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Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, Part 7. Chapter 17.

Part 7. Chapter 17.

Stepan Arkadyevitch's affairs were in a very bad way. The money for two-thirds of the forest had all been spent already, and he had borrowed from the merchant in advance at ten per cent discount, almost all the remaining third. The merchant would not give more, especially as Darya Alexandrovna, for the first time that winter insisting on her right to her own property, had refused to sign the receipt for the payment of the last third of the forest. All his salary went on household expenses and in payment of petty debts that could not be put off. There was positively no money.

This was unpleasant and awkward, and in Stepan Arkadyevitch's opinion things could not go on like this. The explanation of the position was, in his view, to be found in the fact that his salary was too small. The post he filled had been unmistakably very good five years ago, but it was so no longer.

Petrov, the bank director, had twelve thousand; Sventitsky, a company director, had seventeen thousand; Mitin, who had founded a bank, received fifty thousand.

"Clearly I've been napping, and they've overlooked me," Stepan Arkadyevitch thought about himself. And he began keeping his eyes and ears open, and towards the end of the winter he had discovered a very good berth and had formed a plan of attack upon it, at first from Moscow through aunts, uncles, and friends, and then, when the matter was well advanced, in the spring, he went himself to Petersburg. It was one of those snug, lucrative berths of which there are so many more nowadays than there used to be, with incomes ranging from one thousand to fifty thousand roubles. It was the post of secretary of the committee of the amalgamated agency of the southern railways, and of certain banking companies. This position, like all such appointments, called for such immense energy and such varied qualifications, that it was difficult for them to be found united in any one man. And since a man combining all the qualifications was not to be found, it was at least better that the post be filled by an honest than by a dishonest man. And Stepan Arkadyevitch was not merely an honest man—unemphatically—in the common acceptation of the words, he was an honest man—emphatically—in that special sense which the word has in Moscow, when they talk of an "honest" politician, an "honest" writer, an "honest" newspaper, an "honest" institution, an "honest" tendency, meaning not simply that the man or the institution is not dishonest, but that they are capable on occasion of taking a line of their own in opposition to the authorities. Stepan Arkadyevitch moved in those circles in Moscow in which that expression had come into use, was regarded there as an honest man, and so had more right to this appointment than others.

The appointment yielded an income of from seven to ten thousand a year, and Oblonsky could fill it without giving up his government position. It was in the hands of two ministers, one lady, and two Jews, and all these people, though the way had been paved already with them, Stepan Arkadyevitch had to see in Petersburg. Besides this business, Stepan Arkadyevitch had promised his sister Anna to obtain from Karenin a definite answer on the question of divorce. And begging fifty roubles from Dolly, he set off for Petersburg.

Stepan Arkadyevitch sat in Karenin's study listening to his report on the causes of the unsatisfactory position of Russian finance, and only waiting for the moment when he would finish to speak about his own business or about Anna. "Yes, that's very true," he said, when Alexey Alexandrovitch took off the pince-nez, without which he could not read now, and looked inquiringly at his former brother-in-law, "that's very true in particular cases, but still the principle of our day is freedom." "Yes, but I lay down another principle, embracing the principle of freedom," said Alexey Alexandrovitch, with emphasis on the word "embracing," and he put on his pince-nez again, so as to read the passage in which this statement was made. And turning over the beautifully written, wide-margined manuscript, Alexey Alexandrovitch read aloud over again the conclusive passage.

"I don't advocate protection for the sake of private interests, but for the public weal, and for the lower and upper classes equally," he said, looking over his pince-nez at Oblonsky. "But they cannot grasp that, they are taken up now with personal interests, and carried away by phrases." Stepan Arkadyevitch knew that when Karenin began to talk of what they were doing and thinking, the persons who would not accept his report and were the cause of everything wrong in Russia, that it was coming near the end. And so now he eagerly abandoned the principle of free-trade, and fully agreed. Alexey Alexandrovitch paused, thoughtfully turning over the pages of his manuscript.

"Oh, by the way," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, "I wanted to ask you, some time when you see Pomorsky, to drop him a hint that I should be very glad to get that new appointment of secretary of the committee of the amalgamated agency of the southern railways and banking companies." Stepan Arkadyevitch was familiar by now with the title of the post he coveted, and he brought it out rapidly without mistake.

Alexey Alexandrovitch questioned him as to the duties of this new committee, and pondered. He was considering whether the new committee would not be acting in some way contrary to the views he had been advocating. But as the influence of the new committee was of a very complex nature, and his views were of very wide application, he could not decide this straight off, and taking off his pince-nez, he said:

"Of course, I can mention it to him; but what is your reason precisely for wishing to obtain the appointment?" "It's a good salary, rising to nine thousand, and my means…" "Nine thousand!" repeated Alexey Alexandrovitch, and he frowned. The high figure of the salary made him reflect that on that side Stepan Arkadyevitch's proposed position ran counter to the main tendency of his own projects of reform, which always leaned towards economy. "I consider, and I have embodied my views in a note on the subject, that in our day these immense salaries are evidence of the unsound economic assiette of our finances." "But what's to be done?" said Stepan Arkadyevitch. "Suppose a bank director gets ten thousand—well, he's worth it; or an engineer gets twenty thousand—after all, it's a growing thing, you know!" "I assume that a salary is the price paid for a commodity, and it ought to conform with the law of supply and demand. If the salary is fixed without any regard for that law, as, for instance, when I see two engineers leaving college together, both equally well trained and efficient, and one getting forty thousand while the other is satisfied with two; or when I see lawyers and hussars, having no special qualifications, appointed directors of banking companies with immense salaries, I conclude that the salary is not fixed in accordance with the law of supply and demand, but simply through personal interest. And this is an abuse of great gravity in itself, and one that reacts injuriously on the government service. I consider…" Stepan Arkadyevitch made haste to interrupt his brother-in-law.

"Yes; but you must agree that it's a new institution of undoubted utility that's being started. After all, you know, it's a growing thing! What they lay particular stress on is the thing being carried on honestly," said Stepan Arkadyevitch with emphasis. But the Moscow significance of the word "honest" was lost on Alexey Alexandrovitch. "Honesty is only a negative qualification," he said. "Well, you'll do me a great service, anyway," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, "by putting in a word to Pomorsky—just in the way of conversation…." "But I fancy it's more in Volgarinov's hands," said Alexey Alexandrovitch. "Volgarinov has fully assented, as far as he's concerned," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, turning red. Stepan Arkadyevitch reddened at the mention of that name, because he had been that morning at the Jew Volgarinov's, and the visit had left an unpleasant recollection. Stepan Arkadyevitch believed most positively that the committee in which he was trying to get an appointment was a new, genuine, and honest public body, but that morning when Volgarinov had— intentionally, beyond a doubt—kept him two hours waiting with other petitioners in his waiting room, he had suddenly felt uneasy.

Whether he was uncomfortable that he, a descendant of Rurik, Prince Oblonsky, had been kept for two hours waiting to see a Jew, or that for the first time in his life he was not following the example of his ancestors in serving the government, but was turning off into a new career, anyway he was very uncomfortable. During those two hours in Volgarinov's waiting room Stepan Arkadyevitch, stepping jauntily about the room, pulling his whiskers, entering into conversation with the other petitioners, and inventing an epigram on his position, assiduously concealed from others, and even from himself, the feeling he was experiencing. But all the time he was uncomfortable and angry, he could not have said why—whether because he could not get his epigram just right, or from some other reason. When at last Volgarinov had received him with exaggerated politeness and unmistakable triumph at his humiliation, and had all but refused the favor asked of him, Stepan Arkadyevitch had made haste to forget it all as soon as possible. And now, at the mere recollection, he blushed.

Part 7. Chapter 17.

Stepan Arkadyevitch's affairs were in a very bad way. The money for two-thirds of the forest had all been spent already, and he had borrowed from the merchant in advance at ten per cent discount, almost all the remaining third. The merchant would not give more, especially as Darya Alexandrovna, for the first time that winter insisting on her right to her own property, had refused to sign the receipt for the payment of the last third of the forest. All his salary went on household expenses and in payment of petty debts that could not be put off. There was positively no money.

This was unpleasant and awkward, and in Stepan Arkadyevitch's opinion things could not go on like this. The explanation of the position was, in his view, to be found in the fact that his salary was too small. The post he filled had been unmistakably very good five years ago, but it was so no longer. Le poste qu'il occupait était indéniablement très bon il y a cinq ans, mais ce n'était plus le cas.

Petrov, the bank director, had twelve thousand; Sventitsky, a company director, had seventeen thousand; Mitin, who had founded a bank, received fifty thousand.

"Clearly I've been napping, and they've overlooked me," Stepan Arkadyevitch thought about himself. "De toute évidence, j'ai fait la sieste, et ils m'ont oublié," pensa Stepan Arkadyevitch à lui-même. And he began keeping his eyes and ears open, and towards the end of the winter he had discovered a very good berth and had formed a plan of attack upon it, at first from Moscow through aunts, uncles, and friends, and then, when the matter was well advanced, in the spring, he went himself to Petersburg. Et il commença à garder les yeux et les oreilles ouverts, et vers la fin de l'hiver, il avait découvert une très bonne place et avait formé un plan d'attaque contre elle, d'abord depuis Moscou par l'intermédiaire de tantes, oncles et amis, puis l'affaire était bien avancée, au printemps, il se rendit lui-même à Pétersbourg. It was one of those snug, lucrative berths of which there are so many more nowadays than there used to be, with incomes ranging from one thousand to fifty thousand roubles. C'était une de ces couchettes douillettes et lucratives dont il y en a tellement plus qu'auparavant, avec des revenus allant de mille à cinquante mille roubles. It was the post of secretary of the committee of the amalgamated agency of the southern railways, and of certain banking companies. C'était le poste de secrétaire du comité de l'agence fusionnée des chemins de fer du sud et de certaines sociétés bancaires. This position, like all such appointments, called for such immense energy and such varied qualifications, that it was difficult for them to be found united in any one man. Cette position, comme toutes ces nominations, exigeait une énergie si immense et des qualifications si variées, qu'il était difficile pour eux de se retrouver unis en un seul homme. Ši pozicija, kaip ir visi tokie paskyrimai, pareikalavo tokios didžiulės energijos ir tokios įvairios kvalifikacijos, kad jiems buvo sunku rasti vienybę viename žmoguje. And since a man combining all the qualifications was not to be found, it was at least better that the post be filled by an honest than by a dishonest man. Et comme on ne trouvait pas d'homme réunissant toutes les qualifications, il valait au moins mieux que le poste soit occupé par un honnête plutôt que par un homme malhonnête. And Stepan Arkadyevitch was not merely an honest man—unemphatically—in the common acceptation of the words, he was an honest man—emphatically—in that special sense which the word has in Moscow, when they talk of an "honest" politician, an "honest" writer, an "honest" newspaper, an "honest" institution, an "honest" tendency, meaning not simply that the man or the institution is not dishonest, but that they are capable on occasion of taking a line of their own in opposition to the authorities. Et Stepan Arkadyevitch n'était pas simplement un honnête homme - sans emphase - dans l'acceptation commune des mots, il était un honnête homme - catégoriquement - dans ce sens particulier que le mot a à Moscou, quand ils parlent d'un homme politique écrivain "honnête", un journal "honnête", une institution "honnête", une tendance "honnête", ce qui signifie non seulement que l'homme ou l'institution n'est pas malhonnête, mais qu'ils sont capables à l'occasion de prendre une ligne de leur propre chef en opposition aux autorités. Stepan Arkadyevitch moved in those circles in Moscow in which that expression had come into use, was regarded there as an honest man, and so had more right to this appointment than others.

The appointment yielded an income of from seven to ten thousand a year, and Oblonsky could fill it without giving up his government position. La nomination rapportait un revenu de sept à dix mille par an, et Oblonsky pouvait le remplir sans renoncer à son poste au gouvernement. It was in the hands of two ministers, one lady, and two Jews, and all these people, though the way had been paved already with them, Stepan Arkadyevitch had to see in Petersburg. Il était entre les mains de deux ministres, une dame et deux juifs, et tous ces gens, bien que le chemin eût déjà été pavé avec eux, Stepan Arkadyevitch devait voir à Pétersbourg. Besides this business, Stepan Arkadyevitch had promised his sister Anna to obtain from Karenin a definite answer on the question of divorce. And begging fifty roubles from Dolly, he set off for Petersburg.

Stepan Arkadyevitch sat in Karenin's study listening to his report on the causes of the unsatisfactory position of Russian finance, and only waiting for the moment when he would finish to speak about his own business or about Anna. "Yes, that's very true," he said, when Alexey Alexandrovitch took off the pince-nez, without which he could not read now, and looked inquiringly at his former brother-in-law, "that's very true in particular cases, but still the principle of our day is freedom." "Yes, but I lay down another principle, embracing the principle of freedom," said Alexey Alexandrovitch, with emphasis on the word "embracing," and he put on his pince-nez again, so as to read the passage in which this statement was made. «Oui, mais je pose un autre principe, embrassant le principe de liberté», a déclaré Alexey Alexandrovitch, en insistant sur le mot «embrasser», et il a remis son pince-nez, afin de lire le passage dans lequel cette déclaration a été fait. „Taip, bet aš išdėstiau dar vieną principą, atsižvelgdamas į laisvės principą“, - sakė Aleksejus Aleksandrovičius, pabrėždamas žodį „apkabinti“, ir jis vėl užsidėjo savo pyktį, kad perskaitytų ištrauką, kurioje šis pareiškimas. buvo padaryta. And turning over the beautifully written, wide-margined manuscript, Alexey Alexandrovitch read aloud over again the conclusive passage. Et retournant le manuscrit magnifiquement écrit et aux larges marges, Alexey Alexandrovitch relut à haute voix le passage concluant.

"I don't advocate protection for the sake of private interests, but for the public weal, and for the lower and upper classes equally," he said, looking over his pince-nez at Oblonsky. "Je ne préconise pas la protection pour l'intérêt privé, mais pour le bien public, et pour les classes inférieures et supérieures également", dit-il en regardant Oblonsky par-dessus son pince-nez. "But they cannot grasp that, they are taken up now with personal interests, and carried away by phrases." "Mais ils ne peuvent pas comprendre cela, ils sont maintenant occupés par des intérêts personnels et emportés par des phrases." Stepan Arkadyevitch knew that when Karenin began to talk of what they were doing and thinking, the persons who would not accept his report and were the cause of everything wrong in Russia, that it was coming near the end. Stepan Arkadyevitch savait que lorsque Karénine a commencé à parler de ce qu'ils faisaient et de ce qu'ils pensaient, les personnes qui n'accepteraient pas son rapport et étaient la cause de tout ce qui clochait en Russie, que tout allait bien en Russie. And so now he eagerly abandoned the principle of free-trade, and fully agreed. Et donc maintenant, il a abandonné avec empressement le principe du libre-échange, et a pleinement accepté. Alexey Alexandrovitch paused, thoughtfully turning over the pages of his manuscript.

"Oh, by the way," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, "I wanted to ask you, some time when you see Pomorsky, to drop him a hint that I should be very glad to get that new appointment of secretary of the committee of the amalgamated agency of the southern railways and banking companies." "Oh, au fait," dit Stepan Arkadyevitch, "je voulais vous demander, quelque temps quand vous verrez Pomorsky, de lui laisser un indice que je serais très heureux d'obtenir cette nouvelle nomination de secrétaire du comité de la fusion. agence des chemins de fer du sud et des sociétés bancaires. " Stepan Arkadyevitch was familiar by now with the title of the post he coveted, and he brought it out rapidly without mistake. Stepan Arkadyevitch connaissait désormais le titre du poste qu'il convoitait, et il l'a fait sortir rapidement sans erreur.

Alexey Alexandrovitch questioned him as to the duties of this new committee, and pondered. He was considering whether the new committee would not be acting in some way contrary to the views he had been advocating. Il se demandait si le nouveau comité n'agirait pas d'une manière contraire aux vues qu'il défendait. But as the influence of the new committee was of a very complex nature, and his views were of very wide application, he could not decide this straight off, and taking off his pince-nez, he said: Mais comme l'influence du nouveau comité était de nature très complexe et que ses opinions étaient d'une très large application, il ne pouvait pas décider de cela tout de suite, et en enlevant son pince-nez, il a déclaré:

"Of course, I can mention it to him; but what is your reason precisely for wishing to obtain the appointment?" «Bien sûr, je peux lui en parler; mais quelle est précisément votre raison de vouloir obtenir le rendez-vous? "It's a good salary, rising to nine thousand, and my means…" "Nine thousand!" repeated Alexey Alexandrovitch, and he frowned. The high figure of the salary made him reflect that on that side Stepan Arkadyevitch's proposed position ran counter to the main tendency of his own projects of reform, which always leaned towards economy. Le chiffre élevé du salaire lui a fait réfléchir que de ce côté, la position proposée par Stepan Arkadyevitch allait à l'encontre de la tendance principale de ses propres projets de réforme, toujours orientés vers l'économie. "I consider, and I have embodied my views in a note on the subject, that in our day these immense salaries are evidence of the unsound economic assiette of our finances." «Je considère, et j'ai incarné mes vues dans une note sur le sujet, que ces immenses salaires témoignent de nos jours de l'assiette économique malsaine de nos finances. "Aš manau ir savo nuomonę įkūnijau pastaboje šia tema, kad mūsų dienomis šie didžiuliai atlyginimai yra nepagrįstos mūsų finansų ekonominės padėties įrodymas." "But what's to be done?" said Stepan Arkadyevitch. "Suppose a bank director gets ten thousand—well, he's worth it; or an engineer gets twenty thousand—after all, it's a growing thing, you know!" «Supposons qu'un directeur de banque en reçoive dix mille… eh bien, il en vaille la peine; ou un ingénieur en reçoive vingt mille… après tout, c'est une chose qui grandit, vous savez! "I assume that a salary is the price paid for a commodity, and it ought to conform with the law of supply and demand. «Je suppose qu'un salaire est le prix payé pour une marchandise et qu'il doit se conformer à la loi de l'offre et de la demande. If the salary is fixed without any regard for that law, as, for instance, when I see two engineers leaving college together, both equally well trained and efficient, and one getting forty thousand while the other is satisfied with two; or when I see lawyers and hussars, having no special qualifications, appointed directors of banking companies with immense salaries, I conclude that the salary is not fixed in accordance with the law of supply and demand, but simply through personal interest. And this is an abuse of great gravity in itself, and one that reacts injuriously on the government service. Et c'est un abus d'une grande gravité en soi, et qui réagit de manière préjudiciable à la fonction publique. I consider…" Stepan Arkadyevitch made haste to interrupt his brother-in-law.

"Yes; but you must agree that it's a new institution of undoubted utility that's being started. «Oui, mais vous devez convenir que c'est une nouvelle institution d'une utilité incontestable qui est en train de démarrer. After all, you know, it's a growing thing! What they lay particular stress on is the thing being carried on honestly," said Stepan Arkadyevitch with emphasis. Ce sur quoi ils insistent particulièrement, c'est la chose qui est menée honnêtement », a déclaré Stepan Arkadyevitch avec emphase. But the Moscow significance of the word "honest" was lost on Alexey Alexandrovitch. Mais la signification moscovite du mot «honnête» a été perdue pour Alexey Alexandrovitch. Tačiau Maskvoje žodis „sąžiningas“ buvo prarastas Aleksejui Aleksandrovičiui. "Honesty is only a negative qualification," he said. "Well, you'll do me a great service, anyway," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, "by putting in a word to Pomorsky—just in the way of conversation…." "But I fancy it's more in Volgarinov's hands," said Alexey Alexandrovitch. "Volgarinov has fully assented, as far as he's concerned," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, turning red. "Volgarinov a pleinement approuvé, en ce qui le concerne", a déclaré Stepan Arkadyevitch, devenant rouge. Stepan Arkadyevitch reddened at the mention of that name, because he had been that morning at the Jew Volgarinov's, and the visit had left an unpleasant recollection. Stepan Arkadyevitch believed most positively that the committee in which he was trying to get an appointment was a new, genuine, and honest public body, but that morning when Volgarinov had— intentionally, beyond a doubt—kept him two hours waiting with other petitioners in his waiting room, he had suddenly felt uneasy. Stepan Arkadyevitch croyait le plus positivement que le comité dans lequel il essayait d'obtenir un rendez-vous était un organisme public nouveau, authentique et honnête, mais ce matin-là où Volgarinov l'avait - intentionnellement, sans aucun doute - l'a fait attendre deux heures avec d'autres pétitionnaires. sa salle d'attente, il s'était soudainement senti mal à l'aise.

Whether he was uncomfortable that he, a descendant of Rurik, Prince Oblonsky, had been kept for two hours waiting to see a Jew, or that for the first time in his life he was not following the example of his ancestors in serving the government, but was turning off into a new career, anyway he was very uncomfortable. S'il était mal à l'aise que lui, un descendant de Rurik, le prince Oblonsky, ait été retenu pendant deux heures à attendre de voir un juif, ou que pour la première fois de sa vie il ne suive pas l'exemple de ses ancêtres au service du gouvernement, mais se tournait vers une nouvelle carrière, de toute façon il était très mal à l'aise. During those two hours in Volgarinov's waiting room Stepan Arkadyevitch, stepping jauntily about the room, pulling his whiskers, entering into conversation with the other petitioners, and inventing an epigram on his position, assiduously concealed from others, and even from himself, the feeling he was experiencing. Pendant ces deux heures dans la salle d'attente de Volgarinov, Stepan Arkadyevitch, se promenant dans la pièce, tirant ses moustaches, entamant une conversation avec les autres pétitionnaires, et inventant une épigramme sur sa position, assidûment cachée aux autres, et même à lui-même, le sentiment qu'il vivait. But all the time he was uncomfortable and angry, he could not have said why—whether because he could not get his epigram just right, or from some other reason. Mais tout le temps où il était mal à l'aise et en colère, il ne pouvait pas dire pourquoi - que ce soit parce qu'il ne pouvait pas obtenir son épigramme correctement, ou pour une autre raison. When at last Volgarinov had received him with exaggerated politeness and unmistakable triumph at his humiliation, and had all but refused the favor asked of him, Stepan Arkadyevitch had made haste to forget it all as soon as possible. Quand enfin Volgarinov l'avait reçu avec une politesse exagérée et un triomphe incontestable de son humiliation, et avait pratiquement refusé la faveur qu'on lui demandait, Stépan Arkadyevitch s'était empressé de tout oublier le plus tôt possible. And now, at the mere recollection, he blushed.