said with a prophet’s pride. “I always said he was the only man capable of defeating Napoleon.”
But next day no news arrived from the army and the public mood grew anxious. The courtiers suffered because of the suffering the suspense occasioned the Emperor.
“Fancy the Emperor’s position!” said they, and instead of extolling Kutúzov as they had done the day before, they condemned him as the cause of the Emperor’s anxiety. That day Prince Vasíli no longer boasted of his protégé Kutúzov, but remained silent when the commander in chief was mentioned. Moreover, toward evening, as if everything conspired to make Petersburg society anxious and uneasy, a terrible piece of news was added. Countess Elèna Bezúkhova had suddenly died of that terrible malady it had been so agreeable to mention. * Officially, at large gatherings, everyone said that Countess Bezúkhova had died