OFFICIALDOM
NEXT day, as soon as Nekhlyudov had finished dressing, and was about to go down, the footman brought him a card from the Moscow advocate. The advocate had come to Petersburg on business of his own, and also, if Maslova’s case was to be heard soon, to be present when it was considered by the Senate. Nekhlyudov’s telegram had crossed him on the way. Having found out from Nekhlyudov when the case was going to be heard, and which Senators were to be present, he smiled.
“Exactly, all the three types of Senators,” he said. “Wolf is a Petersburg official; Skovorodnikov is a theoretical jurist; and Bay a practical jurist – and therefore the most alive of them all,” said the advocate. “There is most hope of him. Well, and how about the Petition Committee?”
“Oh, I’m going to Baron Vorobev to-day. I could not get an audience with him yesterday.”
“Do you know why he is “Baron” Vorobev?” said the advocate, noticing the slightly ironical stress that Nekhlyudov placed on this foreign title in connection with so very Russian a surname. It is because the Emperor Paul rewarded the grandfather – I think he was a Court footman – by giving him this title. He managed to please him in some way, so he made him a Baron. ‘It’s my wish, so don’t gainsay me!’ And so there’s a “Baron” Vorobiev, and very proud of the title. He is a dreadful old humbug.”
“Well, I’m going to see him,” said Nekhlyudov.
“That’s good; we can go together. I will give you a lift.”
As they were starting, a footman met Nekhlyudov in the ante-room, and handed him a note from Mariette:–
“Pour vous faire plaisir, j’ai agi tout à fait contre mes principes et j’ai intercédé auprés de mon mari pour votre protégée. Il se trouve que cette personne peut être rel?chée immédiatement. Mon mari a écrit au commandant. Venez donc disinterestedly. Je vous attends. M.’
“Just fancy!” said Nekhlyudov to the advocate. “Is this not dreadful? A woman whom they have kept in solitary confinement for seven months turns out to be quite innocent, and only a word was needed to get her released.”
“That’s always so. Well, anyhow, you have succeeded in getting what you wanted.”