cting. Besides this he advised me for
myself personally above all to keep a watch over myself, and to that end
he gave me a notebook, the one I am now writing in and in which I will
in future note down all my actions.

Petersburg, 23rd November

I am again living with my wife. My mother-in-law came to me in tears and
said that Helene was here and that she implored me to hear her; that she
was innocent and unhappy at my desertion, and much more. I knew that if
I once let myself see her I should not have strength to go on refusing
what she wanted. In my perplexity I did not know whose aid and advice
to seek. Had my benefactor been here he would have told me what to do.
I went to my room and reread Joseph Alexeevich's letters and recalled
my conversations with him, and deduced from it all that I ought not
to refuse a suppliant, and ought to reach a helping hand to
everyone--especially to one so closely bound to me--and that I must bear
my cross. But if I forgive her for the sake of doing right, then let
union with her have only a spiritual aim. That is what I decided, and
what I wrote to Joseph Alexeevich. I told my wife that I begged her to
forget the past, to forgive me whatever wrong I may have done her, and
that I had nothing to forgive. It gave me joy to tell her this. She need
not know how hard it was for me to see her again. I have settled on the
upper floor of this big house and am experiencing a happy feeling of
regeneration.

CHAPTER IX

At that time, as always happens, the highest society that met at court
and at the grand balls was divided into several circles, each with its
own particular tone. The largest of these was the French circle of the
Napoleonic alliance, the circle of Count Rumyantsev and Caulaincourt.
In this group Helene, as soon as she had settled in Petersburg with her
husband, took a very prominent place. She was visited by the members of
the French embassy and by many belonging to that circle and noted for
their intellect and polished manners.

Helene had been at Erfurt during the famous meeting of the Emperors
and had brought from there these connections with the Napoleonic
notabilities. At Erfurt her success had been brilliant. Napoleon himself
had noticed her in the theater and said of her: "C'est un superbe
animal." * Her success as a beautiful and elegant woman did not surprise
Pierre, for she had become even handsomer than before. What did surprise
him was that during th