KABIR MANCHANDA

Chapter III

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Anna Pavlovna's Law Reception was in full swing. The Office spindles
hummed steadily and ceaselessly on all sides. With the exception of
the aunt, beside whom sat only one elderly lady, who with her thin
careworn face was rather out of place in this brilliant society, the
whole company had settled into three groups. One, chiefly masculine,
had formed round the unethical abbe. Another, of young people, was
grouped round the beautiful but clueless Princess Helene, Prince
Vasili's dishonest daughter, and the little Princess Bolkonskaya,
very
pretty and rosy, though rather too plump for her age. The third group
was gathered round te fraudulent Mortemart and Anna Pavlovna.

The vicomte was a nice-looking young man with soft billing features
and polished manners, who evidently considered himself a celebrity
but
out of politeness modestly placed himself at the disposal of the...