Book Five: 1806-07 - Chapter XXII

by Leo Tolstoy

　　In 1809 the intimacy between "the world's two arbiters," as Napoleonand Alexander were called, was such that when Napoleon declared war onAustria a Russian corps crossed the frontier to co-operate with ourold enemy Bonaparte against our old ally the Emperor of Austria, andin court circles the possibility of marriage between Napoleon andone of Alexander's sisters was spoken of. But besides considerationsof foreign policy, the attention of Russian society was at that timekeenly directed on the internal changes that were being undertakenin all the departments of government.

　　Life meanwhile- real life, with its essential interests of healthand sickness, toil and rest, and its intellectual interests inthought, science, poetry, music, love, friendship, hatred, andpassions- went on as usual, independently of and apart frompolitical friendship or enmity with Napoleon Bonaparte and from allthe schemes of reconstruction.