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And to make time to get through all that lay before him every

day, he adhered to the strictest punctuality. "Unhasting and

unresting," was his motto. He came into the dining hall, greeted

everyone, and hurriedly sat down, smiling to his wife.

"Yes, my solitude is over. You wouldn't believe how

uncomfortable" (he laid stress on the word uncomfortable) "it is

to dine alone."

At dinner he talked a little to his wife about Moscow matters,

and, with a sarcastic smile, asked her after Stepan Arkadyevitch;

but the conversation was for the most part general, dealing with

Petersburg official and public news. After dinner he spent half

an hour with his guests, and again, with a smile, pressed his

wife's hand, withdrew, and drove off to the council. Anna did not

go out that evening either to the Princess Betsy Tverskaya, who,

hearing of her return, had invited her, nor to the theater, where

she had a box for that evening. She did not go out principally

because the dress she had reckoned upon was not ready.

Altogether, Anna, on turning, after the departure of her guests,

to the consideration of her attire, was very much annoyed. She

was generally a mistress of the art of dressing well without

great expense, and before leaving Moscow she had given her

dressmaker three dresses to transform.