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Pierre, after all, had not managed to choose a career for himself

in Petersburg, and had been expelled from there for riotous

conduct and sent to Moscow. The story told about him at Count

Rostov's was true. Pierre had taken part in tying a policeman to

a bear. He had now been for some days in Moscow and was staying

as usual at his father's house. Though he expected that the story

of his escapade would be already known in Moscow and that the

ladies about his father-who were never favorably disposed toward

him-would have used it to turn the count against him, he

nevertheless on the day of his arrival went to his father's part

of the house. Entering the drawing room, where the princesses

spent most of their time, he greeted the ladies, two of whom were

sitting at embroidery frames while a third read aloud. It was the

eldest who was reading-the one who had met Anna Mikhaylovna.