"No," said Serpuhovskoy, frowning with vexation at being

suspected of such an absurdity. "_Tout ça est une blague_.

That's always been and always will be. There are no communists.

But intriguing people have to invent a noxious, dangerous party.

It's an old trick. No, what's wanted is a powerful party of

independent men like you and me."

"But why so?" Vronsky mentioned a few men who were in power.

"Why aren't they independent men?"

"Simply because they have not, or have not had from birth, an

independent fortune; they've not had a name, they've not been

close to the sun and center as we have. They can be bought

either by money or by favor. And they have to find a support for

themselves in inventing a policy. And they bring forward some

notion, some policy that they don't believe in, that does harm;

and the whole policy is really only a means to a government house

and so much income. _Cela n'est pas plus fin que ça_, when you get

a peep at their cards. I may be inferior to them, stupider

perhaps, though I don't see why I should be inferior to them.

But you and I have one important advantage over them for certain,

in being more difficult to buy. And such men are more needed

than ever."

Vronsky listened attentively, but he was not so much interested

by the meaning of the words as by the attitude of Serpuhovskoy

who was already contemplating a struggle with the existing

powers, and already had his likes and dislikes in that higher

world, while his own interest in the governing world did not go

beyond the interests of his regiment. Vronsky felt, too, how

powerful Serpuhovskoy might become through his unmistakable

faculty for thinking things out and for taking things in, through

his intelligence and gift of words, so rarely met with in the

world in which he moved. And, ashamed as he was of the feeling,

he felt envious.

"Still I haven't the one thing of most importance for that," he

answered; "I haven't the desire for power. I had it once, but

it's gone."

"Excuse me, that's not true," said Serpuhovskoy, smiling.

"Yes, it is true, it is true...now!" Vronsky added, to be

truthful.

"Yes, it's true now, that's another thing; but that _now_ won't

last forever."

"Perhaps," answered Vronsky.

"You say _perhaps_," Serpuhovskoy went on, as though guessing his

thoughts, "but I say _for certain_. And that's what I wanted to

see you for. Your action was just what it should have been. I

see that, but you ought not to keep it up. I only ask you to

give me carte blanche. I'm not going to offer you my

protection...though, indeed, why shouldn't I protect you?--

you've protected me often enough! I should hope our friendship

rises above all that sort of thing. Yes," he said, smiling to

him as tenderly as a woman, "give me _carte blanche_, retire from

the regiment, and I'll draw you upwards imperceptibly."




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