NextdayPrinceAndrewthoughtoftheball, buthisminddidnotdwellonitlong."Yes, itwasaverybrilliantball," andthen..."Yes, 'ssomethingfresh, original, un-Petersburg-likeaboutherthatdistinguishesher." Thatwasallhethoughtaboutyesterday'sball, andafterhismorningteahesettowork.
, asheoftendid, andwasgladwhenheheardsomeonecoming.
ThevisitorwasBitski, whoservedonvariouscommittees, frequentedallthesocietiesinPetersburg, andapassionatedevoteeofthenewideasandofSperanski, andadiligentPetersburgnewsmonger—oneofthosemenwhochoosetheiropinionsliketheirclothesaccordingtothefashion, ''ssittingoftheCouncilofStateopenedbytheEmperor, '."TheSovereignplainlysaidthattheCouncilandSenateareestatesoftherealm, ," recountedBitski, emphasizingcertainwordsandopeninghiseyessignificantly.
"Ah, yes! Today'seventsmarkanepoch, thegreatestepochinourhistory," heconcluded.
PrinceAndrewlistenedtotheaccountoftheopeningoftheCouncilofState, whichhehadsoimpatientlyawaitedandtowhichhehadattachedsuchimportance, andwassurprisedthatthisevent, nowthatithadtakenplace, didnotaffecthim, ': "WhatdoesitmattertomeortoBitskiwhattheEmperorwaspleasedtosayattheCouncil? Canallthatmakemeanyhappierorbetter?"
's, "withonlyafewfriends," , especiallyashehadnotyetseenSperanskiinhisdomesticsurroundings, butnowhefeltdisinclinedtogotoit.
