He was born into an impoverished noble family in St. Petersburg on March 28, 1764. Soon his father was appointed chairman of the civil chamber of the provincial court in Irkutsk, and the family moved to Eastern Siberia.

Nikolai received a home education - apparently very good, because he knew, among other things, five foreign languages. At the age of 14 he entered military service first to the artillery. Then, for his stateliness, dexterity and beauty, he was transferred to the Izmailovsky Life Guards Regiment.

Apparently, this could not have happened without the patronage of Catherine II - otherwise it is difficult to explain the sharp rise of his career. During the Empress’s trip to Crimea in 1780, Nicholas was personally responsible for her safety, and he was only 16 years old (so the matter was unlikely to be explained by his great experience in ensuring the safety of the reigning persons). Inseparably, day and night, he was then with Mother the Queen, and then something happened. Apparently, for some reason the Empress was dissatisfied with Nicholas. In any case, he left military service and disappeared from the empress’s entourage for a long time.

Young Rezanov entered the most boring service in the Pskov civil court. And then - a new sharp leap in his career. He was summoned to the capital and given a position as head of the chancellery under Count Chernyshov, and was soon transferred to the same position to Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin himself, the Empress’s secretary, for a report on the “Senate memorials.”

Thus, after 11 years, Rezanov again came into Catherine’s field of vision. And her then favorite Zubov considered Nikolai a dangerous competitor. It was rumored that it was Zubov’s jealousy that Nikolai Petrovich was obliged to send on a business trip to Irkutsk, where he had to resolve the issue with the merchant Shelikhov, who asked the empress to grant him a monopoly on fur fishing off the Pacific coast of Russia. And that Zubov allegedly hinted to Nikolai Petrovich that if he decided to return to St. Petersburg, he would not remain free for long...

And here is Rezanov in Irkutsk. Grigory Ivanovich Shelikhov, whom he had to inspect for an indefinite period of time, was nicknamed the “Russian Columbus” because in 1783, having built three ships at his own expense, he sailed to America and established Russian settlements and fur trade there.

Count Rezanov

« Patriotism made me exhaust all my strength,

I swam the seas like a duck

suffered from hunger, cold, and at the same time from resentment,

and twice more from my heart wounds».

N.P. Rezanov - M.M. Buldakov

January 24-26, 1807, Irkutsk Remember the romantic love story between Count Rezanov and young Conchita Arguello, daughter of the commandant of San Francisco?! It was described in one of the most famous Soviet rock operas by composer Alexei Rybnikov based on poems by poet Andrei Voznesensky. The premiere took place on July 9, 1981 on the stage of the Moscow Lenin Komsomol Theater. The title of the play uses the names of two sailing ships, “Juno” and “Avos”, on which Nikolai Rezanov’s expedition sailed.

What was Count Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov really like? He is also an extraordinary entrepreneur. statesman and diplomat. He was born into an impoverished noble family on March 28, 1764 in St. Petersburg. After some time, his father was appointed chairman of the civil chamber of the provincial court in Irkutsk, the then capital of Eastern Siberia, which included territories from the Yenisei to the Pacific Ocean. Received a good home education. Distinguished by his natural linguistic abilities, by the age of 14 he knew five European languages. In 1778, Nikolai entered military service in the artillery, served in the Izmailovsky Life Guards Regiment, and was responsible for the protection of Catherine II during her trip to Crimea in 1780, but left military service and entered service in the Pskov civil court. Then Rezanov becomes the head of the office of Count N.G. Chernyshova. This career growth testifies not only to business qualities young man, but also about someone’s fairly powerful support. For an ordinary official not from the nobility or from the provincial ignorant nobles, such “jumps” up the career ladder “through two steps” were unlikely, and, having started service from the lowest, 14th, class in the “Table of Ranks,” another could rise to the rank of assessor and to the status of collegiate assessor (a rank that gave the right to hereditary nobility) only in old age.

In 1791, after the appointment of Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin as secretary for the report on “Senate Memories” (documents submitted by the Senate for approval) under Catherine II N.P. Rezanov goes into his service as the ruler of the chancellery, which opens for him the doors of the offices and houses of the most senior nobles. Sometimes even he has to carry out personal assignments for the empress, which further accelerates the young man’s career. After some time, he joins the staff of the new favorite of the Empress P.A. Zubov, who, fearing the possible replacement of himself in the “position” of the empress’s favorite by a young handsome man, under a plausible pretext gets rid of Rezanov, sending him to Irkutsk to inspect the activities of the company of the merchant G. I. Shelikhov, who claimed a monopoly right to engage in fur fishing off the Pacific coast of Russia .

In 1794, Rezanov, on behalf of Zubov, went to Irkutsk along with the spiritual mission of Archimandrite Joseph. In Irkutsk, Rezanov meets “Columbus Rossiy” - the founder of the first Russian settlements in America - Grigory Ivanovich Shelikhov. In an effort to strengthen his position, Shelikhov wooed his eldest daughter, Anna, for Rezanov. On January 24, 1795, thirty-year-old Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov married Shelikhov’s fifteen-year-old daughter Anna, thus gaining the right to participate in the affairs of the family company. It was probably a marriage both for love (a handsome man from the capital with an excellent education and secular manners simply could not help but strike the heart of a girl from a distant, remote province), and for mutually beneficial reasons: the not very rich groom actually became a co-owner of huge capital, and the bride from merchant family and children from this marriage received the family coat of arms and all the privileges of the titled Russian nobility. From this moment on, Rezanov’s fate is closely connected with Russian America.

Six months after his daughter’s marriage, Grigory Ivanovich Shelikhov unexpectedly dies at the age of forty-seven and his capital is divided among his heirs. Nikolai Petrovich, having become one of them, makes all his efforts, using influence and connections in St. Petersburg, to create a Pacific Ocean powerful united Russian company, which received the name of the Russian-American Company. In 1797, Rezanov became secretary, then chief secretary of the Senate. He draws up the “Charter on Prices” and establishes the layout of the land tax in St. Petersburg and Moscow. For this work he was awarded the order Anna II degree and a pension of two thousand rubles a year. And soon Emperor Paul I, who replaced Catherine II, who died in 1796, signed a decree on the creation of a single Russian-American Company (RAC) based on the companies of Shelikhov and other Siberian merchants, the main administration of which was transferred from Irkutsk to St. Petersburg, and the authorized correspondent (representative) Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov is appointed RAC. Now he is a state nobleman and an entrepreneur at the same time. Rezanov was Chief Secretary of the Government Senate until 1799.

In 1802, Nikolai Rezanov, through the Minister of Commerce, Count Nikolai Petrovich Rumyantsev, submitted a note to the Tsar, in which he pointed out the inconvenience of delivering provisions to the new Russian possessions, building materials and proposed to deliver them by sea, around the world directly from Europe to America. Until the end of 1802, when plans for a round-the-world trip began to be developed, which included “establishing sea communications” with Russian possessions in America, the number of RAC shareholders increased from 17 to 400, and among them were members of the Imperial family. Alexander I himself, who became a shareholder of Russian America in the mentioned year, definitely singled out N.P. Rezanova from Wednesday business people Empire and showered him with his favors.

On July 18, 1801, the first-born son Peter appeared in the Rezanov family, and on October 6, 1802, daughter Olga (1802-1828). Twelve days after the birth of her daughter, Anna Grigorievna died. About his wife, Rezanov wrote: “Eight years of our marriage gave me a taste of all the happiness of this life, as if in order to finally poison the rest of my days with the loss of it.” After the death of his wife, Rezanov thought about resigning and starting raising children, but met an obstacle. The emperor offers the inconsolable widower to take part in the upcoming first voyage around the world. In 1802, by the highest order, N.P. Rezanov was appointed envoy to Japan and leader of the first Russian round-the-world expedition (1803-1806) on the sloops “Nadezhda” and “Neva”. During the preparation of the expedition, its leaders were given a lot of various instructions of an economic, political, scientific nature, but the main goals still remained two: establishing relations with Japan and inspecting Russian America.

A month before setting off on the campaign, on July 10, 1803, Rezanov was awarded the Order of St. Anne, 1st degree, and he was given the title of Chamberlain of His Majesty's Court. On August 7, 1803, the first Russian round-the-world expedition began, consisting of two ships: “Nadezhda” under the command of I.F. Kruzenshtern (he was entrusted with general naval leadership) and the Neva under the command of Yu.F. Lisyansky. Kruzenshtern I.F.

Rezanov's relationship with Kruzenshtern did not work out. From the very beginning of the trip, Krusenstern began to look for a quarrel with Rezanov.

Upon arrival in Kamchatka, Governor Koshelev arranged a trial of the conflict. He found Krusenstern guilty of disobeying Rezanov and insulting him as Envoy Extraordinary. Kruzenshtern recognized himself as such and asked Koshelev to reconcile him with the head of the expedition. Koshelev agreed and soon convinced Rezanov to put the interests of the business above personal grievances. On August 8, 1804, the ship's commander and all the officers appeared at Rezanov's apartment in full uniform and apologized for their actions. On the same day, Rezanov wrote a letter to Koshelev, in which he explained that although he asked for a legal investigation to be carried out in a well-known case, he considers the repentance of the gentlemen officers, brought in his presence, as a guarantee of their obedience: “... I very willingly betray everything that happened oblivion and I humbly ask you to leave my papers without action.” Reconciliation took place, and preparations began for the embassy to Japan.

At the end of September 1804, Russian ships set sail for Nagasaki with an embassy to Japan, then a closed country to Europeans. Before the trip, the following was compiled:

« List of questions and answers for the Russian embassy in Japan" "No later than September 20, 1804.

1. How big is the Russian state?

Russia, with its space, occupies half the world and is the greatest state in the entire universe. There are cities 12,000 miles or more from the capital.

2.What are the boundaries? Russian Empire?

To the south - with Japan, China, Turkey, Persia; to the east - with the American States, English possessions and part of the Chinese state; to the west - with Prussia, Australia and Denmark; to the north - in the smallest part with Sweden, and the rest of the space is occupied by Russia alone and to the entire north has no other land besides its own.

3. How is the Russian state governed?

An autocratic great emperor, combining in himself both the secular and spiritual supreme authorities.

4.How is Russia divided?

Russia consists of 50 greatest regions or provinces, contains various great kingdoms, the rulers of which resorted to the protection of the great Russian sovereign and made it a pleasure to be among his subjects, and their kingdoms were annexed for eternity to the Russian Empire, such as the kingdom of Kazan , Astrakhan, Siberian, Tauride, Georgian, Poland, Armenia. Moreover, many other peoples, such as Kyrgyzstans, Kabardians, Kalmyks, Circassians and others, are under the protection of the great Russian monarch.

5.How many inhabitants are there in Russia?

There are up to 50 million native Russians, and the rest under the protection of the empire are countless, but are always ready to serve the great of their owner.

6. What is the faith in Russia?

Since the Russian Empire is very vast, all faiths, services and rituals are allowed in it and there are public churches, but the dominant faith is Greek.

7. Are you Christians?

Christians, but of the Greek confession, and not the Portuguese and Spanish. We do not recognize the pope, for our great emperor is himself the commander of his clergy and his high will directly gives places to the first clergy ranks in the empire and deprives them of this dignity by his sole arbitrariness.

8. What is the difference between your Christian faith and other Christian faiths?

Great, because 1) many Christians are subordinate to the pope, and the Russians do not recognize any spiritual authority other than their sovereign, the great Russian emperor communicates with the pope not as a spiritual person, but as with a land-poor owner; 2) all faiths, such as Japanese, Chinese, Mohammedan, Jewish and others, are allowed in it and many have public worship in churches according to their rituals, which is not allowed in other Christian states; 3) no one is forced to be baptized in Russia; 4) our very dogmas and rituals differ a lot in that our great emperor is himself the head of the clergy.

9. How many militias does Russia have?

There are 700,000 regular troops always ready to fight the enemy, including 200,000 cavalry. In addition, irregular troops consist of light cavalry from Cossacks, Bashkirs, Mesheryaks, Mungals and other peoples under the possession of Russia. Russia has many fleets: the Baltic, Black Sea and Caspian, named after the seas. The first two always contain 50 armed large warships, and the Caspian - 25. There are also many frigates, boats and other military vessels, but in war time, or when need requires, the number of ships is added, as much as the great Russian sovereign wishes, because his lands are very abundant.

10. With whom is the Russian Emperor at war and who are his allies?

With no one, and although he has unlimited power and strength, but, having accepted the ancestral throne and seeing the vastness of his borders, marked by the glorious victories of his ancestors, he decided to reign in silence and peace with all the world, and with his power he maintains balance in all foreign lands and states , wanting there to be peace throughout the universe. The Great Russian Emperor combines meekness with courage and, with such God-inspired talents, puts the life and tranquility of people at the greatest price and cares not only about his subjects, but about all people in general, and as proof of his great virtues, without sparing any costs, he returns to a gift to the great Japanese emperor of his subjects, who, by an ill-fated fate, were thrown onto the shores of his possessions and wished to return to their fatherland.

11. Why weren’t the Japanese returned long ago?

Because all of Europe was at war, and therefore the embassy could not be sent to His Tenzin-Kubo embassy.

12. What kind of relations does Russia have with the Portuguese?

As with all nations that have trade. The Great Russian Emperor, seeing the shortcomings of other lands, out of philanthropy allows everyone to use the surplus of his vast state and its borders are open to all traders.

13. Where are you from?

From the capital city of St. Petersburg around the whole world.

14. What did you bring?

We have no goods, but only gifts to His Tenzin-Kubo estate, and our ambassador knows what they are.

15. What kind of people are you and are there any merchants?

We have no merchants, and all military men are embassy gentlemen and naval officers of our great sovereign.

16. What rank is your ambassador?

General, moreover, he is a chamberlain and one of the closest ranks to our great emperor.

17. What kind of officials are yours?

One of the noblest nobles of the great empire.

18. What are you on guard for?

This is an honor for the imperial ambassador, but in Russia he has a much larger guard, but he took a small number because there was nowhere to place them.

19.Where did you go on your way?

To Denmark, England, the island of Tenerife, Brazil, the Marchesan Islands and Kamchatka, where they took fresh supplies and filled with water, and in Kamchatka they left the needs necessary for that region.

20. Has anyone died on your journey?

On the way from the Marchese Islands, one cook died, but no one else.

Nikolay Rezanov."

There is an opinion that this was facilitated by Catherine II. IN 1780 during her trips around Crimea Nikolai was personally responsible for her safety when he was only 16 years old.

Then something happened: in the mid-1780s, Nicholas left military service and disappeared from the empress’s entourage for a long time. Entered assessor to the Pskov Chamber civil court, where he served for about five years with a salary of 300 rubles. per year, after which he was transferred to St. Petersburg Treasury Chamber.

Then - a new sharp leap in his career. He was summoned to St. Petersburg and given a position as head of the office of the vice president Admiralty Collegium graph I. G. Chernysheva, and then - the executor of the Admiralty College. In 1791-93 - ruler of the chancellery Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin, cabinet secretary Catherine II.

In 1794, Rezanov, on behalf of Platon Zubov goes to Irkutsk. Rezanov participates in an inspection of the activities of the company of the founder of the first Russian settlements in America Grigory Ivanovich Shelikhov.

Rezanov married on January 24, 1795 Shelikhov’s fifteen-year-old daughter, Anna Grigorievna. She receives a noble title, and he receives a good dowry. Six months later, Shelikhov dies and Nikolai becomes a co-owner of his capital. Immediately after the death of Catherine II and the fall of Count Zubov, Rezanov returned to St. Petersburg.

During the expedition, Rezanov and Kruzenshtern quarreled so much that they communicated only through notes. After another scandal, Rezanov locked himself in his cabin and never left it again until his arrival in Petropavlovsk. Here Rezanov wrote a complaint to the ruler of the Kamchatka region Pavel Ivanovich Koshelev against the mutinous crew and demanded the execution of Krusenstern. Kruzenshtern agreed to go to trial, but immediately, before the end of the expedition, thereby disrupting Rezanov’s mission. The Governor-General managed to reconcile them with great difficulty.

According to Rezanov's notes, on August 8, 1804, Kruzenshtern and all the officers came to Rezanov's apartment in full uniform and apologized for their misconduct. Rezanov agreed to continue sailing with the same crew. However, Rezanov's notes are the only source that mentions Krusenstern's repentance. Neither in the diaries and letters of other expedition members, nor in Koshelev’s letters, nor in the notes of the RAC employees who accompanied Rezanov, there is not a word about this. From Kruzenshtern’s letter to the President of the Academy of Sciences N. N. Novosiltsev it follows that perhaps it was not Kruzenshtern and all the officers who publicly apologized to Rezanov, but Rezanov who publicly apologized to Kruzenshtern.

From Kruzenshtern’s letter to Novosiltsev

His Excellency Mr. Rezanov, in the presence of the regional commandant and more than 10 officers, called me a rebel, a robber, determined my execution on the scaffold, and threatened others with eternal exile to Kamchatka. I admit, I was afraid. No matter how fair the Emperor was, he, being 13,000 miles away from him, could have expected everything from Mr. Rezanov if the regional commander had taken his side. But no, this is not the rule of honest Koshelev, he did not take any. Only by his presence, prudence, and justice - he gave me free breath, and I was already sure that I would not plunge into the autocracy of Mr. Rezanov. After the above-mentioned curses, which are even painful to repeat, I gave him the sword. G. Rezanov did not accept it. I asked to be shackled and, as he says, “like a criminal” to be sent for trial to St. Petersburg. I represented to him in writing that this kind of people, as he called me, cannot command the sovereign’s ship. He didn’t want to hear any of this, he said that he was going to St. Petersburg to send judges from the Senate, and let me smolder in Kamchatka; but when the regional commandant presented to him that my demand was fair, and that I (not) should be relieved, then the scene changed. He wanted to make peace with me and go to Japan. At first I rejected his offer with contempt; but, realizing the circumstances, he agreed... This expedition is the first enterprise of this kind of Russians; Should it collapse due to the disagreement of two private (individuals)?.. Let whoever of us is to blame, but the guilt would be brought to bear on the face of all of Russia. And so, having these motivating reasons, and having His Excellency Pavel Ivanovich (Koshelev) as a witness to everything that happened, although against my feelings, he agreed to make peace; but so that he would ask me for forgiveness in front of everyone, so that in my justification he would ask the Emperor for forgiveness for treating me innocently. “I had to demand this, because this offense did not concern me alone, but fell on the face of all the officers and to the dishonor of the flag under which we have the honor to serve.” Rezanov agreed to everything, he even asked me to write whatever I wanted: he would sign everything. Of course, he knew my heart, he knew that I would not take it in writing, which he swore on his honor in the presence of many. On these terms I made peace...

Rezanov in Japan

Taking a guard of honor from the Governor General (2 officers, drummer, 5 soldiers) for the ambassador, "Nadezhda" sailed to Japan (“Neva” - to Alaska). The ship arrived in the city Nagasaki September 26, 1804. Island Dejima served at that time as the only window for interaction between the Japanese and the Western world (see. sakoku). The Japanese forbade the Russians from entering the harbor, and Kruzenshtern dropped anchor in the bay. Rezanov himself was allowed to go ashore and was provided with excellent housing, but it was impossible to go beyond it, and no one was allowed to see him. They told us to wait for a response from the emperor. Any food was delivered upon request, no money was taken. This went on for six months. In March, a dignitary arrived with the emperor's response. The answer said that he could not accept the embassy and did not want to trade with Russia. He returned all the gifts and demanded that the ship leave Japan.

Rezanov could not restrain himself, spoke insolently to the dignitary and demanded that all this be translated. Agreement with Japan it was not possible to conclude, and the expedition returned to Petropavlovsk. This is how this episode is described Chekhov in the book "Sakhalin island" :

Ambassador Rezanov, authorized to conclude a trade alliance with Japan, also had to “acquire the island of Sakhalin, independent of either the Chinese or the Japanese.” He behaved extremely tactlessly. /…/ If you believe Kruzenshtern, then Rezanov was denied even a chair at the audience, he was not allowed to have a sword with him, and “in the spirit of intolerance” he was even without shoes. And this is the ambassador, a Russian nobleman! It seems difficult to show less dignity. Having suffered a complete fiasco, Rezanov wanted to take revenge on the Japanese. He ordered the naval officer Khvostov to scare the Sakhalin Japanese, and this order was given not quite in the usual manner, somehow crookedly: in a sealed envelope, with the obligatory condition that it should be opened and read only upon arrival at the place.

American period

In Petropavlovsk, Rezanov learned that Krusenstern had been awarded Order of St. Anne II degree, but he was only awarded snuffbox, showered with diamonds and released from further participation in the first round-the-world expedition, ordering an inspection of Russian settlements in Alaska.

Before leaving for St. Petersburg, Rezanov left instructions to the Chief Ruler of the Russian colonies in America A. A. Baranov with the idea of ​​creating an agricultural settlement in Northern California to supply Alaska with food. Such a settlement Ross, was founded in 1812 and existed until 1841.

In September 1806, Rezanov reached Okhotsk. The autumn thaw was beginning, and it was impossible to go further. But he set off along the “arduous path on horseback.” Crossing rivers due to thin ice fell into the water several times. We had to spend several nights right in the snow. As a result, I caught a terrible cold and lay in a fever and unconsciousness for 12 days. As soon as he woke up, he set off again.

On the way, he lost consciousness, fell off his horse and hit his head hard. He was taken to Krasnoyarsk, where is March 1 1807 he died. Rezanov was buried March 13 at the cemetery Resurrection Cathedral.

Conchita remained faithful to Rezanov. According to legend, she more than a year I went to the cape every morning, sat on the rocks and looked at the ocean. This is now the site of a support for the Golden Gate Bridge. In 1808, she learned about Rezanov’s death from a letter from A. A. Baranov sent to her father. However, she no longer tried to get married. At the end of her life she went to a monastery, where she died in 1857. She was buried near San Francisco, in Benicia, in the cemetery of the Dominican Order.

Memory

Write a review of the article "Rezanov, Nikolai Petrovich"

Notes

Literature

• Russia in California. Russian documents on the Ross Colony and Russian-California connections, 1803-1850. Comp. A.A. Istomin, J.R. Gibson, V.A. Tishkov. T.I. M., 2005.
• Owen Matthews "Glorious Misadventures: Nikolai Rezanov and the Dream of a Russian America." Bloomsbury, 2013.

Links

• from Russian Biographical Dictionary

Excerpt characterizing Rezanov, Nikolai Petrovich

To get married, the consent of the father was needed, and for this, the next day, Prince Andrei went to his father.
The father, with outward calm but inner anger, accepted his son’s message. He could not understand that anyone would want to change life, to introduce something new into it, when life was already ending for him. “If only they would let me live the way I want, and then we would do what we wanted,” the old man said to himself. With his son, however, he used the diplomacy that he used on important occasions. Taking a calm tone, he discussed the whole matter.
Firstly, the marriage was not brilliant in terms of kinship, wealth and nobility. Secondly, Prince Andrei was not in his first youth and was in poor health (the old man was especially careful about this), and she was very young. Thirdly, there was a son whom it was a pity to give to the girl. Fourthly, finally,” said the father, looking mockingly at his son, “I ask you, postpone the matter for a year, go abroad, get treatment, find, as you want, a German for Prince Nikolai, and then, if it’s love, passion, stubbornness, whatever you want, so great, then get married.
“And this is my last word, you know, my last...” the prince finished in a tone that showed that nothing would force him to change his decision.
Prince Andrei clearly saw that the old man hoped that the feeling of him or his future bride would not withstand the test of the year, or that he himself, the old prince, would die by this time, and decided to fulfill his father’s will: to propose and postpone the wedding for a year.
Three weeks after his last evening with the Rostovs, Prince Andrei returned to St. Petersburg.

The next day after her explanation with her mother, Natasha waited the whole day for Bolkonsky, but he did not come. The next, third day the same thing happened. Pierre also did not come, and Natasha, not knowing that Prince Andrei had gone to his father, could not explain his absence.
Three weeks passed like this. Natasha did not want to go anywhere and, like a shadow, idle and sad, she walked from room to room, cried secretly from everyone in the evening and did not appear to her mother in the evenings. She was constantly blushing and irritated. It seemed to her that everyone knew about her disappointment, laughed and felt sorry for her. With all the strength of her inner grief, this vain grief intensified her misfortune.
One day she came to the countess, wanted to tell her something, and suddenly began to cry. Her tears were the tears of an offended child who himself does not know why he is being punished.
The Countess began to calm Natasha down. Natasha, who had been listening at first to her mother’s words, suddenly interrupted her:
- Stop it, mom, I don’t think, and I don’t want to think! So, I traveled and stopped, and stopped...
Her voice trembled, she almost cried, but she recovered and calmly continued: “And I don’t want to get married at all.” And I'm afraid of him; I have now completely, completely calmed down...
The next day after this conversation, Natasha put on that old dress, which she was especially famous for the cheerfulness it brought in the morning, and in the morning she began her old way of life, from which she had fallen behind after the ball. After drinking tea, she went to the hall, which she especially loved for its strong resonance, and began to sing her solfeges (singing exercises). Having finished the first lesson, she stopped in the middle of the hall and repeated one musical phrase that she especially liked. She listened joyfully to the (as if unexpected for her) charm with which these shimmering sounds filled the entire emptiness of the hall and slowly froze, and she suddenly felt cheerful. “It’s good to think about it so much,” she said to herself and began to walk up and down the hall, not stepping in simple steps on the ringing parquet floor, but at every step, shifting from heel (she was wearing new, favorite shoes) to toe, and just as joyfully as she listened to the sounds of her voice, listening to this measured clatter of the heel and the creaking of the sock. Passing by the mirror, she looked into it. - "Here I am!" as if the expression on her face when she saw herself spoke. - “Well, that’s good. And I don’t need anyone.”
The footman wanted to enter to clean something in the hall, but she did not let him in, again closing the door behind him, and continued her walk. This morning she returned again to her favorite state of self-love and admiration for herself. - “What a charm this Natasha is!” she said again to herself in the words of some third, collective, male person. “She’s good, she has a voice, she’s young, and she doesn’t bother anyone, just leave her alone.” But no matter how much they left her alone, she could no longer be calm and she immediately felt it.
The entrance door opened in the hallway, and someone asked: “Are you at home?” and someone's steps were heard. Natasha looked in the mirror, but she did not see herself. She listened to sounds in the hall. When she saw herself, her face was pale. It was he. She knew this for sure, although she barely heard the sound of his voice from the closed doors.
Natasha, pale and frightened, ran into the living room.
- Mom, Bolkonsky has arrived! - she said. - Mom, this is terrible, this is unbearable! – I don’t want... to suffer! What should I do?…
Before the countess even had time to answer her, Prince Andrei entered the living room with an anxious and serious face. As soon as he saw Natasha, his face lit up. He kissed the hand of the Countess and Natasha and sat down near the sofa.
“We haven’t had the pleasure for a long time...” the countess began, but Prince Andrei interrupted her, answering her question and obviously in a hurry to say what he needed.
“I wasn’t with you all this time because I was with my father: I needed to talk to him about a very important matter.” “I just returned last night,” he said, looking at Natasha. “I need to talk to you, Countess,” he added after a moment of silence.
The Countess, sighing heavily, lowered her eyes.
“I am at your service,” she said.
Natasha knew that she had to leave, but she could not do it: something was squeezing her throat, and she looked discourteously, directly, with open eyes at Prince Andrei.
"Now? This minute!... No, this can’t be!” she thought.
He looked at her again, and this look convinced her that she was not mistaken. “Yes, now, this very minute, her fate was being decided.”
“Come, Natasha, I’ll call you,” the countess said in a whisper.
Natasha looked at Prince Andrei and her mother with frightened, pleading eyes, and left.
“I came, Countess, to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage,” said Prince Andrei. The countess's face flushed, but she said nothing.
“Your proposal...” the countess began sedately. “He was silent, looking into her eyes. – Your offer... (she was embarrassed) we are pleased, and... I accept your offer, I’m glad. And my husband... I hope... but it will depend on her...
“I’ll tell her when I have your consent... do you give it to me?” - said Prince Andrei.
“Yes,” said the countess and extended her hand to him and, with a mixed feeling of aloofness and tenderness, pressed her lips to his forehead as he leaned over her hand. She wanted to love him like a son; but she felt that he was a stranger and a terrible person for her. “I’m sure my husband will agree,” said the countess, “but your father...
- My father, to whom I communicated my plans, made it an indispensable condition for consent that the wedding should not be before a year. And this is what I wanted to tell you,” said Prince Andrei.
– It’s true that Natasha is still young, but for so long.
“It couldn’t be otherwise,” said Prince Andrei with a sigh.
“I will send it to you,” said the countess and left the room.
“Lord, have mercy on us,” she repeated, looking for her daughter. Sonya said that Natasha is in the bedroom. Natasha sat on her bed, pale, with dry eyes, looking at the icons and, quickly crossing herself, whispering something. Seeing her mother, she jumped up and rushed to her.
- What? Mom?... What?
- Go, go to him. “He asks for your hand,” the countess said coldly, as it seemed to Natasha... “Come... come,” the mother said with sadness and reproach after her running daughter, and sighed heavily.
Natasha did not remember how she entered the living room. Entering the door and seeing him, she stopped. “Has this stranger really become everything to me now?” she asked herself and instantly answered: “Yes, that’s it: he alone is now dearer to me than everything in the world.” Prince Andrei approached her, lowering his eyes.
“I loved you from the moment I saw you.” Can I hope?
He looked at her, and the serious passion in her expression struck him. Her face said: “Why ask? Why doubt something you can’t help but know? Why talk when you can’t express in words what you feel.”
She approached him and stopped. He took her hand and kissed it.
– Do you love me?
“Yes, yes,” Natasha said as if with annoyance, sighed loudly, and another time, more and more often, and began to sob.
- About what? What's wrong with you?
“Oh, I’m so happy,” she answered, smiled through her tears, leaned closer to him, thought for a second, as if asking herself if this was possible, and kissed him.
Prince Andrei held her hands, looked into her eyes, and did not find in his soul the same love for her. Something suddenly turned in his soul: there was no former poetic and mysterious charm of desire, but there was pity for her feminine and childish weakness, there was fear of her devotion and gullibility, a heavy and at the same time joyful consciousness of the duty that forever connected him with her. The real feeling, although it was not as light and poetic as the previous one, was more serious and stronger.
– Did maman tell you that this cannot be earlier than a year? - said Prince Andrei, continuing to look into her eyes. “Is it really me, that girl child (everyone said that about me) Natasha thought, is it really from this moment that I am the wife, equal to this stranger, sweet, intelligent man, respected even by my father. Is that really true! Is it really true that now it’s no longer possible to joke with life, now I’m big, now I’m responsible for my every deed and word? Yes, what did he ask me?
“No,” she answered, but she did not understand what he was asking.
“Forgive me,” said Prince Andrei, “but you are so young, and I have already experienced so much of life.” I'm scared for you. You don't know yourself.
Natasha listened with concentrated attention, trying to understand the meaning of his words and did not understand.
“No matter how difficult this year will be for me, delaying my happiness,” continued Prince Andrei, “in this period you will believe in yourself.” I ask you to make my happiness in a year; but you are free: our engagement will remain a secret, and if you were convinced that you do not love me, or would love me ... - said Prince Andrei with an unnatural smile.
- Why are you saying this? – Natasha interrupted him. “You know that from the very day you first arrived in Otradnoye, I fell in love with you,” she said, firmly convinced that she was telling the truth.
– In a year you will recognize yourself...
– Whole year! – Natasha suddenly said, now only realizing that the wedding had been postponed for a year. - Why a year? Why a year?...” Prince Andrei began to explain to her the reasons for this delay. Natasha didn't listen to him.
- And it’s impossible otherwise? – she asked. Prince Andrei did not answer, but his face expressed the impossibility of changing this decision.
- It's horrible! No, this is terrible, terrible! – Natasha suddenly spoke and began to sob again. - I will die waiting a year: this is impossible, this is terrible. “She looked into the face of her fiancé and saw on him an expression of compassion and bewilderment.
“No, no, I’ll do everything,” she said, suddenly stopping her tears, “I’m so happy!” – Father and mother entered the room and blessed the bride and groom.
From that day on, Prince Andrei began to go to the Rostovs as a groom.

There was no engagement and Bolkonsky’s engagement to Natasha was not announced to anyone; Prince Andrei insisted on this. He said that since he was the cause of the delay, he must bear the entire burden of it. He said that he was forever bound by his word, but that he did not want to bind Natasha and gave her complete freedom. If after six months she feels that she does not love him, she will be within her right if she refuses him. It goes without saying that neither the parents nor Natasha wanted to hear about it; but Prince Andrei insisted on his own. Prince Andrei visited the Rostovs every day, but did not treat Natasha like a groom: he told her you and only kissed her hand. After the day of the proposal, a completely different, close, simple relationship was established between Prince Andrei and Natasha. It was as if they didn't know each other until now. Both he and she loved to remember how they looked at each other when they were still nothing; now both of them felt like completely different creatures: then feigned, now simple and sincere. At first, the family felt awkward in dealing with Prince Andrei; he seemed like a man from an alien world, and Natasha spent a long time accustoming her family to Prince Andrei and proudly assured everyone that he only seemed so special, and that he was the same as everyone else, and that she was not afraid of him and that no one should be afraid his. After several days, the family got used to him and, without hesitation, continued with him the same way of life in which he took part. He knew how to talk about the household with the Count, and about outfits with the Countess and Natasha, and about albums and canvas with Sonya. Sometimes the Rostov family, among themselves and under Prince Andrei, were surprised at how all this happened and how obvious the omens of this were: the arrival of Prince Andrei in Otradnoye, and their arrival in St. Petersburg, and the similarity between Natasha and Prince Andrei, which the nanny noticed on their first visit Prince Andrei, and the clash in 1805 between Andrei and Nikolai, and many other omens of what happened were noticed by those at home.
The house was filled with that poetic boredom and silence that always accompanies the presence of the bride and groom. Often sitting together, everyone was silent. Sometimes they got up and left, and the bride and groom, remaining alone, were still silent. Rarely did they talk about their future lives. Prince Andrei was scared and ashamed to talk about it. Natasha shared this feeling, like all his feelings, which she constantly guessed. One time Natasha started asking about his son. Prince Andrei blushed, which often happened to him now and which Natasha especially loved, and said that his son would not live with them.
- From what? – Natasha said in fear.
- I can’t take him away from my grandfather and then...
- How I would love him! - Natasha said, immediately guessing his thought; but I know you want there to be no excuses to blame you and me.
The old count sometimes approached Prince Andrei, kissed him, and asked him for advice on the upbringing of Petya or the service of Nicholas. The old countess sighed as she looked at them. Sonya was afraid at every moment of being superfluous and tried to find excuses to leave them alone when they didn’t need it. When Prince Andrei spoke (he spoke very well), Natasha listened to him with pride; when she spoke, she noticed with fear and joy that he was looking at her carefully and searchingly. She asked herself in bewilderment: “What is he looking for in me? He's trying to achieve something with his gaze! What if I don’t have what he’s looking for with that look?” Sometimes she entered into her characteristic insanely cheerful mood, and then she especially loved to listen and watch how Prince Andrei laughed. He rarely laughed, but when he laughed, he gave himself entirely to his laughter, and every time after this laugh she felt closer to him. Natasha would have been completely happy if the thought of the impending and approaching separation did not frighten her, since he too turned pale and cold at the mere thought of it.
On the eve of his departure from St. Petersburg, Prince Andrei brought with him Pierre, who had never been to the Rostovs since the ball. Pierre seemed confused and embarrassed. He was talking to his mother. Natasha sat down with Sonya chess table, thereby inviting Prince Andrey to his place. He approached them.
– You’ve known Bezukhoy for a long time, haven’t you? - he asked. - Do you love him?
- Yes, he is nice, but very funny.
And she, as always speaking about Pierre, began to tell jokes about his absent-mindedness, jokes that were even made up about him.
“You know, I trusted him with our secret,” said Prince Andrei. – I have known him since childhood. This is a heart of gold. “I beg you, Natalie,” he said suddenly seriously; – I’ll leave, God knows what might happen. You might spill... Well, I know I shouldn't talk about it. One thing - no matter what happens to you when I’m gone...
- What will happen?...
“Whatever the grief,” continued Prince Andrei, “I ask you, m lle Sophie, no matter what happens, turn to him alone for advice and help.” This is the most absent-minded and funny man, but the most golden heart.
Neither father and mother, nor Sonya, nor Prince Andrei himself could foresee how parting with her fiancé would affect Natasha. Red and excited, with dry eyes, she walked around the house that day, doing the most insignificant things, as if not understanding what awaited her. She did not cry even at that moment as he, saying goodbye, last time kissed her hand. - Don't leave! - she just said to him in a voice that made him think about whether he really needed to stay and which he remembered for a long time after that. When he left, she didn't cry either; but for several days she sat in her room without crying, was not interested in anything and only sometimes said: “Oh, why did he leave!”