,nna Pavlovna’s presentiment was in fact fulfilled. Next day, during ie special service at court in honour of the Tsar’s birthday, Prince blkonsky was called out of church and received a despatch from ■ince Kutuzov. This was the despatch Kutuzov had sent off on the |y of the battle from Tatarinovo. Kutuzov wrote that the Russians lid not retreated a single step, that the French had lost far more than ur troops, that he was writing off in haste from the field of uattle I'fore he had time to collect the latest intelligence. So it had been a ctory, it appeared. And at once, without leaving church, the assem- led court offered up thanks to the Creator for His succour, and for ie victory.
Anna Pavlovna’s presentiment had been fulfilled, and the whole lorning a mood of joyous festivity prevailed in the town. Every one icepted the victory as a conclusive one, and some people were already !.‘ginning to talk of Napoleon’s having been taken prisoner, of his isposition, and the selection of a new sovereign for France.
At a distance from the scene of action and amid the conditions of urt life, it is very difficult for events to be reflected in their true rce and dimensions. Public events are involuntarily grouped about me private incident. So in this case, the courtiers’ rejoicing was as uch due to the fact of the news of this victory having arrived precisely 1 the Tsar’s birthday as to the fact of the victory itself. It was like a ccessfully arranged surprise. Kutuzov’s despatches had spoken, too, the Russian losses, and among them had mentioned the names of utchkov, Bagration, and Kutaissov. The melancholy side, too, of the ent was unconsciously in this Petersburg world concentrated about a igle incident—the death of Kutaissov. Every one knew him, the Tsar ,ed him, he was young and interesting. All met that day with the jprds:
‘How wonderful it should have happened so! Just in the Te Deum. ut what a loss—Kutaissov! Ah, what a pity!’
‘What did I tell you about Kutuzov?’ Prince Vassily said now with e pride of a prophet. ‘I always said he was the only man capable of nquering Napoleon.’
But next day no news came from the army, and the public voice ygan to waver. The courtiers suffered agonies over the agonies of ispense which the Tsar was suffering.
‘Think of the Emperor’s position!’ the courtiers said; and they n longer sang the praises of Kutuzov as two days before, but upbraide him as the cause of the Tsar’s uneasiness that day. Prince Vassily n longer boasted of his protege Kutuzov, but was mute when the corr mander-in-chief was the subject of conversation. Moreover, on th evening of that day everything seemed to conspire to throw the Peters burg world into agitation and uneasiness: a terrible piece of news cam to add to their alarms. Countess Elena Bezuhov died quite suddenl of the terrible illness which had been so amusing to talk about. A larger gatherings every one repeated the official story that Countes Bezuhov had died of a terrible attack of angina pectoris, but in int mate circles people told in detail how the Queen of Spain’s own medics attendant had prescribed to Ellen small doses of a certain drug t bring about certain desired results; but that Ellen, tortured by the of count’s suspecting her, and by her husband’s not having answered he letter (that unfortunate, dissipated Pierre), had suddenly taken a enormous dose of the drug prescribed, and had died in agonies befor assistance could be given. The story ran that Prince Vassily and th old count had been going to take proceedings against the Italian; bu the latter had produced notes in his possession from the unhappy de ceased of such a character that they had promptly let him go.
Conversation centred round three melancholy facts—the Tsar’s stat of suspense, the loss of Kutaissov, and the death of Ellen.
On the third day after Kutuzov’s despatch, a country gentlemai arrived in Petersburg from Moscow, and the news of the surrender 01 Moscow to the French was all over the town. This was awful! Think o the position of the Emperor! Kutuzov was a traitor, and, during th ‘visits of condolence’ paid to Prince Vassily on the occasion of hi daughter’s death, when he spoke of Kutuzov, whose praises he had one sung so loudly—it was pardonable in his grief to forget what he ha< said before—he said that nothing else was to be expected from a blim and dissolute old man.
‘I only wonder how such a man could possibly be trusted with th fate of Russia.’
So long as the news was not official, it was still possible to doubt it truth; but next day the following communication arrived from Coun Rastoptchin:
