AfterallthatNapoleonhadsaidtohim—thoseburstsofangerandthelastdrylyspokenwords: "Iwilldetainyounolonger, General; youshallreceivemyletter," BalashevfeltconvincedthatNapoleonwouldnotwishtoseehim, andwouldevenavoidanothermeetingwithhim—aninsultedenvoy—, tohissurprise, Balashevreceived, throughDuroc, aninvitationtodinewiththeEmperorthatday.
Bessieres, Caulaincourt, andBerthierwerepresentatthatdinner.
-reproachonaccountofhisoutburstthatmorning, but, onthecontrary, , andthatinhisperceptionwhateverhedidwasright, notbecauseitharmonizedwithanyideaofrightandwrong, butbecausehedidit.
TheEmperorwasinverygoodspiritsafterhisridethroughVilna, , rugs, flags, andhismonogramweredisplayed, andthePolishladies, welcominghim, wavedtheirhandkerchiefstohim.
Atdinner, havingplacedBalashevbesidehim, NapoleonnotonlytreatedhimamiablybutbehavedasifBalashevwereoneofhisowncourtiers, , notmerelyasaninterestedtravelerasksaboutanewcityheintendstovisit, butasifconvincedthatBalashev, asaRussian, mustbeflatteredbyhiscuriosity.
"HowmanyinhabitantsarethereinMoscow? Howmanyhouses? IsittruethatMoscowiscalled 'HolyMoscow'? HowmanychurchesarethereinMoscow?" heasked.
Andreceivingthereplythatthereweremorethantwohundredchurches, heremarked:
"Whysuchaquantityofchurches?"
"TheRussiansareverydevout," repliedBalashev.
"Butalargenumberofmonasteriesandchurchesisalwaysasignofthebackwardnessofapeople," saidNapoleon, turningtoCaulaincourtforappreciationofthisremark.
BalashevrespectfullyventuredtodisagreewiththeFrenchEmperor.
