He mentioned what he had written to an old field marshal, a friend of his father’s. The field marshal made an appointment to see him, received him graciously, and promised to inform the Emperor. A few days later Prince Andréy received notice that he was to go to see the Minister of War, Count Arakchéev.

On the appointed day Prince Andréy entered Count Arakchéev’s waiting room at nine in the morning.

He did not know Arakchéev personally, had never seen him, and all he had heard of him inspired him with but little respect for the man.

“He is Minister of War, a man trusted by the Emperor, and I need not concern myself about his personal qualities: he has been commissioned to consider my project, so he alone can get it adopted,” thought Prince Andréy as he waited among a number of important and unimportant people in Count Arakchéev’s waiting room.