. He had picked
up the scrap of a grenade that had killed an aide-de-camp standing near
the commander in chief and had taken it to his commander. Just as he had
done after Austerlitz, he related this occurrence at such length and
so insistently that everyone again believed it had been necessary to do
this, and he received two decorations for the Finnish war also. In
1809 he was a captain in the Guards, wore medals, and held some special
lucrative posts in Petersburg.

Though some skeptics smiled when told of Berg's merits, it could not be
denied that he was a painstaking and brave officer, on excellent terms
with his superiors, and a moral young man with a brilliant career before
him and an assured position in society.

Four years before, meeting a German comrade in the stalls of a Moscow
theater, Berg had pointed out Vera Rostova to him and had said in
German, "das soll mein Weib werden," * and from that moment had made up
his mind to marry her. Now in Petersburg, having considered the Rostovs'
position and his own, he decided that the time had come to propose.

* "That girl shall be my wife."

Berg's proposal was at first received with a perplexity that was not
flattering to him. At first it seemed strange that the son of an obscure
Livonian gentleman should propose marriage to a Countess Rostova; but
Berg's chief characteristic was such a naive and good natured egotism
that the Rostovs involuntarily came to think it would be a good thing,
since he himself was so firmly convinced that it was good, indeed
excellent. Moreover, the Rostovs' affairs were seriously embarrassed, as
the suitor could not but know; and above all, Vera was twenty-four, had
been taken out everywhere, and though she was certainly good-looking
and sensible, no one up to now had proposed to her. So they gave their
consent.

"You see," said Berg to his comrade, whom he called "friend" only
because he knew that everyone has friends, "you see, I have considered
it all, and should not marry if I had not thought it all out or if it
were in any way unsuitable. But on the contrary, my papa and mamma
are now provided for--I have arranged that rent for them in the Baltic
Provinces--and I can live in Petersburg on my pay, and with her fortune
and my good management we can get along nicely. I am not marrying for
money--I consider that dishonorable--but a wife should bring her
share and a husband his. I have my position in the service, she has
co