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Though Pierre, Natasha, Nicholas, Countess Mary, and Denisov had much to talk about that they could not discuss before the old countess not that anything was hidden from her, but because she had dropped so far behindhand in many things that had they begun to converse in her presence they would have had to answer inopportune questions and to repeat what they had already told her many times: that so-and-so was dead and so-and-so was married, which she would again be unable to remember yet they sat at tea round the samovar in the drawing room from habit, and Pierre answered the countess' questions as to whether Prince Vasili had aged and whether Countess Mary Alexeevna had sent greetings and still thought of them, and other matters that interested no one and to which she herself was indifferent.
He excused himself for being late, and was about to sit down between Missy and Katerina Alexeevna, but old Korchagin insisted that if he would not take a glass of vodka he should at least take a bit of something to whet his appetite, at the side table, on which stood small dishes of lobster, caviare, cheese, and salt herrings.
"Oh, no, you never tried it; it's awfully interesting," said Missy, laying, it seemed to Nekhludoff, a very affected stress on the word "awfully." Then a dispute arose in which Michael Sergeivitch, Katerina Alexeevna and all the others took part, except the governess, the student and the children, who sat silent and wearied.
Next to him sat a University student who was coaching him, and Missy's cousin, Michael Sergeivitch Telegin, generally called Misha; opposite him, Katerina Alexeevna, a 40-year-old maiden lady, a Slavophil; and at the foot of the table sat Missy herself, with an empty place by her side. "Ah! that's right! Sit down.
"She did not mean to play anything; the woman is simply lying, for some reason or other," thought Nekhludoff, rising and pressing Sophia Vasilievna's transparent and bony, ringed hand. Katerina Alexeevna met him in the drawing-room, and at once began, in French, as usual: "I see the duties of a juryman act depressingly upon you."
"Oh, do not correct yourself, but rather tell us why we are so bad," said Katerina Alexeevna, playing with her words and pretending not to notice how serious Nekhludoff was. "Nothing is worse than to confess to being in low spirits," said Missy. "I never do it, and therefore am always in good spirits."
Once or twice Pierre was carried away and began to speak of these things, but Nicholas and Natasha always brought him back to the health of Prince Ivan and Countess Mary Alexeevna. "Well, and all this idiocy Gossner and Tatawinova?" Denisov asked. "Is that weally still going on?" "Going on?" Pierre exclaimed. "Why more than ever! The Bible Society is the whole government now!"
Kolosoff's self-assured, trivial tone of liberalism was unpleasant, as was also the sensual, self-satisfied, bull-like appearance of old Korchagin, and the French phrases of Katerina Alexeevna, the Slavophil. The constrained looks of the governess and the student were unpleasant, too, but most unpleasant of all was the pronoun him that Missy had used.
She would not mention to Katerina Alexeevna even, so vulgar a pun, but only said, "We all have our good and our bad days." "Is it possible that he, too, will deceive?" she thought; "after all that has happened it would be very bad of him."
"Remember that what is important to you is important to your friends," she said. "Are you coming tomorrow?" "I hardly expect to," said Nekhludoff; and feeling ashamed, without knowing whether for her or for himself, he blushed and went away. "What is it? Comme cela m'intrigue," said Katerina Alexeevna. "I must find it out.
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