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Alexey Alexandrovitch ordered tea to be brought to the study, and

playing with the massive paper-knife, he moved to his easy chair,

near which there had been placed ready for him a lamp and the

French work on Egyptian hieroglyphics that he had begun. Over the

easy chair there hung in a gold frame an oval portrait of Anna, a

fine painting by a celebrated artist. Alexey Alexandrovitch

glanced at it. The unfathomable eyes gazed ironically and

insolently at him. Insufferably insolent and challenging was the

effect in Alexey Alexandrovitch's eyes of the black lace about

the head, admirably touched in by the painter, the black hair and

handsome white hand with one finger lifted, covered with rings.

After looking at the portrait for a minute, Alexey Alexandrovitch

shuddered so that his lips quivered and he uttered the sound

"brrr," and turned away. He made haste to sit down in his easy

chair and opened the book.