Briggs has him as “some sort of cleric.”
some sort” and “clerk”. Briggs has him as “some sort of cleric.”
A lady (the one with whom the priest speaks to)
Younger Princess (this one should be the one without the mole, “the second niece” in this chapter in Dole and Edmonds, “second Princess” in Dunnigan, wiener, and Maude. All three sisters are referred to in general. One of
them is probably the “Sophie” mentioned at the end of the chapter, but unclear which one)
them is probably the “Sophie” mentioned at the end of the chapter, but unclear which one)
Doctor Lorrain
German doctor
Adjutant (one the German doctor speaks with, see above for various translations, though Briggs uses “adjutant” instead of “aide”, of this word. Not entirely clear whose adjutant he is, but most likely the military governor’s)
Katerina Semyonovna’s dog (it is “little” as in Dole or “small” as in Mandelker)
Prince Vasili’s wife
Pierre
Czar Alexander (just “emperor”, see previous chapters for various translations)
Dmitri Onufriyitch (as in Dole. “...Onufriich” in Wiener. “...Onoufrievitch” in Bell. “...Onufrich” in Edmonds, Maude, and Dunnigan. “Dmitry Onufritch” in Garnett. He is the “count’s lawyer” in Dole, “the family solicitor” in Garnett,
Briggs, and Mandelker.)
Briggs, and Mandelker.)
Anna Mikhailovna (also “Princess Drubetskaya” and its variations)
(There is also: Military governor of Moscow’s adjutant (as in Dole, Garnett and Wiener make it plural, most likely because of the ов ending in адъютантов, which also differentiates musicians (музыкантов) from musician (музыкант) as in the chapter. Briggs says “string of aides.” “aides-de-camp” in Mandelker, Edmonds, and Bell. Thus, it should not be considered a character and Dole made a mistake)
(the Rostov’s party is mentioned, but none of the particular members are mentioned. The musicians, servants, and cooks, are also mentioned, but no specific ones are differentiated. Multiple doctors are mentioned early on,
as are multiple “undertakers.” Many other priests, visitors, and relatives are also undifferentiated)
as are multiple “undertakers.” Many other priests, visitors, and relatives are also undifferentiated)
Abridged Versions: No line break in Maude, Mandelker, or Edmonds. Doesn’t appear to be a line break in the Russian text. Yes line break in Bell, but chapter continues.
Gibian: Chapter 11: line break after "state the patient's condition"
Fuller: Picks back up with the mention of Count Bezukhov’s stroke, eliminating the party references of course. The conversations with the doctors, the priest, and the lady are all removed, focusing more on Vassily as he
goes to the princess’s room (no line break). The whole “well my dear” gesture and digression is removed. The line where the princess says she has lost all faith in the world is also cut as well as her complaining about all
she had done for the count.
Fuller: Picks back up with the mention of Count Bezukhov’s stroke, eliminating the party references of course. The conversations with the doctors, the priest, and the lady are all removed, focusing more on Vassily as he
goes to the princess’s room (no line break). The whole “well my dear” gesture and digression is removed. The line where the princess says she has lost all faith in the world is also cut as well as her complaining about all
she had done for the count.
Komroff: While the references to the party are kept, Komroff makes the same decisions about the first part of the chapter (though using a line break after it). The conversation between Vassily and the princess is preserved
other than: the whole “well my dear’ gesture and digression is removed and the reference to the lawyer is removed.
other than: the whole “well my dear’ gesture and digression is removed and the reference to the lawyer is removed.
Kropotkin: Chapter 15: The same decision as above is made about the conversations of the other characters, sticking with Vasili as he goes to the princess’s room (no line break). The “well, my dear” gesture is kept in,
some of its explanation is lost. The rest of the chapter is kept.
some of its explanation is lost. The rest of the chapter is kept.
Bromfield: Chapter 28: Mention early on about how the servants had finally gotten to sit down at the party amongst the opening. Also an early mention of Pierre and Anna Mikhailovna being sent for. The conversations
between the doctors, princess, old priest, and lady are kept. No line or chapter break before Vasily goes into the princess’s room. Vasily appears to be 10 years younger, over 50 instead of over 60. The rest of the chapter
appears the same.
Simmons: Entire chapter is cut. Replaced with "In Sections 11, 12, and 13, relatives of the dying Count Bezukhov, Catiche and Prince Vasili, conspire to deprive Pierre of his inheritance. Anna Mikhaylovna, still seeking favors
for her son Boris, accompanies Pierre to the death-bed of the count, and ruins the plans of the conspirators."
between the doctors, princess, old priest, and lady are kept. No line or chapter break before Vasily goes into the princess’s room. Vasily appears to be 10 years younger, over 50 instead of over 60. The rest of the chapter
appears the same.
Simmons: Entire chapter is cut. Replaced with "In Sections 11, 12, and 13, relatives of the dying Count Bezukhov, Catiche and Prince Vasili, conspire to deprive Pierre of his inheritance. Anna Mikhaylovna, still seeking favors
for her son Boris, accompanies Pierre to the death-bed of the count, and ruins the plans of the conspirators."
Bienstock and Martel: This is where the play really starts, with the huge salon in the palace of the Count.To combine the opening scenes of the novel, Scherer and Mortermart are here, along with Dokhtourov and Nesvitzki.
The opening lines of the play are from the priest and the lady. The lady gets a motivation for being there (sent by her husband to ask for an extension of rent). Metvier is also with Lorrain and speaks with Catherine. Lorrain
certain he will die while Metvier thinks he could live at least through the night. Scherer has a conversation with Catherine about how the Imperial Majesty has affection for the count. Scherer and the others discuss Pierre.
Bilibine also arrives and gives the news of Pierre's banishing from Petersburg and is even given the Count Rostov joking about how the inspector swam with the bear tied on him. Berg and Andre enter. Andre defends
Pierre and the words that Marya say in her letter about her father's reaction to the Count's death are given to Andre. Bilibine introduces Berg to Andre (Berg tries to use him to get close to Koutouzov, replacing Boris here,
and Bilibine says what Shinshin says to him at the Rostovs' party in the novel.) Basile and Scherer then have a conversation similar to what they have in in the first chapter of the novel about his children. Here, however,
they are trying to marry Helene to Andre. Helene has been sent to the Rostovs and Vasili's words about the count are given to Scherer. Anna Mikhailovna and Boris then enter. Anna's besieging of Basile about Boris
happens here. Pierre enters and his conversation with Catiche (sometimes called Catherine and sometimes Catiche in the play) where she chastises him happens here. A shorter version of
Andre and Pierre's conversation about his career and war also happens here. Andre also gets a line his father gets later in the novel about replacing veins with water. When Bonaparte is brought up, Bilibine uses his
"drop the U" mot. Mortermart and Pierre have their conversation about Bonaparte and Pierre gets Andrey's line of quoting Napoleon. Helene enters after Pierre defends Napoleon's execution of The Duke of Enghien.
Helene having a low view of Pierre is developed. Basile and Catiche then have their discussion about the will. As the extreme unction begins Anna notices the portfolio and the fight over it begins. An officer comes to stamp
the seals of the will in a non-novel scene. After Pierre is informed he will receive a large fortune, Berg tries to get Andre to introduce him to the count. Scherer and Helene are also overt in how they change towards Pierre.
An Old Woman gets the lines Anna has in the novel to the countess about seeing the son and father. Berg manages to introduce himself to Pierre. End of Act 1.
Additional Notes:
This chapter, along with the chapter where he begs Pierre to evacuate the occupied Moscow and is surprised to receive everything she wants, is the most developed we see of the Katerina character. Just as, even as manipulative
as he is in these chapters, the circumstances around Count Bezukhov's death shows Prince Vasili at least acting (whether or not he is sincere in his moment with Pierre after his father's death or here when he mentions his age) at
his weakest (we never see a moment of weakness for Vasili after the apparent death of his son, which we never see a reaction of, or the death of his daughter, in which his age and senility seem to be catching up with him, but the
actual scenic moments we get with him are of his reading and the fact that he is gaining more power), we see the key characteristics of Katerina being her stubbornness, her incomprehension, and her feeling of being persecuted.
Though the only real time we have seen her in the book so far has been her mistreating Pierre, she posits herself as the honorable and just one being mistreated in a just world. She puts on a very religious air with an almost
martyr spirit (this heavy religious spirit meshes relatively well with Anna Pavlovna's religious patriotism that opens the novel). The idea of falsity cloaked in religion and wealth being tied together with it is very important to Tolstoy's
religious critiques (the martyr spirit also collides with Tolstoy's relatively positivist thought that he occasionally, and unfortunately, displayed where karmatic action happens in our life time (in the novel, Anatole's apparent death
versus Pierre's family happiness is the clearest demonstration of this, but you can also see Napoleon's fall being in the tragic villain tradition (though Tolstoy's karmatic inclinations fall flat in his own thought with his protestations
about the historical mistreatment of Kutuzov, unless he sees himself as being, at least in part, the eventual corrector of this wrong. It is also unclear how the writer of Bethink Yourselves would believe in on-Earth karmic corrections.)))
This chapter, along with the chapter where he begs Pierre to evacuate the occupied Moscow and is surprised to receive everything she wants, is the most developed we see of the Katerina character. Just as, even as manipulative
as he is in these chapters, the circumstances around Count Bezukhov's death shows Prince Vasili at least acting (whether or not he is sincere in his moment with Pierre after his father's death or here when he mentions his age) at
his weakest (we never see a moment of weakness for Vasili after the apparent death of his son, which we never see a reaction of, or the death of his daughter, in which his age and senility seem to be catching up with him, but the
actual scenic moments we get with him are of his reading and the fact that he is gaining more power), we see the key characteristics of Katerina being her stubbornness, her incomprehension, and her feeling of being persecuted.
Though the only real time we have seen her in the book so far has been her mistreating Pierre, she posits herself as the honorable and just one being mistreated in a just world. She puts on a very religious air with an almost
martyr spirit (this heavy religious spirit meshes relatively well with Anna Pavlovna's religious patriotism that opens the novel). The idea of falsity cloaked in religion and wealth being tied together with it is very important to Tolstoy's
religious critiques (the martyr spirit also collides with Tolstoy's relatively positivist thought that he occasionally, and unfortunately, displayed where karmatic action happens in our life time (in the novel, Anatole's apparent death
versus Pierre's family happiness is the clearest demonstration of this, but you can also see Napoleon's fall being in the tragic villain tradition (though Tolstoy's karmatic inclinations fall flat in his own thought with his protestations
about the historical mistreatment of Kutuzov, unless he sees himself as being, at least in part, the eventual corrector of this wrong. It is also unclear how the writer of Bethink Yourselves would believe in on-Earth karmic corrections.)))
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