,BOOK #i1 ,*APT] #c 

#ahfiahfi 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TEXT 3 

,! ,EMP]OR ( ,RUSSIA HAD1 MEAN:ILE1 BE5 9 ,VILNA = MORE ?AN A MON?1 
 REVIEW+ TROOPS & HOLD+ MANEUV]S4 ,NO?+ WAS READY = ! W> ?AT 
 EV]YONE EXPECT$ & TO PREP>E = :I* ! ,EMP]OR HAD COME FROM 
 ,PET]SBURG4 ,!RE WAS NO G5]AL PLAN ( ACTION4 ,! VACILLATION BETWE5 
 ! V>I\S PLANS ?AT W]E PROPOS$ HAD EV5 9CREAS$ AFT] ! ,EMP]OR 
 HAD BE5 AT HEADQU>T]S = A MON?4 ,EA* ( ! ?REE >MIES HAD ITS [N 
 COMM&] 9 *IEF1 BUT !RE WAS NO SUPREME COMM&] ( ALL ! =CES1 
 & ! ,EMP]OR DID NOT ASSUME ?AT RESPONSIBILITY HIMSELF4 

,! LONG] ! ,EMP]OR REMA9$ 9 ,VILNA ! LESS DID EV]YBODY--TIR$ 
 ( WAIT+--PREP>E = ! W>4 ,ALL ! EF=TS ( ?OSE :O 
 SURR\ND$ ! SOV]EIGN SEEM$ DIRECT$ M]ELY TO MAK+ HIM SP5D HIS 
 TIME PLEASANTLY & =GET ?AT W> WAS IMP5D+4 

,9 ,JUNE1 AFT] MANY BALLS & FETES GIV5 BY ! ,POLI% MAGNATES1 BY ! 
 C\RTI]S1 & BY ! ,EMP]OR HIMSELF1 IT OCCURR$ TO ONE ( ! ,POLI% 
 AIDES-DE-CAMP 9 ATT5DANCE ?AT A D9N] & BALL %\LD BE GIV5 = ! 
 ,EMP]OR BY HIS AIDES-DE-CAMP4 ,?IS IDEA WAS EAG]LY RECEIV$4 ,! ,EMP]OR 
 GAVE HIS CONS5T4 ,! AIDES-DE-CAMP COLLECT$ MONEY BY SUBSCRIPTION4 ,! 
 LADY :O WAS ?\<T TO BE MO/ PLEAS+ TO ! ,EMP]OR WAS 9VIT$ TO ACT 
 AS HO/ESS4 ,C\NT ,B5NIGS51 BE+ A L&[N] 9 ! ,VILNA PROV9CE1 
 (F]$ HIS C\NTRY H\SE = ! FETE1 & ! ?IRTE5? ( ,JUNE WAS 
 FIX$ = A BALL1 D9N]1 REGATTA1 & FIREWORKS AT ,ZAKRET1 ,C\NT 
 ,B5NIGS5'S C\NTRY SEAT4 

,! V]Y DAY ?AT ,NAPOLEON ISSU$ ! ORD] TO CROSS ! ,NIEM51 & HIS 
 VANGU>D1 DRIV+ (F ! ,COSSACKS1 CROSS$ ! ,RUSSIAN FRONTI]1 
 ,ALEX&] SP5T ! EV5+ AT ! 5T]TA9M5T GIV5 BY HIS 
 AIDES-DE-CAMP AT ,B5NIGS5'S C\NTRY H\SE4 

,IT WAS A GAY & BRILLIANT FETE4 ,CONNOISSEURS ( SU* MATT]S DECL>$ 
 ?AT R>ELY HAD SO MANY BEAUTIFUL WOM5 BE5 ASSEMBL$ 9 ONE PLACE4 
 ,C\NTESS ,BEZUKHOVA WAS PRES5T AMONG O!R ,RUSSIAN LADIES :O HAD FOLL[$ 
 ! SOV]EIGN FROM ,PET]SBURG TO ,VILNA & ECLIPS$ ! REF9$ ,POLI% 
 LADIES BY H] MASSIVE1 SO-CALL$ ,RUSSIAN TYPE ( BEAUTY4 ,! ,EMP]OR 
 NOTIC$ H] & HONOR$ H] ) A DANCE4 

,BORIS ,DRUBETSKOY1 HAV+ LEFT HIS WIFE 9 ,MOSC[ & BE+ = ! PRES5T 
 5 G>CON 7AS HE PHRAS$ IT71 WAS ALSO !RE &1 ?\< NOT AN 
 AIDE-DE-CAMP1 HAD SUBSCRIB$ A L>GE SUM T[>D ! EXP5SES4 ,BORIS WAS 
 N[ A RI* MAN :O HAD RIS5 TO HI< HONORS & NO LONG] S\<T PATRONAGE 
 BUT /OOD ON AN EQUAL FOOT+ ) ! HI<E/ ( ?OSE ( HIS [N AGE4 ,HE 
 WAS MEET+ ,HEL5E 9 ,VILNA AFT] NOT HAV+ SE5 H] = A LONG TIME & 
 DID NOT RECALL ! PA/1 BUT AS ,HEL5E WAS 5JOY+ ! FAVORS ( A V]Y 
 IMPORTANT P]SONAGE & ,BORIS HAD ONLY REC5TLY M>RI$1 !Y MET AS GOOD 
 FRI5DS ( LONG /&+4 

,AT MIDNI<T DANC+ WAS /ILL GO+ ON4 ,HEL5E1 NOT HAV+ A SUITABLE 
 P>TN]1 H]SELF (F]$ TO DANCE ! MAZURKA ) ,BORIS4 ,!Y W]E ! 
 ?IRD C\PLE4 ,BORIS1 COOLLY LOOK+ AT ,HEL5E'S DAZZL+ B>E %\LD]S 
 :I* EM]G$ FROM A D>K1 GOLD-EMBROID]$1 GAUZE G[N1 TALK$ TO H] ( 
 OLD ACQUA9TANCES & AT ! SAME TIME1 UNAW>E ( IT HIMSELF & 
 UNNOTIC$ BY O!RS1 NEV] = AN 9/ANT CEAS$ TO OBS]VE ! ,EMP]OR 
 :O WAS 9 ! SAME ROOM4 ,! ,EMP]OR WAS NOT DANC+1 HE /OOD 9 ! 
 DOORWAY1 /OPP+ N[ ONE PAIR & N[ ANO!R ) GRACI\S WORDS :I* 
 HE ALONE KNEW H[ TO UTT]4 

,AS ! MAZURKA BEGAN1 ,BORIS SAW ?AT ,ADJUTANT ,G5]AL ,BALA%EV1 ONE ( 
 ?OSE 9 CLOSE/ ATT5DANCE ON ! ,EMP]OR1 W5T UP TO HIM & CONTR>Y TO 
 C\RT ETIQUETTE /OOD NE> HIM :ILE HE WAS TALK+ TO A ,POLI% LADY4 
 ,HAV+ F9I%$ SPEAK+ TO H]1 ! ,EMP]OR LOOK$ 9QUIR+LY AT 
 ,BALA%EV &1 EVID5TLY UND]/&+ ?AT HE ONLY ACT$ ?US BECAUSE 
 !RE W]E IMPORTANT REASONS = SO DO+1 NODD$ SLI<TLY TO ! LADY & 
 TURN$ TO HIM4 ,H>DLY HAD ,BALA%EV BEGUN TO SPEAK BE=E A LOOK ( 
 AMAZEM5T APPE>$ ON ! ,EMP]OR'S FACE4 ,HE TOOK ,BALA%EV BY ! >M & 
 CROSS$ ! ROOM ) HIM1 UNCONSCI\SLY CLE>+ A PA? SEV5 Y>DS WIDE 
 AS ! PEOPLE ON BO? SIDES MADE WAY = HIM4 ,BORIS NOTIC$ ,>AK*EEV'S 
 EXCIT$ FACE :5 ! SOV]EIGN W5T \T ) ,BALA%EV4 ,>AK*EEV LOOK$ 
 AT ! ,EMP]OR FROM UND] HIS BR[ &1 SNIFF+ ) HIS R$ NOSE1 
 /EPP$ =W>D FROM ! CR[D AS IF EXPECT+ ! ,EMP]OR TO ADDRESS HIM4 
 7,BORIS UND]/OOD ?AT ,>AK*EEV 5VI$ ,BALA%EV & WAS DISPLEAS$ ?AT 
 EVID5TLY IMPORTANT NEWS HAD REA*$ ! ,EMP]OR O!RWISE ?AN ?R\< 
 HIMSELF47 

,BUT ! ,EMP]OR & ,BALA%EV PASS$ \T 9TO ! ILLUM9AT$ G>D5 
 )\T NOTIC+ ,>AK*EEV :O1 HOLD+ HIS SWORD & GLANC+ WRA?FULLY 
 >\ND1 FOLL[$ SOME TW5TY PACES BEH9D !M4 

,ALL ! TIME ,BORIS WAS GO+ ?R\< ! FIGURES ( ! MAZURKA1 HE WAS 
 WORRI$ BY ! QUE/ION ( :AT NEWS ,BALA%EV HAD BR\<T & H[ HE C\LD 
 F9D IT \T BE=E O!RS4 ,9 ! FIGURE 9 :I* HE HAD TO *OOSE TWO 
 LADIES1 HE :ISP]$ TO ,HEL5E ?AT HE MEANT TO *OOSE ,C\NTESS ,POTOCKA 
 :O1 HE ?\<T1 HAD GONE \T ONTO ! V]&A1 & GLID$ OV] ! 
 P>QUET TO ! DOOR OP5+ 9TO ! G>D51 :]E1 SEE+ ,BALA%EV & 
 ! ,EMP]OR RETURN+ TO ! V]&A1 HE /OOD /ILL4 ,!Y W]E MOV+ 
 T[>D ! DOOR4 ,BORIS1 FLUTT]+ AS IF HE HAD NOT HAD TIME TO )DRAW1 
 RESPECTFULLY PRESS$ CLOSE TO ! DOORPO/ ) B[$ HEAD4 

,! ,EMP]OR1 ) ! AGITATION ( ONE :O HAS BE5 P]SONALLY AFFRONT$1 
 WAS F9I%+ ) !SE WORDS3 

0,TO 5T] ,RUSSIA )\T DECL>+ W>6 ,I WILL NOT MAKE PEACE AS LONG AS A 
 S+LE >M$ 5EMY REMA9S 9 MY C\NTRY60 ,IT SEEM$ TO ,BORIS ?AT IT GAVE 
 ! ,EMP]OR PLEASURE TO UTT] !SE WORDS4 ,HE WAS SATISFI$ ) ! =M 
 9 :I* HE HAD EXPRESS$ HIS ?\<TS1 BUT DISPLEAS$ ?AT ,BORIS HAD 
 OV]HE>D IT4 

0,LET NO ONE KN[ ( IT60 ! ,EMP]OR ADD$ ) A FR[N4 

,BORIS UND]/OOD ?AT ?IS WAS MEANT = HIM &1 CLOS+ HIS EYES1 
 SLI<TLY B[$ HIS HEAD4 ,! ,EMP]OR RE5T]$ ! BALLROOM & REMA9$ 
 !RE AB\T ANO!R HALF-H\R4 

,BORIS WAS ?US ! FIR/ TO LE>N ! NEWS ?AT ! ,FR5* >MY HAD 
 CROSS$ ! ,NIEM5 &1 ?ANKS TO ?IS1 WAS ABLE TO %[ C]TA9 IMPORTANT 
 P]SONAGES ?AT MU* ?AT WAS CONCEAL$ FROM O!RS WAS USUALLY KN[N TO 
 HIM1 & BY ?IS MEANS HE ROSE HI<] 9 !IR E/IMATION4 

,! UNEXPECT$ NEWS ( ! ,FR5* HAV+ CROSS$ ! ,NIEM5 WAS 
 P>TICUL>LY />TL+ AFT] A MON? ( UNFULFILL$ EXPECTATIONS1 & AT A 
 BALL4 ,ON FIR/ RECEIV+ ! NEWS1 UND] ! 9FLU5CE ( 9DIGNATION & 
 RES5TM5T ! ,EMP]OR HAD F\ND A PHRASE ?AT PLEAS$ HIM1 FULLY 
 EXPRESS$ HIS FEEL+S1 & HAS S9CE BECOME FAM\S4 ,ON RETURN+ HOME AT 
 TWO O'CLOCK ?AT NI<T HE S5T = HIS SECRET>Y1 ,%I%KOV1 & TOLD HIM 
 TO WRITE AN ORD] TO ! TROOPS & A RESCRIPT TO ,FIELD ,M>%AL ,PR9CE 
 ,SALTYKOV1 9 :I* HE 9SI/$ ON ! WORDS BE+ 9S]T$ ?AT HE W\LD 
 NOT MAKE PEACE SO LONG AS A S+LE >M$ ,FR5*MAN REMA9$ ON ,RUSSIAN 
 SOIL4 

,NEXT DAY ! FOLL[+ LETT] WAS S5T TO ,NAPOLEON3 

,MONSIEUR MON FR]E1 

,YE/]DAY ,I LE>N$ ?AT1 DESPITE ! LOYALTY ) :I* ,I HAVE KEPT MY 
 5GAGEM5TS ) ,Y\R ,MAJE/Y1 Y\R TROOPS HAVE CROSS$ ! ,RUSSIAN 
 FRONTI]1 & ,I HAVE ?IS MOM5T RECEIV$ FROM ,PET]SBURG A NOTE1 9 :I* 
 ,C\NT ,LAURI/ON 9=MS ME1 AS A REASON = ?IS AGGRESSION1 ?AT ,Y\R 
 ,MAJE/Y HAS CONSID]$ Y\RSELF TO BE 9 A /ATE ( W> ) ME FROM ! 
 TIME ,PR9CE ,KURAK9 ASK$ = HIS PASSPORTS4 ,! REASONS ON :I* ! ,DUC 
 DE ,BASSANO BAS$ HIS REFUSAL TO DELIV] !M TO HIM W\LD NEV] HAVE L$ 
 ME TO SUPPOSE ?AT ?AT C\LD S]VE AS A PRETEXT = AGGRESSION4 ,9 FACT1 
 ! AMBASSADOR1 AS HE HIMSELF HAS DECL>$1 WAS NEV] AU?ORIZ$ TO MAKE 
 ?AT DEM&1 & AS SOON AS ,I WAS 9=M$ ( IT ,I LET HIM KN[ H[ MU* ,I 
 DISAPPROV$ ( IT & ORD]$ HIM TO REMA9 AT HIS PO/4 ,IF ,Y\R ,MAJE/Y 
 DOES NOT 9T5D TO %$ ! BLOOD ( \R PEOPLES = SU* A 
 MISUND]/&+1 & CONS5TS TO )DRAW Y\R TROOPS FROM ,RUSSIAN 
 T]RITORY1 ,I WILL REG>D :AT HAS PASS$ AS NOT HAV+ OCCURR$ & AN 
 UND]/&+ BETWE5 US WILL BE POSSIBLE4 ,9 ! CONTR>Y CASE1 ,Y\R 
 ,MAJE/Y1 ,I %ALL SEE MYSELF =C$ TO REPEL AN ATTACK ?AT NO?+ ON MY 
 P>T HAS PROVOK$4 ,IT /ILL DEP5DS ON ,Y\R ,MAJE/Y TO PRES]VE HUMANITY 
 FROM ! CALAMITY ( ANO!R W>4 

,I AM1 ETC41 

7SIGN$7 ,ALEX&] 

,FROM 3 ,GUT5B]G4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,NOVEMB] #c1 #ahfh 3 ,BOOK #i1 ,*APT] #c -- ,PUBLICATION4 
,FEBRU>Y #a#a1 #bag 3 ,BOOK #i1 ,*APT] #c -- ,ADD$4 

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