Pagina 52 van 3800

Prince Andrew kept looking with an amused smile from Pierre to

the vicomte and from the vicomte to their hostess. In the first

moment of Pierre's outburst Anna Pavlovna, despite her social

experience, was horror-struck. But when she saw that Pierre's

sacrilegious words had not exasperated the vicomte, and had

convinced herself that it was impossible to stop him, she rallied

her forces and joined the vicomte in a vigorous attack on the

orator.

"But, my dear Monsieur Pierre," said she, "how do you explain the

fact of a great man executing a duc-or even an ordinary man

who-is innocent and untried?"

"I should like," said the vicomte, "to ask how monsieur explains

the 18th Brumaire; was not that an imposture? It was a swindle,

and not at all like the conduct of a great man!"

"And the prisoners he killed in Africa? That was horrible!" said

the little princess, shrugging her shoulders.

"He's a low fellow, say what you will," remarked Prince

Hippolyte.