self…assured officials who had pushed him out； and he himself saw
it。 But this did not shake his conviction that he had to receive
a great deal of money out of the Treasury every year； and new
decorations for his dress clothes。 This conviction was so firm
that no one had the pluck to refuse these things to him； and he
received yearly； partly in form of a pension； partly as a salary
for being a member in a Government institution and chairman of
all sorts of committees and councils； several tens of thousands
of roubles； besides the righthighly prized by himof sewing
all sorts of new cords to his shoulders and trousers； and ribbons
to wear under and enamel stars to fix on to his dress coat。 In
consequence of this Count Ivan Michaelovitch had very high
connections。
Count Ivan Michaelovitch listened to Nekhludoff as he was wont to
listen to the reports of the permanent secretary of his
department； and； having heard him； said he would give him two
notes； one to the Senator Wolff； of the Appeal Department。 〃All
sorts of things are reported of him； but dans tous les cas c'est
un homme tres comme ii faut；〃 he said。 〃He is indebted to me； and
will do all that is possible。〃 The other note Count Ivan
Michaelovitch gave Nekhludoff was to an influential member of the
Petition Committee。 The story of Theodosia Birukoff as told by
Nekhludoff interested him very much。 When Nekhludoff said that he
thought of writing to the Empress； the Count replied that it
certainly was a very touching story； and might； if occasion
presented itself； be told her； but he could not promise。 Let the
petition be handed in in due form。
Should there be an opportunity； and if a petit comite were called
on Thursday； he thought he would tell her the story。 As soon as
Nekhludoff had received these two notes； and a note to Mariette
from his aunt； he at once set off to these different places。
First he went to Mariette's。 He had known her as a half…grown
girl； the daughter of an aristocratic but not wealthy family； and
had heard how she had married a man who was making a career； whom
Nekhludoff had heard badly spoken of； and； as usual； he felt it
hard to ask a favour of a man he did not esteem。 In these cases
he always felt an inner dissension and dissatisfaction； and
wavered whether to ask the favour or not； and always resolved to
ask。 Besides feeling himself in a false position among those to
whose set he no longer regarded himself as belonging； who yet
regarded him as belonging to them； he felt himself getting into
the old accustomed rut； and in spite of himself fell into the
thoughtless and immoral tone that reigned in that circle。 He felt
that from the first； with his aunt； he involuntarily fell into a
bantering tone while talking about serious matters。
Petersburg in general affected him with its usual physically
invigorating and mentally dulling effect。
Everything so clean； so comfortably well…arranged and the people
so lenient in moral matters； that life seemed very easy。
A fine； clean； and polite isvostchik drove him past fine； clean；
polite policemen； along the fine； clean； watered streets； past
fine； clean houses to the house in which Mariette lived。 At the
front door stood a pair of English horses； with English harness；
and an English…looking coachman on the box； with the lower part
of his face shaved； proudly holding a whip。 The doorkeeper；
dressed in a wonderfully clean livery； opened the door into the
hall； where in still cleaner livery with gold cords stood the
footman with his splendid whiskers well combed out； and the
orderly on duty in a brand…new uniform。 〃The general does not
receive； and the generaless does not receive either。 She is just
going to drive out。〃
Nekhludoff took out Katerina Ivanovna's letter； and going up to a
table on which lay a visitors' book； began to write that he was
sorry not to have been able to see any one； when the footman went
up the staircase the doorkeeper went out and shouted to the
coachman； and the orderly stood up rigid with his arms at his
sides following with his eyes a little； slight lady； who was
coming down the stairs with rapid steps not in keeping with all
the grandeur。
Mariette had a large hat on； with feathers； a black dress and
cape； and new black gloves。 Her face was covered by a veil。
When she saw Nekhludoff she lifted the veil off a very pretty
face with bright eyes that looked inquiringly at him。
〃Ah； Prince Dmitri Ivanovitch Nekhludoff；〃 she said； with a soft；
pleasant voice。 〃I should have known〃
〃What！ you even remember my name？〃
〃I should think so。 Why； I and my sisters have even been in love
with you；〃 she said； in French。 〃But； dear me； how you have
altered。 Oh； what a pity I have to go out。 But let us go up
again；〃 she said and stopped hesitatingly。 Then she looked at the
clock。 〃No； I can't。 I am going to Kamenskaya's to attend a mass
for the dead。 She is terribly afflicted。〃
〃Who is this Kamenskaya？〃
〃Have you not heard？ Her son was killed in a duel。 He fought
Posen。 He was the only son。 Terrible I The mother is very much
afflicted。〃
〃Yes。 I have heard of it。〃
〃No； I had better go； and you must come again； to…night or
to…morrow；〃 she said； and went to the door with quick； light
steps。
〃I cannot come to…night；〃 he said； going out after her； 〃but I
have a request to make you；〃 and he looked at the pair of bays
that were drawing up to the front door。
〃What is this？〃
〃This is a letter from aunt to you；〃 said Nekhludoff； handing her
a narrow envelope； with a large crest。 〃You'll find all about it
in there。〃
〃I know Countess Katerina Ivanovna thinks I have some influence
with my husband in business matters。 She is mistaken。 I can do
nothing and do not like to interfere。 But； of course； for you I
am willing to be false to my principle。 What is this business
about？〃 she said； searching in vain for her pocket with her
little black gloved hand。
〃There is a girl imprisoned in the fortress； and she is ill and
innocent。〃
〃What is her name？〃
〃Lydia Shoustova。 It's in the note。〃
〃All right； I'll see what I can do；〃 she said； and lightly jumped
into her little； softly upholstered； open carriage； its
brightly…varnished splash…guards glistening in the sunshine； and
opened her parasol。 The footman got on the box and gave the
coachman a sign。 The carriage moved； but at that moment she
touched the coachman with her parasol and the slim…legged
beauties； the bay mares； stopped； bending their beautiful necks
and stepping from foot to foot。
〃But you must come； only； please； without interested motives；〃
and she looked at him with a smile； the force of which she well
knew； and； as if the performance over and she were drawing the
curtain； she dropped the veil over her face again。 〃All right；〃
and she again touched the coachman。
Nekhludoff raised his hat； and the well…bred bays； slightly
snorting； set off； their shoes clattering on the pavement； and
the carriage rolled quickly and smoothly on its new rubber tyres；
giving a jump only now and then over some unevenness of the road。
CHAPTER XVI。
AN UP…TO…DATE SENATOR。
When Nekhludoff remembered the smiles that had passed between him
and Mariette； he shook his head。
〃You have hardly time to turn round before you are again drawn
into this life；〃 he thought； feeling that discord and those
doubts which the necessity to curry favour from people he did not
esteem caused。
After considering where to go first； so as not to have to retrace
his steps； Nekhludoff set off for the Senate。 There he was shown
into the office where he found a great many very polite and very
clean officials in the midst of a magnificent apartment。
Maslova's petition was received and handed on to that Wolf； to
whom Nekhludoff had a letter from his uncle； to be examined and
reported on。
〃There will be a meeting of the Senate this week；〃 the official
said to Nekhludoff； 〃but Maslova's case will hardly come before
that meeting。〃
〃It might come before the meeting on Wednesday； by special
request；〃 one of the officials remarked。
During the time Nekhludoff waited in the office； while some
information was being taken； he heard that the conversation in
the Senate was all about the duel； and he heard a detailed
account of how a young man； Kaminski； had been killed。 It was
here he first heard all the facts of the case which was exciting
the interest of all Petersburg。 The story was this： Some officers
were eating oysters and； as usual； drinking very much； when one
of them said something ill…natured about the regiment to which
Kaminski belonged； and Kaminski called him a liar。 The other hit
Kaminski。 The next day they fought。 Kaminski was wounded in the
stomach and died two hours later。 The murderer and the seconds
were arrested； but it was said that though they were arrested and
in the guardhouse they would be set free in a fortnight。
From the Senate Nekhludoff drove to see an influential member of
the petition Committee； Baron Vorobioff； who lived in a splendid
house belonging to the Crown。 The doorkeeper told Nekhludoff in a
severe tone that the Baron could not be seen except on his
reception days； that he was with His Majesty the Emperor to…day；
and the next day he would again have to deliver a report。
Nekhludoff left his uncle's letter with the doorkeeper and went
on to see the Senator Wolf。 Wolf had just had his lunch； and was
as usual helping digestion by smoking a cigar and pacing up and
down the room； when Nekhludoff came in。 Vladimir Vasilievitch
Wolf was certainly un homme tres comme il faut； and prized this
quality very highly； and from that elevation he looked down at
everybody else。 He could not but esteem this quality of his very
highly； because it was thanks to it alone that he had made a
brilliant career； the very career he desired； i。e。； by marriage
he obtained a fortune which brought him in 18；000 roubles a year；
and by his own exertions the post of a senator。 He considered
himself not only un homme tres comme il faut； but also a man of
knightly honour。 By honour he understood not accepting secret
bribes from private persons。 But he did not consider it dishonest
to beg money for pa