Chapter 2
ANNA PAVLOVNA’S DRAWING-ROOM gradually
began to fill. The people of the highest distinction in Petersburg Petersburg
chane outlet
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“Have you not yet seen, or not been introduced to ma tante?” Anna Pavlovna said to her guests as they arrived, and very seriously she led them up to a little old lady wearing tall bows, who had sailed in out of the next room as soon as the guests began to arrive. Anna Pavlovna mentioned their names, deliberately turning her eyes from the guest to ma tante, and then withdrew. All the guests performed the ceremony of greeting the aunt, who was unknown, uninteresting and unnecessary to every one. Anna Pavlovna with mournful, solemn sympathy, followed these greetings, silently approving them. Ma tante said to each person the same words about his health, her own health, and the health of her majesty, who was, thank God, better to-day. Every one, though from politeness showing no undue haste, moved away from the old lady with a sense of relief at a tiresome duty accomplished, and did not approach her again all the evening. The young Princess Bolkonsky had come with her work in a gold-embroidered velvet bag. Her pretty little upper lip, faintly darkened with down, was very short over her teeth, but was all the more charming when it was lifted, and still more charming when it was at times drawn down to meet the lower lip. As is always the case with perfectly charming women, her defect — the shortness of the lip and the half-opened mouth — seemed her peculiar, her characteristic beauty. Every one took delight in watching the pretty creature full of life and gaiety, so soon to be a mother, and so lightly bearing her burden. Old men and bored, depressed young men gazing at her felt as though they were becoming like her, by being with her and talking a little while to her. Any man who spoke to her, and at every word saw her bright little smile and shining white teeth, gleaming continually, imagined that he was being particularly successful this evening. And this each thought in turn.
chanel 2.55 bag
“Have you not yet seen, or not been introduced to ma tante?” Anna Pavlovna said to her guests as they arrived, and very seriously she led them up to a little old lady wearing tall bows, who had sailed in out of the next room as soon as the guests began to arrive. Anna Pavlovna mentioned their names, deliberately turning her eyes from the guest to ma tante, and then withdrew. All the guests performed the ceremony of greeting the aunt, who was unknown, uninteresting and unnecessary to every one. Anna Pavlovna with mournful, solemn sympathy, followed these greetings, silently approving them. Ma tante said to each person the same words about his health, her own health, and the health of her majesty, who was, thank God, better to-day. Every one, though from politeness showing no undue haste, moved away from the old lady with a sense of relief at a tiresome duty accomplished, and did not approach her again all the evening. The young Princess Bolkonsky had come with her work in a gold-embroidered velvet bag. Her pretty little upper lip, faintly darkened with down, was very short over her teeth, but was all the more charming when it was lifted, and still more charming when it was at times drawn down to meet the lower lip. As is always the case with perfectly charming women, her defect — the shortness of the lip and the half-opened mouth — seemed her peculiar, her characteristic beauty. Every one took delight in watching the pretty creature full of life and gaiety, so soon to be a mother, and so lightly bearing her burden. Old men and bored, depressed young men gazing at her felt as though they were becoming like her, by being with her and talking a little while to her. Any man who spoke to her, and at every word saw her bright little smile and shining white teeth, gleaming continually, imagined that he was being particularly successful this evening. And this each thought in turn.
The little princess, moving with a slight
swing, walked with rapid little steps round the table with her work-bag in her
hand, and gaily arranging the folds of her gown, sat down on a sofa near the
silver samovar; it seemed as though everything she did was a festival for
herself and all around her.
“I have
brought my work,” she said, displaying her reticule, and addressing the company
generally. “Mind, Annette, don’t play me a nasty trick,” she turned to the lady
of the house; “you wrote to me that it was quite a little gathering. See how I
am got up.”
And she flung her arms open to show her
elegant grey dress, trimmed with lace and girt a little below the bosom with a
broad sash.
“Never mind,
Lise, you will always be prettier than any one else,” answered Anna Pavlovna.
“You know my
husband is deserting me,” she went on in just the same voice, addressing a
general; “he is going to get himself killed. Tell me what this nasty war is
for,” she said to Prince Vassily, and without waiting for an answer she turned
to Prince Vassily’s daughter, the beautiful Ellen.
denl Z k n �.s s panion’s hand, and for some
reason bending it downwards. “Arrange this matter for me and I am your faithful
slave for ever and ever. She’s of good family and well off. That’s all I want.”
And with the freedom, familiarity, and
grace that distinguished him, he took the maid-of-honour’s hand, kissed it, and
as he kissed it waved her hand, while he stretched forward in his low chair and
gazed away into the distance.
“Wait,” said
Anna Pavlovna, considering. “I’ll talk to Lise (the wife of young Bolkonsky)
this very evening, and perhaps it can be arranged. I’ll try my prentice hand as
an old maid in your family.”
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