War and Peace

Chapter 3

"The murder of Duke Angel was a political murder. It was in this incident that I saw Napoleon's lofty spirit. It can also be said that he does not have to bear any responsibility."

"Oh, my God!" Aina whispered in horror.

"Why, Mr. Bin-Air, do you think murder sublime?" said the petite Duchess, smiling.

"What I mean," continued Bin-Air, desperately, "is that the Bourbons escaped the Revolution and left society in a state of anarchy, and that Napoleon alone could understand the Revolution, carry it, and, for the good of the general public, , he can't stop because of a very few lives." "Can you stop for a while?" Aina said, but Bin-Air ignored her and continued: "Napoleon is great because he surpassed the revolution and suppressed it. The bad tendencies in life, the elimination of the false and the true, such as the equality of citizens, freedom of speech and the press, and because of this, he succeeded."

"Yes, if he seizes the power without killing people for no reason, and returns it to the rightful king," said the Viscount, "then we will certainly agree with him."

"He can do it. The people have given him power, and they think him great only because he can free them from feudal rule. Revolution is a great cause." Interjection, expressing his desire to express everything.

"Is revolution and murder a great cause?" Aina asked. "I'm not talking about murderers. These, of course, are individual things, but the important situation is not here, but the general situation, the elimination of prejudices, the equality of citizens. Napoleon fully preserved all these ideas."

"Liberty, equality," said the vicomte contemptuously, as if finally determined to point out to the young man some of the errors in his speech, "these loud slogans have long since become empty words. Who does not love peace and peace?" Freedom? Even our God preaches peace and freedom. After the revolution, did the people get happiness? Quite the opposite. Our freedom was destroyed by Napoleon."

Duke Andrée smiled, looking at Bin-Air for a while, and at his mistress for a while.When Bin-Air began to speak, Aina, despite her social experience, was shocked.But when she saw that although Bin-Air had said some exaggerated remarks, the Viscount was not angry, and after realizing that he could no longer control his speech, she concentrated her energy and united with the Viscount to attack Bin-Air.

"But, my dear Mr. Bin-Air, how do you explain that a great man killed an ordinary man without trial and crime without regard to morality and law?" Aina asked.

"Excuse me, sir," said the vicomte, "how do you explain the eighteenth Brumaire? Is it not a deception?"

"And the African captives he shot?" said the petite Duchess. "It's a bit scary!"

Mr. Bin-air didn't know which question to answer. He glanced around and smiled.His smile is not half-smile like other people's. On the contrary, when he smiles, his serious face disappears in an instant, and he suddenly shows a gentle, kind, and even childish expression, as if to please Others forgive.

Although the Viscount met Bin-Air for the first time, he began to feel that the Jacobin in front of him was not as scary as he claimed at all.Everyone is speechless.

"Isn't it difficult for you to ask him to answer so many questions?" said the Duke of Andrele. "Besides, we should divide a politician into two, which are his personal actions and which are political actions." . I think it should be."

"Yes, yes, of course it should be." Bin-Air took up the conversation, thanking someone for coming to his rescue.

"It cannot be denied," continued the Duke d'Or, that "Napoleon was a gentleman at the Arcola Bridge, and Napoleon was a gentleman at the Jaffa Hospital helping the plague patients, but... but his Some behaviors are hard to understand."

Duke Undry evidently wanted to soften Bin-Air's gaffe.He bowed his body, intending to leave, and gestured to his wife.

[five]

Together, the guests thank Aina for a glamorous evening, and the guests start to leave.

Bin-Air was potbellied and clumsy, and he was tall and burly.As others have said, he didn't enter the social arena, let alone go out of the social arena. It can also be said that he didn't know what to say to make people happy before leaving.Ina turned to him, and with Christian kindness, understanding his words, nodded to him and said:

"I hope to see you often, but I also hope you will change your mind, my dear Mr. Bin-Air."

Duke Andrée went to the door, put his shoulders closer to the footman who was dressing him, and listened absently to the conversation between his wife and Duke Jerberite.Prince Yepirite walked up to the charming princess and kept looking at her through his spectacles. "Go in, Aina, don't catch a cold." The petite duchess said to Aina, and then whispered: "That's the decision." Proposing marriage to the petite duchess' sister-in-law. "Dear friend, I thank you," Aina also whispered. "You wrote to her and told me what her father thinks about this marriage. Goodbye." After she finished speaking, she walked out of the door.

Prince Yepirite walked up to the petite princess, put his face very close, and began to whisper and laugh.

When the Duchess got into the carriage, Duke Andrei called out coldly to Yepirite who was standing on the road: "Stand aside, sir." Er said, "I'm looking forward to you, Bin-Air."

The coachman got up his horse and walked forward.Duke Yepirite was still chattering, standing on the steps waiting for the Viscount, who promised to take the Viscount home.

Bin Air came to Duke Andrele’s house by car, walked into Duke Andrele’s study like an old acquaintance, immediately sat on the sofa habitually, and took out a book from the bookshelf (this is Kai Caesar's Gallic Wars and Civil War), leaning on the sofa, opened the pages and began to read.

"What did you do to Miss Charleau? Look at her now." Duke Andrele also came to the study and rubbed a pair of clean, small hands. "My dear, why are you so casual? Say what comes to mind.” After a short pause, Andrei asked Bin-Air: “Have you made up your mind? Are you going to be a cavalry officer or a diplomat?”

"I haven't decided yet, I don't like either." "But you have to make up your mind now, your father is waiting." Bin-Air went abroad with a priest who was a tutor when he was just ten years old Stayed until 20 years old.After returning home, his father resigned as a priest, and said to Bin-Air: "Now go to Petersburg, walk around, see what is suitable, and I will support you no matter what. This is a letter to the Duke of Vohiel , This is the money for you. Write to me if you have anything to do, and I will help you in all aspects." Bin-Air chose a temporary job, but there was still no result.It was about this that the Duke d'Andrew was talking to him about.

Bin Air said he was reluctant to join the army, because he knew that this war against Napoleon was not a fight for peace, and helped Britain and Austria to deal with the greatest man in the world from the side.He asked Ondry what reason he had to go to war, and Ondry replied:

"What reason? I don't know. Responsibility, I suppose. Besides, I'll..." He paused, "And also because the life I'm leading here isn't for me!"

[six]

From the next room came the rustling of women's clothes.Duke Andrele changed his expression.Bin-Air also sat up straight from the sofa.The Duchess came to the study, and she had changed into a dress she usually wore, but was equally beautiful. "I'm always thinking," she sat down on the chair with difficulty, "why doesn't Aina marry? Don't you guys like her, you are really stupid." She turned to Bin-Air, "Mr. Bin-Air, you are too Talented, and likes to be competitive!"

"I'm talking to your husband. I don't know why he has to go to war," Bin-Air said to the Duchess.This sentence made the Duchess shudder, and she also became excited.

"Oh, I was going to talk to him too!" she said. "I don't know, these men can't live without going to war? Why don't we women think about such things?"

Andreet was obviously not happy that she said such a thing.Bin Air asked Andre: "When are you leaving?" "Oh, don't say when, I don't like to hear that," said the Duchess in the same way she used to talk to Yeberite at a party. Said in a casual and frivolous tone, this kind of language is not very appropriate to say at home. "Also, Andret, I'm afraid, I'm really afraid!"

"What are you afraid of, Linse? I don't know." Andre asked coldly. "You men only care about yourself! God knows why, he left me alone in the countryside." "Why are you lonely, don't you still have a father and a sister?" "Without my friends, why are you not alone? He also told me not to worry."

"I still don't know what you are afraid of." Duke Andrele kept looking at his wife.

The Duchess blushed, and her short, hairy lips trembled suddenly. "Oh, Andrelet, you have changed, you have become cruel. How can I forgive you? You are going to war, But you don't care about me, what are you thinking?"

"Linse, I beg you to stop talking." Seeing that Bin-Air wanted to leave with interest, Andreel grabbed his arm. "Please go slowly, wait a moment, Bin-Air, the Duchess is very hospitable, and will not object to my spending an evening with you."

"Oh, he only thinks of himself." The Duchess couldn't help but shed tears of grievance and muttered softly.

"Linse!" Duke Andrele raised his voice, obviously a little angry.With a timid look on the face of the terrified Duchess, saying "My God, my God," she lifted her dress, walked up to her husband, and kissed him on the forehead.

"Good-bye, Linse," said André, standing up, and kissing her hand very politely, as if kissing the hand of a stranger.

The two of them did not speak for a long time, while Andreet wiped his face with a handkerchief. "We should eat now." He sighed and stood up.During the meal, Duke Andrele put his hand on the dining table, as if he had been prepared for a long time, and suddenly decided to vomit quickly. He began to say with a nervous expression that Bin-Air had never seen:
"I think you don't want to get married anymore, my friend. This is my advice to you. Marriage is like a stumbling block, which will block your progress. Before you know her clearly, don't get married rashly, otherwise You will make an irreparable big mistake. Really, really! Don't look at me like this in surprise. If you have lofty ideals, then every step you take must be down-to-earth, otherwise I will prepare for you The only thing left is the drawing room, where you will be a court servant and a fool...that's all!..."

He slammed his hand hard.Bin-Air took off his glasses, and after taking off the glasses, his face seemed to be completely different from before, looking more kind.He looked at Andrele in surprise. "My wife," continued the Duke d'Andrew, "is a very fine woman. She is one of those few women whose husband does not have to worry about his reputation. But, my God, if I could Let me not get married, I would rather give everything! I will only tell you these words, and it is the first time I tell you, because I love you."

When Duke Andrele said these words, he was even less like the same person who was lazily sitting in the banquet living room at the beginning.Every muscle in his grim face was shaking with excitement, and his eyes, which seemed to have extinguished the fire of life, seemed to see light.

"You don't understand why I say that," he went on. "To be clear, it's the whole life story of a man. You mention Napoleon and his career," he said, although Bin-Air did not mention Napoleon, "However, when Napoleon walked step by step towards the goal he pursued, he was free. He didn't think of anything other than his own goal in his mind, so he succeeded. But if he tied himself with a woman, Like a prisoner in shackles, that'll catch your feet. All your efforts and wishes will be in vain, and you'll regret it. Drawing rooms, gossip, balls, vanity, trifles—all this It's the ecstasy that I can't escape. I'm going to fight now, to participate in an unprecedented war, but I don't have any experience, I don't know anything. In Aina's place, people listen to me, and those women... It's a pity you don't know what these beautiful women are! My father is right. Selfish, vain, ignorant, small, that's what women look like when they show their true colors. Look carefully at the women in the social field, They seem to be eloquent, but in fact they have no opinion at all! Never marry, my dear, not marry." Duke Andrée broke off his conversation.

"How could he say such a thing!" thought Bin-Air to himself.Bin-Air believed that Duke Andrele was a role model for many people, because he had the kind of firm will that Bin-Air did not have.Bin-Air has always admired Duke Andrele's unhurried attitude when interacting with various people, his extraordinary imagination and profound knowledge, especially his serious work and study ability.

"I have lost all hope," said the Duke d'Andrew. "What do you think? Let us talk about you."

"Why are you talking about me? Who am I? I'm an illegitimate child!"

His face was crimson immediately, and it was evident that it took a lot of effort to say this sentence.

"I value you very much. You are the only living person in our society. You are very good. You are free now. You can choose what you want. You can do whatever you want, but I want to warn you, don't follow Kuragin and his gang are living that rambunctious life. It doesn't suit you."

Bin-Air had lived in the home of Duke Vohire Kuragin, and had participated in the indulgence of Vohire's son Unladuli.That Angladuli was the young man whom Aina and others wanted to match him with. People wanted him to marry the younger sister of Duke Andrele in order to change his life path.

"I've also realized this for a long time. I don't want to live that life. They asked me to go tonight, and I didn't say yes to them."

"Can you assure me that you will never go again?" asked Andrelet.

"I swear it now!" However, after Bin-Air left the Undryer's house late at night, walking on the streets of Petersburg in the late autumn night, he still felt that it was impossible in such a beautiful evening or early morning. sleeping.He thought of the oath he had just sworn, but at once another idea came to his mind: what was the use of making a promise, because before he swore to André, he had promised Unladourie, and now It's a dilemma.At last he thought that all these oaths are not fixed, have no precise meaning, and need not be taken too seriously. Let it go from day to day, and maybe something else special will happen, and then the oaths made will have no effect.Now he was so confused that he couldn't make up his mind, and all his resolutions were in vain.Involuntarily, therefore, he went again to Kuragin's house, where he partook in drinking, bear juggling, and betting, and spent another night in a hearty game.

(End of this chapter)