Pagina 638 van 3800

Some of the nearest relatives had not yet left. They were sitting

in the large drawing room. Prince Vasili came up to Pierre with

languid footsteps. Pierre rose and said it was getting late.

Prince Vasili gave him a look of stern inquiry, as though what

Pierre had just said was so strange that one could not take it

in. But then the expression of severity changed, and he drew

Pierre's hand downwards, made him sit down, and smiled

affectionately.

"Well, Lelya?" he asked, turning instantly to his daughter and

addressing her with the careless tone of habitual tenderness

natural to parents who have petted their children from babyhood,

but which Prince Vasili had only acquired by imitating other

parents.

And he again turned to Pierre.

"Sergey Kuzmich-From all sides-" he said, unbuttoning the top

button of his waistcoat.