Chapter 2

           

           AnnaPávlovna’sdrawingroomwasgraduallyfilling.ThehighestPetersburgsocietywasassembledthere:peopledifferingwidelyinageandcharacterbutalikeinthesocialcircletowhichtheybelonged.PrinceVasíli’sdaughter,thebeautifulHélène,cametotakeherfathertotheambassador’sentertainment;sheworeaballdressandherbadgeasmaidofhonor.TheyouthfullittlePrincessBolkónskaya,knownaslafemmelaplusséduisantedePétersbourg,*wasalsothere.Shehadbeenmarriedduringthepreviouswinter,andbeingpregnantdidnotgotoanylargegatherings,butonlytosmallreceptions.PrinceVasíli’sson,Hippolyte,hadcomewithMortemart,whomheintroduced.TheAbbéMorioandmanyothershadalsocome.

           *ThemostfascinatingwomaninPetersburg.

           ToeachnewarrivalAnnaPávlovnasaid,“Youhavenotyetseenmyaunt,”or“Youdonotknowmyaunt?”andverygravelyconductedhimorhertoalittleoldlady,wearinglargebowsofribboninhercap,whohadcomesailinginfromanotherroomassoonastheguestsbegantoarrive;andslowlyturninghereyesfromthevisitortoheraunt,AnnaPávlovnamentionedeachone’snameandthenleftthem.

           Eachvisitorperformedtheceremonyofgreetingthisoldauntwhomnotoneofthemknew,notoneofthemwantedtoknow,andnotoneofthemcaredabout;AnnaPávlovnaobservedthesegreetingswithmournfulandsolemninterestandsilentapproval.Theauntspoketoeachoftheminthesamewords,abouttheirhealthandherown,andthehealthofHerMajesty,“who,thankGod,wasbettertoday.

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