Anna Karenina (Dole)/Part Six/Chapter 27
CHAPTER XXVII
The principal election, that of marshal of the government, did not take place until the sixth day.
The great halls and the little halls were crowded with nobles in their various uniforms. Many came for this day only. Acquaintances who had not met for years were there, some from the Krimea, some from Petersburg, some from abroad. The debates were carried on at the governor's table, under the emperor's portrait.
The nobles both in the larger and in the smaller hall were grouped in opposing camps, and, judging by the hostile and mistrustful looks exchanged, by the conversations which ceased at the approach of strangers, by the fact that some walked up and down the distant corridor whispering together, it was evident that each side had secrets from the other. Even by a superficial glance it could be seen that the nobles were divided into two sharply contrasting types: the old and the new. The old school wore for the most part either old court uniforms, tightly buttoned up, with swords, and ancient hats, or else their ordinary marine, cavalry, or infantry uniforms of very ancient date. The uniforms of the old nobles were made in the ancient style, with epaulets on the shoulders, and with short waists and tight armholes, as if their possessors had grown out of them; but the younger men wore court uniforms with broad shoulders, long waists, and white waistcoats unbuttoned, or else uniforms with black collars and embroidered laurel leaves—the distinguishing badge of the ministry of justice. Court uniforms were to be seen here and there, also among the young men, adding to the brilliancy of the throng.
But the division into "old" and "young" did not coincide with the party lines. Some of the younger men, to Levin's surprise, belonged to the old party, and, on the contrary, some of the very oldest nobles were on confidential terms with Sviazhsky and were evidently warm partizans of the new school.
In the smaller hall, where men were smoking and lunching, Levin was standing near a group of his friends and listening to what was said, and vainly exerting all his intellectual powers to comprehend what was said. Sergyeï Ivanovitch was the center around whom many men had gathered. He was now listening to Sviazhsky and Khliustof, the marshal of another district, who belonged to their party. Khliustof would not agree to go with his district and beg Snetkof to stand as candidate; but Sviazhsky advised him to do this, and Sergyei Ivanovitch approved of this plan. Levin could not understand why a party opposed to this marshal and wanting to defeat him should nevertheless put him up as a candidate.
Stepan Arkadyevitch, who had just been lunching and drinking, joined them in his chamberlain's uniform, wiping his mouth with a perfumed and embroidered cambric handkerchief.
"We hold the situation," said he, arranging both his side-whiskers, "Sergyeï Ivanovitch;" and after he heard Sviazhsky's plan he agreed with him.
"One district is enough, but let Sviazhsky pretend to be in opposition;" and all except Levin understood the meaning of his words.
"Well, how is Kostia?" he said, turning to Levin and taking him by the arm. "So you came, it seems, in style."
Levin would not have been sorry to be in style, but he could not comprehend what was taking place, and, going a few steps from the rest, he expressed to him his astonishment at seeing the hostile districts asking the old marshal to stand as candidate.
"O sancta simplicitas!" replied Oblonsky; and in a few clear words he explained to Levin what the state of the case was.
"If, as at the last elections, all the districts should unite on the government marshal, he would be elected. This is not what is wanted. Now eight of the districts have agreed to ask him to stand. But if two should refuse to accept him for their candidate, then Snetkof might decline to stand. And then the old party might take for their candidate some one else in their party, so that the whole scheme would be defeated. But if Sviazhsky's district is the only one refusing to adopt him as their candidate, Snetkof will accept the nomination. So he is selected and proposed as a candidate so as to throw dust in the eyes of the opposite party, and when we set up our candidate they will go over to him."
Levin began to get some idea of the plan, but it was not entirely clear to him, and he was about to ask a few more questions, when suddenly there was heard in the next room a great shouting and uproar and confusion:—
"What is it? What? Who? .... Confidence in whom? What? .... It is disproved. .... Lack of confidence. .... They won't admit Flerof .... prosecution. .... They refuse to admit a man? Shame! .... The law." Such were the words that Levin heard shouted from all sides, and he, together with all the rest, hurrying from all directions and shouting at the tops of their voices, rushed into the great hall, and, pressing along with all the nobles, he made his way up to the governor's table, about which the government marshal, Sviazhsky, and other leaders were hotly discussing.