War And Peace: Book 8 - CHAPTER XI

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ANATOLE KURAGIN was staying in Moscow because his father had sent him away

from Petersburg, where he had been spending twenty thousand a year in hard cash

and running up bills for as much more, and his creditors had been dunning his

father. The father informed his son that for the last time he would pay half his

debts; but only on condition that he would go away to Moscow, where his father

had, by much exertion, secured a post for him as adjutant to the

commander-in-chief, and would try finally to make a good match there. He

suggested to him either Princess Marya or Julie Karagin.

Anatole consented, and went away to Moscow, where he stayed with Pierre.

Pierre at first was by no means pleased to receive Anatole, but after a while he

got used to his presence; sometimes accompanied him on his carousals, and by way

of loans gave him money.

As Shinshin had with truth said of him, Anatole had won the hearts of all the

Moscow ladies, especially by the nonchalance with which he treated them and the

preference he openly showed for gypsy girls and actresses, with the most

prominent of whom, Mademoiselle George, he was said to have an intrigue. He

never missed a single drinking party at Danilov's, or any other Moscow

festivity, spent whole nights drinking, outdoing all the rest, and was at every

soirée and ball in the best society. There were rumours of several

intrigues of his with Moscow ladies, and at balls he flirted with a few of them.

But he fought shy of unmarried ladies, especially the wealthy heiresses, who

were most of them plain. He had a good reason for this, of which no one knew but

his most intimate friends: he had been for the last two years married. Two years

previously, while his regiment had been stationed in Poland, a Polish landowner,

by no means well-to-do, had forced Anatole to marry his daughter.

Anatole had very shortly afterwards abandoned his wife, and in consideration

of a sum of money, which he agreed to send his father-in-law, he was allowed by

the latter to pass as a bachelor unmolested.

Anatole was very well satisfied with his position, with himself, and with

other people. He was instinctively and thoroughly convinced that he could not

possibly live except just in the way he did live, and that he had never in his

life done anything base. He was incapable of considering either how his actions

might be judged by others, or what might be the result of this or that action on

his part. He was convinced that just as the duck is created so that it must

always live in the water, so he was created by God such that he must spend

thirty thousand a year, and always take a good position in society. He had such

perfect faith in this that, looking at him, others too were persuaded of it, and

refused him neither the exalted position in society nor the money, which he

borrowed right and left, obviously with no notion of repaying it.

He was not a gambler, at least he never greatly cared about winning money at

cards. He was not vain. He did not care a straw what people thought of him.

Still less could he have been reproached with ambition. Several times he had, to

his father's irritation, spoiled his best chances of a career, and he laughed at

distinctions of all kinds. He was not stingy, and never refused any one who

asked him for anything. What he loved was dissipation and women; and as,

according to his ideas, there was nothing dishonourable in these tastes, and as

he was incapable of considering the effect on others of the gratification of his

tastes, he believed himself in his heart to be an irreproachable man, felt a

genuine contempt for scoundrels and mean persons, and with an untroubled

conscience held his head high. Rakes, those masculine Magdalens, have a secret

feeling of their own guiltlessness, just as have women Magdalens, founded on the

same hope of forgiveness. “All will be forgiven her, because she loved much; and

all will be forgiven him, because he has enjoyed himself much.”

Dolohov had that year reappeared in Moscow after his exile and his Persian

adventures. He spent his time in luxury, gambling, and dissipation; renewed his

friendship with his old Petersburg comrade Kuragin, and made use of him for his

own objects.

Anatole sincerely liked Dolohov for his cleverness and daring. Dolohov, for

whom Anatole's name and rank and connections were of use in ensnaring wealthy

young men into his society for gambling purposes, made use of Kuragin without

letting him feel it, and was amused by him too. Apart from interested motives,

for which he needed Anatole, the process itself of controlling another man's

will was an enjoyment, a habit, and a necessity for Dolohov.

Natasha had made a great impression on Kuragin. At supper, after the theatre,

he analysed to Dolohov, with the manner of a connoisseur, the points of her

arms, her shoulders, her foot, and her hair, and announced his intention of

getting up a flirtation with her. What might come of such a flirtation—Anatole

was incapable of considering, and had no notion, as he never had a notion of

what would come of any of his actions.

“She's pretty, my lad, but she's not for us,” Dolohov said to him.

“I'll tell my sister to ask her to dinner,” said Anatole. “Eh?”

“You'd better wait till she's married.…”

“You know I adore little girls,” said Anatole; “they're all confusion in a

minute.”

“You've come to grief once already over a ‘little girl,' ” said Dolohov, who

knew of Anatole's marriage. “Beware.”

“Well, one can't do it twice! Eh?” said Anatole, laughing

good-humouredly.

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1. Ebooks list page : 83
2. War And Peace: Book 4 - CHAPTER V
3. War And Peace: Book 2 - CHAPTER III
4. War And Peace: Book 2 - CHAPTER II
5. War And Peace: Book 2 - CHAPTER I
6. War And Peace: Book 2 - CHAPTER IV
7. War And Peace: Book 3 - CHAPTER XIX
8. War And Peace: Book 3 - CHAPTER XVI
9. War And Peace: Book 3 - CHAPTER XV
10. War And Peace: Book 3 - CHAPTER XIV
11. War And Peace: Book 2 - CHAPTER V
12. War And Peace: Book 2 - CHAPTER VI
13. War And Peace: Book 2 - CHAPTER XIX
14. War And Peace: Book 2 - CHAPTER XVI
15. War And Peace: Book 2 - CHAPTER XIV
16. War And Peace: Book 2 - CHAPTER XV