Book Five: 1806-07 - Chapter XX

by Leo Tolstoy

　　Rostov had come to Tilsit the day least suitable for a petition onDenisov's behalf. He could not himself go to the general in attendanceas he was in mufti and had come to Tilsit without permission to do so,and Boris, even had he wished to, could not have done so on thefollowing day. On that day, June 27, the preliminaries of peace weresigned. The Emperors exchanged decorations: Alexander received theCross of the Legion of Honor and Napoleon the Order of St. Andrew ofthe First Degree, and a dinner had been arranged for the evening,given by a battalion of the French Guards to the Preobrazhenskbattalion. The Emperors were to be present at that banquet.

　　Rostov felt so ill at ease and uncomfortable with Boris that, whenthe latter looked in after supper, he pretended to be asleep, andearly next morning went away, avoiding Boris. In his civilianclothes and a round hat, he wandered about the town, staring at theFrench and their uniforms and at the streets and houses where theRussian and French Emperors were staying. In a square he saw tablesbeing set up and preparations made for the dinner; he saw theRussian and French colors draped from side to side of the streets,with hugh monograms A and N. In the windows of the houses also flagsand bunting were displayed.

　　"Boris doesn't want to help me and I don't want to ask him. That'ssettled," thought Nicholas. "All is over between us, but I won't leavehere without having done all I can for Denisov and certainly notwithout getting his letter to the Emperor. The Emperor!... He ishere!" thought Rostov, who had unconsciously returned to the housewhere Alexander lodged.

　　Saddled horses were standing before the house and the suite wereassembling, evidently preparing for the Emperor to come out.

　　"I may see him at any moment," thought Rostov. "If only I were tohand the letter direct to him and tell him all... could they reallyarrest me for my civilian clothes? Surely not! He would understandon whose side justice lies. He understands everything, knowseverything. Who can be more just, more magnanimous than he? And evenif they did arrest me for being here, what would it matter?" thoughthe, looking at an officer who was entering the house the Emperoroccupied. "After all, people do go in.... It's all nonsense! I'll goin and hand the letter to the Emperor myself so much the worse forDrubetskoy who drives me to it!" And suddenly with a determinationhe himself did not expect, Rostov felt for the letter in his pocketand went straight to the house.

　　"No, I won't miss my opportunity now, as I did after Austerlitz," hethought, expecting every moment to meet the monarch, and consciousof the blood that rushed to his heart at the thought. "I will fallat his feet and beseech him. He will lift me up, will listen, and willeven thank me. 'I am happy when I can do good, but to remedy injusticeis the greatest happiness,'" Rostov fancied the sovereign saying.And passing people who looked after him with curiosity, he entered theporch of the Emperor's house.

　　A broad staircase led straight up from the entry, and to the righthe saw a closed door. Below, under the staircase, was a door leadingto the lower floor.

　　"Whom do you want?" someone inquired.

　　"To hand in a letter, a petition, to His Majesty," said Nicholas,with a tremor in his voice.

　　"A petition? This way, to the officer the officer on duty" (he wasshown the door leading downstairs), "only it won't be accepted."

　　On hearing this indifferent voice, Rostov grew frightened at what hewas doing; the thought of meeting the Emperor at any moment was sofascinating and consequently so alarming that he was ready to runaway, but the official who had questioned him opened the door, andRostov entered.

　　A short stout man of about thirty, in white breeches and highboots and a batiste shirt that he had evidently only just put on,standing in that room, and his valet was buttoning on to the back ofhis breeches a new pair of handsome silk-embroidered braces that,for some reason, attracted Rostov's attention. This man was wasspeaking to someone in the adjoining room.

　　"A good figure and in her first bloom," he was saying, but on seeingRostov, he stopped short and frowned.

　　"What is it? A petition?"

　　"What is it?" asked the person in the other room.

　　"Another petitioner," answered the man with the braces.

　　"Tell him to come later. He'll be coming out directly, we must go."

　　"Later... later! Tomorrow. It's too late..."

　　Rostov turned and was about to go, but the man in the braces stoppedhim.

　　"Whom have you come from? Who are you?"

　　"I come from Major Denisov," answered Rostov.

　　"Are you an officer?"

　　"Lieutenant Count Rostov."

　　"What audacity! Hand it in through your commander. And go along withyou... go," and he continued to put on the uniform the valet handedhim.

　　Rostov went back into the hall and noticed that in the porch therewere many officers and generals in full parade uniform, whom he had topass.

　　Cursing his temerity, his heart sinking at the thought of findinghimself at any moment face to face with the Emperor and being put toshame and arrested in his presence, fully alive now to the improprietyof his conduct and repenting of it, Rostov, with downcast eyes, wasmaking his way out of the house through the brilliant suite when afamiliar voice called him and a hand detained him.

　　"What are you doing here, sir, in civilian dress?" asked a deepvoice.

　　It was a cavalry general who had obtained the Emperor's specialfavor during this campaign, and who had formerly commanded thedivision in which Rostov was serving.

　　Rostov, in dismay, began justifying himself, but seeing thekindly, jocular face of the general, he took him aside and in anexcited voice told him the whole affair, asking him to intercede forDenisov, whom the general knew. Having heard Rostov to the end, thegeneral shook his head gravely.

　　"I'm sorry, sorry for that fine fellow. Give me the letter."

　　Hardly had Rostov handed him the letter and finished explainingDenisov's case, when hasty steps and the jingling of spurs wereheard on the stairs, and the general, leaving him, went to theporch. The gentlemen of the Emperor's suite ran down the stairs andwent to their horses. Hayne, the same groom who had been atAusterlitz, led up the Emperor's horse, and the faint creak of afootstep Rostov knew at once was heard on the stairs. Forgetting thedanger of being recognized, Rostov went close to the porch, togetherwith some inquisitive civilians, and again, after two years, saw thosefeatures he adored: that same face and same look and step, and thesame union of majesty and mildness.... And the feeling of enthusiasmand love for his sovereign rose again in Rostov's soul in all itsold force. In the uniform of the Preobrazhensk regiment- whitechamois-leather breeches and high boots- and wearing a star Rostov didnot know (it was that of the Legion d'honneur), the monarch came outinto the porch, putting on his gloves and carrying his hat under hisarm. He stopped and looked about him, brightening everything around byhis glance. He spoke a few words to some of the generals, and,recognizing the former commander of Rostov's division, smiled andbeckoned to him.

　　All the suite drew back and Rostov saw the general talking forsome time to the Emperor.

　　The Emperor said a few words to him and took a step toward hishorse. Again the crowd of members of the suite and street gazers(among whom was Rostov) moved nearer to the Emperor. Stopping besidehis horse, with his hand on the saddle, the Emperor turned to thecavalry general and said in a loud voice, evidently wishing to beheard by all:

　　"I cannot do it, General. I cannot, because the law is stronger thanI," and he raised his foot to the stirrup.

　　The general bowed his head respectfully, and the monarch mounted androde down the street at a gallop. Beside himself with enthusiasm,Rostov ran after him with the crowd.