ers, but alike in the set in which they moved. The daughter of Prince Vassily, the beauty, Ellen, came to fetch her father and go with him to the ambassador's

her interesting condition, but was still to be seen at small parties. Prince Ippolit, the son of Prin

words about his health, her own health, and the health of her majesty, who was, thank God, better to-day. Every one, though from politeness showing no undue haste, moved away from the old lady with a sense of relief at a tiresome duty accomplished, and did not approach her again all the evening. The young Princess Bolkonsky had come with her work in a gold-embroidered velvet bag. Her pretty little upper lip, faintly darkened with down, was very short over her teeth, but was all the more charming when it was lifted, and still more charming when it was at times drawn down to meet the lower lip. As is always the case with perfect

h her work-bag in her hand, and gaily arranging the folds of her gown, sat down on a sofa near the

y generally. "Mind, Annette, don't play me a nasty trick," she turned to the lady of t

gant grey dress, trimmed with lace and girt

ways be prettier than any one

"he is going to get himself killed. Tell me what this nasty war is for," she said to Prince Vassi

ncess is!" said Prince Vassily

He had not yet entered any branch of the service; he had only just returned from abroad, where he had been educated, and this was his first appearance in society. Anna Pavlovna greeted him with a nod reserved for persons of the very lowest hierarchy in her drawing-room. But, in spite of this greeting, Anna Pavlovna's countenance showed signs on s

poor invalid," Anna Pavlovna said to him, exchanging anx

hough she were an intimate friend, and went up to the aunt. Anna Pavlovna's alarm was not without grounds, for Pierre walked away from the aunt without waiting to the

r perpetual peace, and it's very in

ncivility. Just now he had walked off without listening to the lady who was addressing him; now he detained by his talk a lady who wanted to get

t later," said Ann

o loud in conversation and by a single word or change of position set the conversational machine going again in its regular, decorous way. But in the midst of these cares a special anxiety on Pierre's account could still be discerned in her. She kept an anxious watch on him as he went up to listen to what was being said near Mortemart, and walked away to another group where the abbé was talking. Pierre had been educated abroad, and this party at Anna Pavlovna's was the first at which he had been present in Russia. He knew all the int