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Pierre had been educated abroad, and this reception at Anna

Pavlovna's was the first he had attended in Russia. He knew that

all the intellectual lights of Petersburg were gathered there

and, like a child in a toyshop, did not know which way to look,

afraid of missing any clever conversation that was to be heard.

Seeing the self-confident and refined expression on the faces of

those present he was always expecting to hear something very

profound. At last he came up to Morio. Here the conversation

seemed interesting and he stood waiting for an opportunity to

express his own views, as young people are fond of doing.

CHAPTER III