Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796

Chapter 20 020 Solovyov and Dolokhov

In St. Petersburg, many dignitaries gather on several islands in the city center, where they hold salons and various dances, as well as other activities, such as in the theater.

Also because of the many contacts with the Saltykov family, Mrs. Lebrun always takes her daughter Julie to the theater, and then some things happen.

Soloviev, who returned to St. Petersburg, first returned home. Now it is close to the time when he expected to present the design and the actual gun. Although he is now focusing on his career, he also has his own opinions about Julie.

In fact, they didn't talk much when they met. So far, the person Solovyov has met in St. Petersburg and talked to him the most is the Countess who wanted to "hook men" at a young age. She also wrote to say that the material of the latest eyebrow pencil needs to be improved, and when he returns to St. Petersburg, she will come to No. 7 Million Street to "negotiate" in person.

These girls in St. Petersburg are not easy to deal with, and Solovyov knows this very well.

As for going for "negotiations", it is actually unnecessary. According to various sources, there are many dignitaries in Petersburg who plan to go to the south this winter. Some masters don't like places like Petersburg, which have a relatively good climate. If they were diplomats, they would like to go to Naples, Madrid and Lisbon, where there are relatively few affairs, and the climate there is very pleasant.

Speaking of which, the father of the countess is the former ambassador to Naples. Their family also owns a lot of property on the Italian peninsula.

More importantly, it is to help Julie identify the middle-aged man she likes, or the secretary of the director of the Petersburg Imperial Theater. Civil servants are always more slick, and they do this. When the masters are busy with official duties or have many affairs, they like to let their secretaries write for them.

There was a general from Corsica who was like this. His writings sometimes looked abstract, and the handwritten content was often difficult to read. In addition, his mind was always thinking about how to fight and divide maps. In the future, he would have to have other functions. It was difficult for General Bonaparte to pick up a woman. He was very proud at the moment. 1797 was the beginning of his official entry into the historical stage.

Since he was so busy, it was inevitable that he had to add more work to the secretary. In this regard, whether it was official documents or love letters, they were experts, and it was not surprising that they had to polish an article.

From the content of Julie's letter, this Italian could not be clearly defined, so Solovyov had to go to the Guards headquarters to find someone.

And the guy who looked arrogant was Dolokhov of the Semenovsky Regiment of the Guards. Solovyov knew him because he was sometimes with the Guards. That group of people and that place were also famous.

Dolokhov, because Solovyov helped him to get out of trouble, looked up to him. It was not strange for these officers of the Guards to cause some trouble. At that time, Dolokhov was about to teach a policeman a lesson, but it was Solovyov who passed by and asked him to stop, so there was no trouble.

But this man is a thorn and a bastard, but when it comes to fighting, he is a good man and a good friend, at least a friend he has recognized.

"I say, Mishchenka, you don't look like someone in our circle. You have a title, a few small estates at home, and you have a connection with Prince Dolgorukov's family. Why do you have to be like us?"

"If you say so, there is also Count Tolstoy in this circle. Why is he with you?"

"It's different. You are very smart. We all know that you are a little smart and you like to invent. You are destined not to be a Guards officer. Be your adjutant well. Although this job is not good for a long time, there are many opportunities to meet big people. Maybe one day he will be very successful. Why do you have to do this kind of detective work for a French girl? "

"It's not like that. I want to do some investigation in a responsible manner towards my friend."

"But you came to me with two pistols. I think you have considered it. Although you are not very old, you are thoughtful. Holding a gun," he then opened the holster and was amazed. "Ha, it's really a good thing, a small gadget that can fire six shots."

Soloviev wanted to complain. They were obviously of similar age. Dolokhov was only in his early 20s. The other party spoke in a tone.

Moreover, the pair of pistols in his hands seemed to be reluctant to let go.

"Fedenka, that's for the Emperor. If you like this gun, I can find a gunsmith to make it."

"Ah, for the Emperor. You want people to know that this new gun can shoot accurately. If you want to win the bid, you have to find a target to shoot at, right? I think you want to provoke a duel, not just investigate the Italian."

At this time, Venice has not died completely according to the treaty. Sometimes when Petersburg speaks, the news is always delayed.

And Solovyov found that Dolokhov, this bastard, is indeed very good at men fighting.

Does Solovyov have feelings for Julie? He thought to himself that there was no such thing. The French girl was her mother's model. She also had some talent in painting and was indeed pretty in appearance. However, she was not suitable for Solovyov from any angle. Growing up under the doting care of his mother, he was always a little frivolous, willful, and a little self-centered.

Moreover, his father had just remarried. Although there was no problem with the family's expenses, he was always nervous. It was still difficult for a family of a retired military officer to come up with 15,000 rubles at a time, and the old Solovyov was only a seven-year-old boy in Ryazan. For civil servants, the actual income from public service is quite different from the level of titles and real estate, but it is true that in some years, just relying on the manor will be tight. You must know that he supports his son's career, but he spends money. Like running water.

Although getting married in this era has to be done as early as possible or delayed until the age Andre mentioned, it is not easy to find the right one at any time.

Julie and the countess are very good friends, but what experience can these girls have as they play and play with each other? Mrs. Lebrun's method of raising children is different from the general method of raising children of the third estate in France. She herself was fostered in a farm family since she was a child. Her parents would give the caregiver a sum of money, and then bring the child to a certain age. Returning to the family sometimes leads to the lack of some emotional elements. The wife takes care of the children by herself. Obviously, Julie does not have the same experience as when she was a child near Paris. Maybe it is said that she is still a little naive!

In fact, such a girl is easy to deceive. This is what Solovyov is worried about. Julie's letter contains this, which makes him very worried. After all, Mrs. Lebrun still has a share of money in the business, and she also has He was familiar with the big shots in Petersburg, and women were the best at selling. Julie told him the matter. If he didn't know about it, he wouldn't have to take the responsibility, but Julie regarded him as a friend, so he couldn't let it go. in spite of.

Besides, the secretary is still an outsider in Petersburg after all. He is the secretary to the theater director. Solovyov is not afraid. After all, he has a lot of connections here. If the old father just shakes people out, he can still find a few people. Lieutenant General and General, not to mention his own superior, Prince Volkonsky, were also satisfied with him. Even the toughest one was Count Bobulinski.

When he thought of this, he was actually just thinking of some unfavorable situations. At this time, any action that was dissatisfied with reputation would involve triggering a duel. However, duels in Russia were not as common as elsewhere in Europe. It is closer in form, but in actual fencing and shooting, the distance is closer. In the duel between Dantes and Pushkin, Pushkin was shot at the maximum range, but generally speaking, the distance of the duel will be closer. And the casualty rate is also very high.

On this issue, I have to say that this is too Russian. Single fights or group fights are likely to cause more bloodshed. However, duels are an imported product for Russia. If it were earlier, in Gaul When people were still hunting wild boars in the woods, they had already begun to attack them with iron swords.

Dolokhov looked at Solovyov. As soon as the smell of milk faded away, this guy started to sell his duel plan. It sounded a bit "sinister", but with the character of this little baron, his doubts It's not unreasonable, but I still need some advice.

Although this guy is an arrogant bastard who always tries to persuade others before doing bad things, he seems to be quite a nice person.

"You should think carefully instead of taking rash actions. You are not one of us duel enthusiasts. You have brains and your family background is not bad. You are also an adjutant to a general who is recognized as a good general. It is not like us. .”

Dolokhov's family also includes an old mother and a hunchbacked sister. He is a bastard outside, but he is a filial son at home.

"But what do you think of my situation? Speaking of which, Madame Lebrun often serves the Crown Princess and several grand duchess, and is a famous court painter in Europe. I can represent her, for the sake of her daughter's reputation, Initiating a duel, you should also know the stakes involved."

"Ah, when women saw the thing they gave me last time, they really couldn't put it down for this 'little bee'."

Apparently, he also used it on his mistress, and it should be well received.

As for "Little Bee", it refers to this brand. The content itself was designed by Solovyov. There is also a red bee on his coat of arms. The brand of pencils and makeup pens is named after Hexagonal appearance design.

"As for Madame Le Brun, she is, as you can imagine, the 'artistic advisor' to our undertaking."

"Well, that's the case. You might consider, if possible, going to the British Club first. There are always many big shots there, and it's a good place to get information. It's naturally good if you can avoid provoking a duel. If you want to cause something like this For such things, the responsibility should come from the other party, not you. In this way, during the confrontation, you must consider who can take the initiative to seek reconciliation and keep the initiative in your own hands. "

Although this guy is young, he is still very good at finding things.

"Of course, if it is related to the female painter, Madame Le Brun, you should consider this lady's opinion. This is still about her daughter's reputation."

There are ways. Solovyov thought of intercepting the letters. This is not surprising. After all, there is an old duke living near Smolensk who likes to check his daughter's letters. Whatever happens, it is not surprising.

As for this kind of proposal, it will lead to the parents' rejection and someone to participate in the duel on their behalf. In fact, Mrs. Lebrun has only one daughter. Her relatives are all in France. Her husband is not the most proud of his time. If you really want to find someone to act as a duel agent, you can only find it from the young people you know in Petersburg.

No matter how you look at it, Solovyov realized that this matter will have something to do with him in the end.

"Then, things should be done this way, but I think we still need to be prepared."

"Can you shoot this gun accurately?"

Dolokhov knew that Solovyov was a very careful person. He didn't load the two pistols at all, and the magazines were empty.

"It's very accurate, and it has rifling. When I tested the gun in the countryside, I was able to hit the human-shaped target accurately at a duel distance of 20 steps. To be exact, 6 out of 6 hits."

"I think it needs to be pre-loaded with gunpowder?"

"It needs to be loaded with gunpowder. I've considered using a copper shell before."

"Don't tell me that, Mishchenka. Just a good gun is enough. I don't need to know the principle!"

This guy is like this, and Solovyov really wants to see what this guy is like.

The theater performance will have to wait until a week later. Some recent things can always be understood and investigated.

As for what happened, it's not surprising.

The last suggestion Dolokhov gave Solovyov was to practice swordsmanship. Since he was confident in drawing a gun and shooting, he also had to consider possible situations. Will the two sides use cold weapons after the shooting rounds of the duel? As for reconciliation and mediation, that might be another matter.

Of course, Solovyov needed someone to help investigate, and Dolokhov still took 500 rubles and helped him find a spy to investigate, and really found out the daily activities of Gatan Bertrand Nigris and what he was doing.

Before leaving, Solovyov also listened to a series of Dolokhov's analysis. The template he took was the people of the Kurakin family in their circle. To be honest, it really fits Solovyov's stereotype, and this routine, after ten years, Dolokhov personally participated in it.

Speaking of which, Julie and Natasha are a good pair of references, and Solovyov probably has a judgment on how the story ends. In short, it's almost the same when the money is spent.

Since the other party's personal life is really not good, then this matter must always be solved in the British club.