Collage 191

Lynn Waskelis
made from page 389-390 of original text
collage, acrylic paint
8/6/10

found in pages 308-310 of Pevear/Volokhonsky translation

Count Ilya Andreich, again pushing through the crowd, left the drawing room and came back a moment later with another steward, carrying a large silver platter, which he offered to Prince Bagration. On the platter lay verses composed and printed in honor of the hero. Seeing the platter, Bagration glanced fearfully around, as if looking for help. But all eyes were demanding that he submit. Feeling himself in their power, Bagration resolutely took the platter in both hands and looked angrily and reproachfully at the count who had offered it to him. Someone obligingly took the platter from Bagration's hands (otherwise he seemed prepared to hold it that way till evening and go to the table with it), and drew his attention to the verses. "Well, so I'll read them," Bagration seemed to say, and, fixing his weary eyes on the paper, he began to read with a concentrated and serious look.