War And Peace - Book Three

"Prince V Vasíli was not a man who deliberately thought out his plans. Still less did he think of inju­ring anyone for his own advantage. He was merely a man of the world who had got on and to whom getting on had become a habit. Schemes and devices for whi­ch he never rightly accounted to himself, but which formed the whole interest of his life, were constantly shaping themselves in his mind, arising from the cir­cumstances and persons he met. Of these plans he had not merely one or two in his head but dozens, some only beginning to form themselves, some approaching achievement, and some in course of disintegration. He did not, for instance, say to himself: "This man now has influence, I must gain his confiden­ce and friendship and through him obtain a spe­cial grant." Nor did he say to himself: "Pierre is a rich man, I must entice him to marry my daugh­ter and lend me the forty thousand rubles I need."