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"I imagine it won't be possible to avoid going. Here, take it,"

she said to Tanya, who was pulling the loosely-fitting ring off

her white, slender-tipped finger.

"I shall be so glad if you go. I should so like to see you at a

ball."

"Anyway, if I do go, I shall comfort myself with the thought that

it's a pleasure to you ... Grisha, don't pull my hair. It's

untidy enough without that," she said, putting up a straying

lock, which Grisha had been playing with.

"I imagine you at the ball in lilac."

"And why in lilac precisely?" asked Anna, smiling. "Now,

children, run along, run along. Do you hear? Miss Hoole is

calling you to tea," she said, tearing the children from her, and

sending them off to the dining-room.

"I know why you press me to come to the ball. You expect a great

deal of this ball, and you want everyone to be there to take part

in it."

"How do you know? Yes."