Chapter 18

           

           CountessRostóva,withherdaughtersandalargenumberofguests,wasalreadyseatedinthedrawingroom.ThecounttookthegentlemenintohisstudyandshowedthemhischoicecollectionofTurkishpipes.Fromtimetotimehewentouttoask:“Hasn’tshecomeyet?”TheywereexpectingMáryaDmítrievnaAkhrosímova,knowninsocietyasleterribledragon,aladydistinguishednotforwealthorrank,butforcommonsenseandfrankplainnessofspeech.MáryaDmítrievnawasknowntotheImperialfamilyaswellastoallMoscowandPetersburg,andbothcitieswonderedather,laughedprivatelyatherrudenesses,andtoldgoodstoriesabouther,whilenonethelessallwithoutexceptionrespectedandfearedher.

           Inthecount’sroom,whichwasfulloftobaccosmoke,theytalkedofthewarthathadbeenannouncedinamanifesto,andabouttherecruiting.Noneofthemhadyetseenthemanifesto,buttheyallknewithadappeared.Thecountsatonthesofabetweentwoguestswhoweresmokingandtalking.Heneithersmokednortalked,butbendinghisheadfirsttoonesideandthentotheotherwatchedthesmokerswithevidentpleasureandlistenedtotheconversationofhistwoneighbors,whomheeggedonagainsteachother.

           Oneofthemwasasallow,clean-shavencivilianwithathinandwrinkledface,alreadygrowingold,thoughhewasdressedlikeamostfashionableyoungman.Hesatwithhislegsuponthesofaasifquiteathomeand,havingstuckanambermouthpiecefarintohismouth,wasinhalingthesmokespasmodicallyandscrewinguphiseyes.

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