AN AVERAGE STATESMAN.
Count Ivan Michaelovitch had been a minister, and was a man of strong convictions. The convictions of Count Ivan Michaelovitch consisted in the belief that, just as it was natural for a bird to feed on worms, to be clothed in feathers and down, and to fly in the air, so it was natural for him to feed on the choicest and most expensive food, prepared by highly-paid cooks, to wear the most comfortable and most expensive clothing, to drive with the best and fastest horses, and that, therefore, all these things should be ready found for him. Besides this, Count Ivan Michaelovitch considered that the more money he could get out of the treasury by all sorts of means, the more orders he had, including different diamond insignia of something or other, and the oftener he spoke to highly-placed individuals of both sexes, so much the better it was.
All the rest Count Ivan Michaelovitch considered insignificant and uninteresting beside these dogmas. All the rest might be as it was, or just the reverse. Count Ivan Michaelovitch lived and acted according to these lights for 40 years, and at the end of 40 years reached the position of a Minister of State. The chief qualities that enabled Count Ivan Michaelovitch to reach this position were his capacity of understanding the meaning of documents and laws and of drawing up, though clumsily, intelligible State papers, and of spelling them correctly; secondly, his very stately appearance, which enabled him, when necessary, to seem not only extremely proud, but unapproachable and majestic, while at other times he could be abjectly and almost passionately servile; thirdly, the absence of any general principles or rules, either of personal or administrative morality, which made it possible for him either to agree or disagree with anybody according to what was wanted at the time. When acting thus his only endeavour was to sustain the appearance of good breeding and not to seem too plainly inconsistent. As for his actions being moral or not, in themselves, or whether they were going to result in the highest welfare or greatest evil for the whole of the Russian Empire, or even the entire world, that was quite indifferent to him. When he became minister, not only those dependent on him (and there were great many of them) and people connected with him, but many strangers and even he himself were convinced that he was a very clever statesman. But after some time had elapsed and he had done nothing and had nothing to show, and when in accordance with the law of the struggle for existence others, like himself, who had learnt to write and understand documents, stately and unprincipled officials, had displaced him, he turned out to be not only far from clever but very limited and badly educated. Though self-assured, his views hardly reaching the level of those in the leading articles of the Conservative papers, it became apparent that there was nothing in him to distinguish him from those other badly-educated and self-assured officials who had pushed him out, and he himself saw it. But this did not shake his conviction that he had to receive a great deal of money out of the Treasury every year, and new decorations for his dress clothes. This conviction was so firm that no one had the pluck to refuse these things to him, and he received yearly, partly in form of a pension, partly as a salary for being a member in a Government institution and chairman of all sorts of committees and councils, several tens of thousands of roubles, besides the right--highly prized by him--of sewing all sorts of new cords to his shoulders and trousers, and ribbons to wear under and enamel stars to fix on to his dress coat. In consequence of this Count Ivan Michaelovitch had very high connections.
Count Ivan Michaelovitch listened to Nekhludoff as he was wont to listen to the reports of the permanent secretary of his department, and, having heard him, said he would give him two notes, one to the Senator Wolff, of the Appeal Department. "All sorts of things are reported of him, but dans tous les cas c'est un homme tres comme ii faut," he said. "He is indebted to me, and will do all that is possible." The other note Count Ivan Michaelovitch gave Nekhludoff was to an influential member of the Petition Committee. The story of Theodosia Birukoff as told by Nekhludoff interested him very much. When Nekhludoff said that he thought of writing to the Empress, the Count replied that it certainly was a very touching story, and might, if occasion presented itself, be told her, but he could not promise. Let the petition be handed in in due form.
Should there be an opportunity, and if a petit comite were called on Thursday, he thought he would tell her the story. As soon as Nekhludoff had received these two notes, and a note to Mariette from his aunt, he at once set off to these different places.
First he went to Mariette's. He had known her as a half-grown girl, the daughter of an aristocratic but not wealthy family, and had heard how she had married a man who was making a career, whom Nekhludoff had heard badly spoken of; and, as usual, he felt it hard to ask a favour of a man he did not esteem. In these cases he always felt an inner dissension and dissatisfaction, and wavered whether to ask the favour or not, and always resolved to ask. Besides feeling himself in a false position among those to whose set he no longer regarded himself as belonging, who yet regarded him as belonging to them, he felt himself getting into the old accustomed rut, and in spite of himself fell into the thoughtless and immoral tone that reigned in that circle. He felt that from the first, with his aunt, he involuntarily fell into a bantering tone while talking about serious matters.
Petersburg in general affected him with its usual physically invigorating and mentally dulling effect.
Everything so clean, so comfortably well-arranged and the people so lenient in moral matters, that life seemed very easy.
A fine, clean, and polite isvostchik drove him past fine, clean, polite policemen, along the fine, clean, watered streets, past fine, clean houses to the house in which Mariette lived. At the front door stood a pair of English horses, with English harness, and an English-looking coachman on the box, with the lower part of his face shaved, proudly holding a whip. The doorkeeper, dressed in a wonderfully clean livery, opened the door into the hall, where in still cleaner livery with gold cords stood the footman with his splendid whiskers well combed out, and the orderly on duty in a brand-new uniform. "The general does not receive, and the generaless does not receive either. She is just going to drive out."
Nekhludoff took out Katerina Ivanovna's letter, and going up to a table on which lay a visitors' book, began to write that he was sorry not to have been able to see any one; when the footman went up the staircase the doorkeeper went out and shouted to the coachman, and the orderly stood up rigid with his arms at his sides following with his eyes a little, slight lady, who was coming down the stairs with rapid steps not in keeping with all the grandeur.
Mariette had a large hat on, with feathers, a black dress and cape, and new black gloves. Her face was covered by a veil.
When she saw Nekhludoff she lifted the veil off a very pretty face with bright eyes that looked inquiringly at him.
"Ah, Prince Dmitri Ivanovitch Nekhludoff," she said, with a soft, pleasant voice. "I should have known--"
"What! you even remember my name?"
"I should think so. Why, I and my sisters have even been in love with you," she said, in French. "But, dear me, how you have altered. Oh, what a pity I have to go out. But let us go up again," she said and stopped hesitatingly. Then she looked at the clock. "No, I can't. I am going to Kamenskaya's to attend a mass for the dead. She is terribly afflicted."
"Who is this Kamenskaya?"
"Have you not heard? Her son was killed in a duel. He fought Posen. He was the only son. Terrible I The mother is very much afflicted."
"Yes. I have heard of it."
"No, I had better go, and you must come again, to-night or to-morrow," she said, and went to the door with quick, light steps.
"I cannot come to-night," he said, going out after her; "but I have a request to make you," and he looked at the pair of bays that were drawing up to the front door.
"What is this?"
"This is a letter from aunt to you," said Nekhludoff, handing her a narrow envelope, with a large crest. "You'll find all about it in there."
"I know Countess Katerina Ivanovna thinks I have some influence with my husband in business matters. She is mistaken. I can do nothing and do not like to interfere. But, of course, for you I am willing to be false to my principle. What is this business about?" she said, searching in vain for her pocket with her little black gloved hand.
"There is a girl imprisoned in the fortress, and she is ill and innocent."
"What is her name?"
"Lydia Shoustova. It's in the note."
"All right; I'll see what I can do," she said, and lightly jumped into her little, softly upholstered, open carriage, its brightly-varnished splash-guards glistening in the sunshine, and opened her parasol. The footman got on the box and gave the coachman a sign. The carriage moved, but at that moment she touched the coachman with her parasol and the slim-legged beauties, the bay mares, stopped, bending their beautiful necks and stepping from foot to foot.
"But you must come, only, please, without interested motives," and she looked at him with a smile, the force of which she well knew, and, as if the performance over and she were drawing the curtain, she dropped the veil over her face again. "All right," and she again touched the coachman.
Nekhludoff raised his hat, and the well-bred bays, slightly snorting, set off, their shoes clattering on the pavement, and the carriage rolled quickly and smoothly on its new rubber tyres, giving a jump only now and then over some unevenness of the road.
察尔斯基伯爵是位退休大臣,对一些事情自己有坚定不移的看法.
他从青年时代起就坚决相信,鸟儿天生要吃昆虫,要披羽一毛一和绒一毛一,要在空中飞翔,同样,他生下来就该吃名厨烹调的山珍海味,该穿轻暖舒适的华贵衣服,该坐最快最稳的马车,因此这一切都得为他准备好.此外,察尔斯基伯爵认为,他从国库支取的现款越多,他获得的勋章--包括钻石勋章--越多,他同皇亲国戚的一交一往和谈话越频繁,他就越满意.同这种基本宗旨相比,察尔斯基伯爵认为其他一切都微不足道,毫无价值.其他一切,可以这样,也可以那样,都无所谓.本着这种信念,察尔斯基伯爵在彼得堡生活了四十年,活动了四十年,而在四十年届满时当上了大臣.
察尔斯基伯爵谋得这种高位的主要条件在于,第一,他有本事看懂公文和法规,有本事起草虽不漂亮但可以看懂的公文,而且没有什么错别字;第二,他生得仪表堂堂,在必要时可以装得十分自负,甚至使人感到高不可攀,威风凛凛,在另一种场合,却又可以卑躬屈节,达到肉麻和下贱的地步;第三,不论在个人道德还是公务处理上他没有一成不变的原则,只要有需要,他可以同意一切,也可以反对一切.他在行动的时候,总是竭力摆出道貌岸然的样子,使人不觉得他自相矛盾.至于他的行为是不是合乎道德规范,对俄罗斯帝国或全世界会造成极大益处还是极大害处,他都无所谓.
他当上大臣以后,不仅所有依赖他的人(依赖他的人和他的亲信极多),甚至一切局外人和他自己都深信,他是一个英明的治国人材.但过了一些时候,他却毫无建树,毫无政绩.于是按照生存竞争的法则,就有一些同他一样能起草公文和看懂公文,仪表堂堂而毫无原则的官僚把他排挤出去,他只好退休.直到这时大家才明白,他这人不仅并不英明卓越,深谋远虑,而且鼠目寸光,不学无术,却又刚愎自用.其实照他的程度只能勉强读懂庸俗的保守派报纸的社论.的确,他同那些不学无术,刚愎自用,把他排挤出来的官僚毫无区别.这一层他自己明白,但这丝毫也不会动摇他的信念,就是他应该年年领取大笔公款,年年获得新的勋章来装饰他讲究的衣服.这种信念十分顽强,因此谁也不敢停止给他这些酬劳.他照旧每年领取几万卢布,一部分算是养老金,一部分算是参与国事的报酬,因为他在最高政一府机关里挂了个名,又担任各种各样委员会的主席.此外,他又年年获得他所珍重的肩上或长裤上的丝绦,礼服上的新绶带和珐琅星章.这样,察尔斯基伯爵的一交一游就越发广阔了.
察尔斯基伯爵听聂赫留朵夫讲话就象以前听办公室主任报告什么事一样.他听完以后说,他要为聂赫留朵夫写两封信,其中一封是给上诉部枢密官沃尔夫的.
"人家对他有种种说法,但不论怎么说,他是个正派人,"
他说."他还欠了我的情,准会尽力去办的."
察尔斯基伯爵给他的另一封信,是写给上诉委员会里一个有势力的人物的.他对聂赫留朵夫所说的费多霞一案很感兴趣.聂赫留朵夫告诉他想就此事写个呈文给皇后,察尔斯基伯爵说这事确实很动人,有机会要向那边说说.但他不能说定.上诉还是照章办理的好.他想,要是有机会,要是礼拜四举行碰头会,他可能谈一谈这件事.
聂赫留朵夫拿到伯爵写的两封信和姨一妈一写给玛丽一爱一特的信,立刻就到那几个地方去.
他先去找玛丽一爱一特.他认识她的时候,她还是个并不富裕的贵族家庭的少女,后来知道她嫁给了一个官运亨通的人.关于这个人他听到一些不好的名声,主要是他对千百个政治犯残酷无情,特别擅长折磨人.聂赫留朵夫照例心头感到十分沉重.他想到为了帮助被压迫者不得不站在压迫者一边,因为他得去向他们求情,要他们对某几个人手下留情,稍稍减轻他们一习一以为常,因而不以为意的残酷手段.而他这样做就等于承认他们的行为是合法的.遇到这种情况,他总觉得内心很矛盾,自怨自艾,对求情的事拿不定主意,但最后还是决定去.他这样做,在玛丽一爱一特和她丈夫面前确实感到别扭,羞愧,不愉快,但关在单身牢房里那个受罪的不幸女人却能因此获得释放,她和她的亲人就不会再备受折磨.此外,他觉得向那批人求情往往言不由衷,因为他已不把他们看作是自己人,而他们却把他当作自己人.他处身在这个圈子里,觉得又落到惯常的旧轨道,不由自主地屈服于笼罩这个圈子的轻浮罪恶的气氛.他在察尔斯基姨一妈一家里就有这样的感觉.今天早晨他同她谈到一些很严肃的问题时,就用了戏谑的口吻.
总的说来,久别的彼得堡照例对他起了刺激肉一体和麻痹一精一神的作用:一切都是那么清洁,舒适,方便,主要是人们在道德上无所追求,过日子就特别轻松.
干净漂亮,彬彬有礼的马车夫,载着他在干净漂亮,彬彬有礼的警察身旁经过,沿着洒过水的干净漂亮的街道,经过干净漂亮的房子,来到河滨玛丽一爱一特的房子前.
大门口停着一辆马车,套着两匹戴眼罩的英国马.一个模仿英国人气派的马车夫,下半截面颊上留着络腮一胡一子,穿着号衣,手拿马鞭,神气活现地坐在驭座上.
门房穿着一身非常干净的制一服,打开通门廊的大门.门廊里站着一个跟班,号衣更加干净,上面镶着丝绦,络腮一胡一子梳理得更加整齐好看.还有一个值班的勤务兵,穿一身干净的崭新军服,身上带着刺刀.
"将军现在不会客.将军夫人也不会客.她现在要出门."
聂赫留朵夫拿出察尔斯基伯爵夫人的信,取出他的名片,然后走到放着来宾留言簿的小桌旁,拿起笔来写道:"来访未晤,甚以为憾."他刚写到这里,跟班走到楼梯口,门房走到大门外,喝道:"来车!"勤务兵就挺一直身一子立正,两手贴住裤缝,两眼迎接从楼上下来的身材瘦小而步伐快得同她的身份不相称的太太.
玛丽一爱一特头戴一顶插有羽一毛一的大帽子,身穿黑色连衣裙,外披黑斗篷,手戴崭新的黑手套,脸上遮着面纱.
她一看见聂赫留朵夫,就撩一起面纱,露出她那非常可一爱一的脸和一双亮晶晶的眼睛,疑问地对他瞅了一眼.
"啊,德米特里·伊凡内奇公爵!"她用愉快动听的声音叫道."我该认得......"
"怎么,您连我的称呼都还记得吗?"
"可不是,我跟我妹妹当年还一爱一上了您呢,"她用法语说.
"唉,您的模样可变多了.可惜我现在要出去.要不,我们回到楼上去吧,"她说着,迟疑不决地站住.
她瞧了瞧墙上的挂钟.
"不,不行.我要到卡敏斯卡雅家去参加丧事礼拜.她伤心透了."
"卡敏斯卡雅是谁呀?"
"难道您没听说吗?......她的儿子在决斗中被人打死了.他跟波森决斗.他是独生子.真是可怕.他母亲伤心死了."
"是的,我听说了."
"不,我还是去一下好,您明天或者今天晚上来吧,"她说,迈开轻快的步子向大门口走去.
"我今天晚上不能来,"他跟她一起走到大门口,回答说.
"要知道,我有事找您,"他说,眼睛却瞧着那对向门口走来的棕黄马.
"什么事啊?"
"喏,这是我姨一妈一的信,信上讲的就是那件事,"聂赫留朵夫说,递给她上面印有很大花体姓氏字母的长信封."您看了信就明白了."
"我知道,察尔斯基伯爵夫人以为我在公事上可以左右丈夫.她错了.我无能为力,我也不愿过问他的事.不过,当然罗,为了伯爵夫人和您,我可以破一次例.那么,究竟是什么事?"她说,用那只戴黑手套的小手摸索她的口袋,却没有找着.
"有个姑一娘一被关在要塞里,可是她有病,吃了冤枉官司了."
"她姓什么?"
"舒斯托娃.李迪雅·舒斯托娃.信上写了."
"好吧,我去试试,"她说,轻一盈地跳上挡泥板在一�一光下闪闪发亮的皮座弹簧马车,打开一�一伞.跟班在驭座上坐下来,示意车夫赶车.马车刚一移动,她就用一�一伞碰碰车夫的脊背,那两匹漂亮的细皮英国种母马就被马勒拉住,仰起好看的头,站住,但不住地活动着它们的细腿.
"您务必要来,但不光是为了办您那些事,"她说着嫣然一笑,而且很懂得这一笑的力量.接着,仿佛演完戏放下幕布,她把面纱放下."好,我们走吧,"她又用一�一伞碰碰车夫.
聂赫留朵夫举起帽子.那两匹纯种棕黄色母马喷着鼻子,蹄子得得地敲响马路,飞奔而去,马车的新橡胶轮胎在道路坎坷的地方偶尔轻轻跳动一下.
