The conversation turns to the current Russian political situation. Pierre thinks things are going very badly and that something may need to be done to directly oppose the current drift of the government. Nicholas is firmly opposed to that notion. The young Nicholas, Andrew’s son, listens in.
First Epilogue, Chapter 14
The conversation turns to the current Russian political situation. Pierre thinks things are going very badly and that something may need to be done to directly oppose the current drift of the government. Nicholas is firmly opposed to that notion. The young Nicholas, Andrew’s son, listens in.
Summary:
After tea people begin to leave the drawing room, but the younger Nicholas remained to listen to the adults. The conversation settles in on the contemporary politics. The older Nicholas asked Pierre a lot of questions about everything that was going on in Petersburg. Denisov, dissatisfied with the government on account of his own disappointments in the service, found fault with everything. Then the men go into the study to continue discussing the political state of affairs, and little Nicholas follows them unnoticed. Things are going very badly, Pierre believes, and something will need to be done in opposition to the government. Pierre believes the Emperor is failing and some sort of intervention may be needed. Nicholas is firmly of the opposite opinion, and says he would take up arms against Pierre to prevent an overthrow of the government, if it came to that. Natasha said something which helped dispel the hostile tone of Nicholas’ last remark, and the conversation wrapped up. Afterwards, Pierre was surprised at how interested the young Nicholas was in all of this.
quote from the chapter:
Nicholas, who had left his nephew, irritably pushed up an armchair, sat down in it, and listened to Pierre, coughing discontentedly and frowning more and more.
But action with what aim? he cried. And what position will you adopt toward the government?
Why, the position of assistants. The society need not be secret if the government allows it. Not merely is it not hostile to government, but it is a society of true conservatives- a society of gentlemen in the full meaning of that word. It is only to prevent some Pugachev or other from killing my children and yours, and Arakcheev from sending me off to some Military Settlement. We join hands only for the public welfare and the general safety.
Yes, but it’s a secret society and therefore a hostile and harmful one which can only cause harm.
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