Anna Karenina (Dole)/Part Six/Chapter 31
CHAPTER XXXI
On this day the newly elected marshal of the government and many of the new party which triumphed with him dined with Vronsky.
The count came to the elections because, it was tiresome in the country and it was necessary for him to assert his independence before Anna, and also because he wished to render a service to Sviazhsky in return for similar favors shown him at the zemstvo elections, and last and principally because he intended strictly to fulfil the duties which he imposed upon himself as a noble and a landowner.
But he had never anticipated the intense interest which he would take in the elections or the success with which he would play his part. He was a perfectly "new man" among the nobles, but he was evidently successful, and he was not mistaken in supposing that he already inspired confidence. This sudden influence was due to his wealth and distinction, to the fine house which he occupied in town,—a house which an old friend of his, Shirkof, a financier and the director of a flourishing bank at Kashin, had given up to him,—and partly to an excellent cook whom he brought with him, and to his friendship with the governor, who was his ally and a protecting ally; but above all to his simple and impartial treatment of every one, so that the majority of the nobles quickly changed their minds in regard to the reputation he had acquired of being proud. He him- self felt that, with the exception of this silly gentleman who had married Kitty Shcherbatsky, and who à propos de bottes had been disposed foolishly to quarrel with him and say all manner of foolish things, everybody whom he met was disposed to side with him. He clearly saw, and others recognized the fact, that he had very largely contributed to Nevyedovsky's success. And now, as he sat at the head of his own table celebrating Nevyedovsky's election, he experienced a pleasant feeling of triumphant pride in his choice. He was so much interested in the election that he determined that, if he should be married at the end of the next three years, he would run as a candidate, just as once when, after having won a prize by means of his jockey, he had decided to run a race himself.
Now he was celebrating the triumph of his jockey. Vronsky sat at the head of the table, but he placed the young governor at his right. Vronsky saw that all looked upon him as the khozyaïn of the government, who had triumphantly opened the elections, who had gained by his speech great consideration and even worship; but for Vronsky he was nothing more than Katka Maslof,—such was his nickname at the Corps of Pages,—who used to be confused in his presence, and whom he tried to put at his ease.
At his left he placed Nevyedovsky, a young man with a sarcastic and impenetrable face. Toward him Vronsky showed respectful consideration.
Sviazhsky accepted his own failure gayly; indeed, as he said, lifting his glass to Nevyedovsky, he could not call it a failure; it would be impossible to find a better representative of the new tendencies which the nobility was to follow. And therefore, as he said, everything that was honorable stood on the side of the success just won, and triumphed with it.
Stepan Arkadyevitch also was gay, because he was having such a good time and because every one else was so happy.
During the admirable dinner they reviewed the various episodes of the elections. Sviazhsky gave a comical travesty of the former marshal's tearful discourse, and, turning to Nevyedovsky, he advised his excellency to choose a more complicated manner of verifying his accounts than by tears. Another noble with a turn for humor related how lackeys in short clothes had been ordered for the former marshal's ball, and how now these lackeys would have to be discharged unless the new marshal of the government should give balls with lackeys in short clothes.
During all the time of the dinner, whenever they addressed Nevyedovsky they called him "your excellency,"[1] and all spoke of him as "our government marshal."[2] This was spoken with the same sort of satisfaction as people feel when they address a newly married woman as madame and add her husband's name.
Nevyedovsky pretended that he was not only indifferent, but even scorned this new title, but it was evident that he was happy and was exercising self-control not to betray his enthusiasm, since to do so would not be becoming to the new liberal environment in which they all found themselves.
After dinner a number of telegrams were sent off to people who were interested in the result of the elections. And Stepan Arkadyevitch, who felt very gay, sent Darya Aleksandrovna a despatch thus worded:—
Nevyedovsky elected by twenty majority. I am well. Regards to all.
He dictated it aloud, and added, "I want to make them feel happy." But when Darya Aleksandrovna received the despatch, she only sighed for the ruble which it cost, and she knew well that it was sent during a dinner. She knew that Stiva had a weakness at the end of dinners faire jouer le télégraphe.
The dinner was excellent, and the wines came from no Russian dealer, but were directly imported from abroad; and everything was noble, simple, and joyous. The guests, twenty in number, were selected by Sviazhsky from among the new liberal workers, and they were united in sentiments, keen-witted, and thoroughly well-bred. They drank many toasts, accompanied by witty speeches, in honor of the new marshal, and of the governor, and of the director of the bank, and of "our beloved host."
Vronsky was contented. He had never expected to find in the provinces such distinguished society.
Toward the end of dinner the gayety redoubled, and the governor asked Vronsky to attend a concert arranged for the benefit of our brothers by his wife, who wanted to make his acquaintance.
"There will be a ball afterward, and you shall see our beauty. In fact, she is remarkable."
"Not in my line," answered Vronsky in English; he liked the phrase, but he smiled and promised to go.
Just before they left the table, and while they were lighting their cigars, Vronsky's valet approached him, bringing a note on a tray.
"From Vozdvizhenskoye, by a special messenger," said the man, with a significant expression.
"It is remarkable how much he looks like the colleague of the prokuror Sventitsky," said one of the guests in French, referring to the valet, while Vronsky, with a frown on his brow, was reading the note.
The note was from Anna, and Vronsky knew, before he read it through, what was in it. He had promised, as the elections were to last five days, to return on Friday; but it was now Saturday, and he knew that the letter would be full of reproaches because he had not fulfilled his promise. The one he had sent off the afternoon before had evidently not been received.
The tenor of the note was what he expected; but its form was a great surprise, and extremely unpleasant to him.
Ani is very sick, and the doctor says it may be pneumonia.
I shall go wild, here all alone. The Princess Varvara is only a hindrance instead of a help. I expected you day before yesterday, and now I send a messenger to know where you are and what you are doing. I wanted to come myself, but hesitated, knowing that it would be disagreeable to you. Send some answer, that I may know what to do.
The child was ill, and she had wished to come herself. A sick daughter, and this hostile tone!
Vronsky was impressed by the antithesis between the jolly, careless company, and the moody, exacting love to which he was obliged to return. But he was obliged to go, and he left by the first train that would take him home that night.