第207章

第207章whenborisandannapavlovnareturnedtotherest，princeippolitwasinpossessionoftheearofthecompany.bendingforwardinhislowchair，hewassaying：

“thekingofprussia！”andashesaidit，helaughed.everyoneturnedtowardshim.“thekingofprussia，”ippolitsaidinterrogatively，andagainhelaughedandagainsettledhimselfplacidlyandseriouslyinthedepthsofhisbig，lowchair.annapavlovnapausedalittleforhim，butasippolitseemedquitecertainlynotintendingtosaymore，shebegantospeakofhowthegodlessbonapartehadatpotsdamcarriedofftheswordoffrederickthegreat.

“itistheswordoffrederickthegreat，whichi…”shewasbeginning，butippolitinterruptedherwiththewords：

“thekingofprussia…”andagainassoonasallturnedtolistentohim，heexcusedhimselfandsaidnomore.annapavlovnafrowned.mortemart，ippolit’sfriend，addressedhimwithdecision：

“come，whatareyouafterwithyourkingofprussia？”

ippolitlaughedasthoughhewereashamedofhisownlaughter.

“no，it’snothing.ionlymeant…”（hehadintendedtorepeatajokethathehadheardinviennaandhadbeentryingalltheeveningtogetin.）“ionlymeantthatwearewrongtomakewarforthekingofprussia.”

borissmiledcircumspectly，asmilethatmightdodutyeitherforasneeroratributetothejest，accordingtothewayitwasreceived.everyonelaughed.

“itistoobad，yourjoke，verywittybutunjust，”saidannapavlovna，shakingherlittlewrinkledfingerathim.“wearenotmakingwarforthesakeofthekingofprussia，butforthesakeofrightprinciples.ah，leméchant，ceprincehippolyte！”shesaid.

theconversationdidnotflagalltheevening，andturnedprincipallyuponthepoliticalnews.towardstheendoftheeveningitbecameparticularlyeager，whentherewardsbestowedbythetsarwerethesubjectsofdiscussion.

“why，lastyearn.n.receivedthesnuff-boxwiththeportrait，”saidthemanofprofoundintellect.“whyshouldn’ts.s.receivethesamereward？”

“ibegyourpardon，asnuff-boxwiththeemperor’sportraitisareward，butnotadistinction，”saidadiplomatist.“apresent，rather.”

“thereareprecedents.iwouldinstanceschwartzenberg.”

“itisimpossible，”retortedanother.

“abetonit.theribbonoftheorderisdifferent.”

wheneveryonegotuptotakeleave，ellen，whohadsaidverylittlealltheevening，turnedtoborisagainwitharequest，andacaressing，impressivecommandthathewouldcometoherontuesday.

“itisofgreatimportancetome，”shesaidwithasmile，lookingroundatannapavlovna，andannapavlovna，withthesamemournfulsmilewithwhichsheaccompaniedanyreferencetoherroyalpatroness，gavehersupporttoellen’swishes.itappearedthatfromsomewordsborishadutteredthateveningabouttheprussianarmyellenhadsuddenlydiscoveredtheabsolutenecessityofseeinghim.sheseemedtopromisehimthatwhenhecameontuesdayshewoulddisclosetohimthatnecessity.whenborisenteredellen’smagnificentreception-roomontuesdayeveninghereceivednoclearexplanationoftheurgentreasonsforhisvisit.otherguestswerepresent，thecountesstalkedlittletohim，andonlyashekissedherhandattakingleave，withastrangelyunsmilingface，shewhisperedtohimunexpectedly：

“cometodinnerto-morrow…intheevening…youmustcome…come.”

duringthatstayinpetersburgboriswasconstantlyatthehouseofthecountessbezuhovonafootingoftheclosestintimacy.