Sviazhsky took his failure very light-heartedly. It was indeed

no failure in his eyes, as he said himself, turning, glass in

hand, to Nevyedovsky; they could not have found a better

representative of the new movement, which the nobility ought to

follow. And so every honest person, as he said, was on the side

of today's success and was rejoicing over it.

Stepan Arkadyevitch was glad, too, that he was having a good

time, and that everyone was pleased. The episode of the

elections served as a good occasion for a capital dinner.

Sviazhsky comically imitated the tearful discourse of the

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marshal, and observed, addressing Nevyedovsky, that his

excellency would have to select another more complicated method

of auditing the accounts than tears. Another nobleman jocosely

described how footmen in stockings had been ordered for the

marshal's ball, and how now they would have to be sent back

unless the new marshal would give a ball with footmen in

stockings.

Continually during dinner they said of Nevyedovsky: "our

marshal," and "your excellency."

This was said with the same pleasure with which a bride is called

"Madame" and her husband's name. Nevyedovsky affected to be not

merely indifferent but scornful of this appellation, but it was

obvious that he was highly delighted, and had to keep a curb on

himself not to betray the triumph which was unsuitable to their

new liberal tone.

After dinner several telegrams were sent to people interested in

the result of the election. And Stepan Arkadyevitch, who was in

high good humor, sent Darya Alexandrovna a telegram: "Nevyedovsky

elected by twenty votes. Congratulations. Tell people." He

dictated it aloud, saying: "We must let them share our

rejoicing." Darya Alexandrovna, getting the message, simply

sighed over the rouble wasted on it, and understood that it was

an after-dinner affair. She knew Stiva had a weakness after

dining for _faire jouer le télégraphe._ Everything, together with the excellent dinner and the wine, not

from Russian merchants, but imported direct from abroad, was

extremely dignified, simple, and enjoyable. The party--some

twenty--had been selected by Sviazhsky from among the more active

new liberals, all of the same way of thinking, who were at the

same time clever and well bred. They drank, also half in jest,

to the health of the new marshal of the province, of the

governor, of the bank director, and of "our amiable host."

Vronsky was satisfied. He had never expected to find so pleasant

a tone in the provinces.

Towards the end of dinner it was still more lively. The governor

asked Vronsky to come to a concert for the benefit of the

Servians which his wife, who was anxious to make his

acquaintance, had been getting up.




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