Chapter 148
The French Doctor's Expulsion
In 1811 there was living in Moscow a French doctor—Métivier—who had rapidly become the fashion. He was enormously tall, handsome, amiable as Frenchmen are, and was, as all Moscow said, an extraordinarily clever doctor. He was received in the best houses not merely as a doctor, but as an equal. Prince Nicholas had always ridiculed medicine, but latterly on Mademoiselle Bourienne’s advice had allowed this doctor to visit him and had grown accustomed to him. Métivier came to see the prince about twice a week. On December 6—St. Nicholas’ Day and the prince’s name day—all Moscow came to the prince’s…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Track Your Misdirected Anger
Think about the last time you felt really angry at someone close to you - a family member, coworker, or friend. Write down what the fight was supposedly about, then dig deeper. What bigger problem were you actually worried about that you couldn't control or confront directly? Map the connection between your real fear and your chosen target.
Consider:
- •The person you attacked probably had some connection to your real problem - that's what made it feel justified
- •Ask yourself: could this person actually solve the thing you're really worried about?
- •Notice how attacking the wrong target might have made your real problem worse
Journaling Prompt
Write about a pattern you've noticed in your own life: what kinds of big, scary problems make you lash out at smaller, safer targets? How could you redirect that energy toward something more productive next time?
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