Chapter 22

           

           Twodayslater,onthefifteenthofJuly,animmensenumberofcarriageswerestandingoutsidetheSlobódaPalace.

           Thegreathallswerefull.Inthefirstwerethenobilityandgentryintheiruniforms,inthesecondbeardedmerchantsinfull-skirtedcoatsofblueclothandwearingmedals.Inthenoblemen’shalltherewasanincessantmovementandbuzzofvoices.Thechiefmagnatessatonhigh-backedchairsatalargetableundertheportraitoftheEmperor,butmostofthegentrywerestrollingabouttheroom.

           Allthesenobles,whomPierremeteverydayattheCluborintheirownhouses,wereinuniform—someinthatofCatherine’sday,othersinthatofEmperorPaul,othersagaininthenewuniformsofAlexander’stimeortheordinaryuniformofthenobility,andthegeneralcharacteristicofbeinginuniformimpartedsomethingstrangeandfantastictothesediverseandfamiliarpersonalities,botholdandyoung.Theoldmen,dim-eyed,toothless,bald,sallow,andbloated,orgauntandwrinkled,wereespeciallystriking.Forthemostparttheysatquietlyintheirplacesandweresilent,or,iftheywalkedaboutandtalked,attachedthemselvestosomeoneyounger.Onallthesefaces,asonthefacesofthecrowdPétyahadseenintheSquare,therewasastrikingcontradiction:thegeneralexpectationofasolemnevent,andatthesametimetheeverydayinterestsinabostoncardparty,Peterthecook,ZinaídaDmítrievna’shealth,andsoon.

           Pierrewastheretoo,buttonedupsinceearlymorninginanobleman’suniformthathadbecometootightforhim.

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