Страница 34 из 3800

Not letting the abbe and Pierre escape, Anna Pavlovna, the more

conveniently to keep them under observation, brought them into

the larger circle.

CHAPTER IV

Just then another visitor entered the drawing room: Prince Andrew

Bolkonski, the little princess' husband. He was a very handsome

young man, of medium height, with firm, clearcut features.

Everything about him, from his weary, bored expression to his

quiet, measured step, offered a most striking contrast to his

quiet, little wife. It was evident that he not only knew everyone

in the drawing room, but had found them to be so tiresome that it

wearied him to look at or listen to them. And among all these

faces that he found so tedious, none seemed to bore him so much

as that of his pretty wife. He turned away from her with a

grimace that distorted his handsome face, kissed Anna Pavlovna's

hand, and screwing up his eyes scanned the whole company.

"You are off to the war, Prince?" said Anna Pavlovna.