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asures of persuasion were needed。
“But； my dear boy； I have done it for my own sake； for my conscience’ sake； and there is no need to thank me。 No one has ever complained yet of being too much loved； and then you are free； you can give it all up to…morrow。 You’ll see for yourself in Petersburg。 And it is high time you were getting away from these terrible associations。” Prince Vassily sighed。 “So that’s all settled； my dear fellow。 And let my valet go in your coach。 Ah； yes； I was almost forgetting；” Prince Vassily added。 “You know； my dear boy； I had a little account to settle with your father； so as I have received something from the Ryazan estate； I’ll keep that； you don’t want it。 We’ll go into accounts later。”
What Prince Vassily called “something from the Ryazan estate” was several thousands of roubles paid in lieu of service by the peasants； and this sum he kept for himself。
In Petersburg； Pierre was surrounded by the same atmosphere of affection and tenderness as in Moscow。 He could not decline the post； or rather the title （for he did nothing） that Prince Vassily had obtained for him； and acquaintances； invitations； and social duties were so numerous that Pierre was even more than in Moscow conscious of the feeling of stupefaction； hurry and continued expectation of some future good which was always coming and was never realised。
Of his old circle of bachelor acquaintances there were not many left in Petersburg。 The Guards were on active service； Dolohov had been degraded to the ranks； Anatole had gone into the army and was somewhere in the provinces； Prince Andrey was abroad； and so Pierre had not the opportunity of spending his nights in the way he had so loved spending them before； nor could he open his heart in intimate talk with the friend who was older than himself and a man he respected。 All his time was spent at dinners and balls； or at Prince Vassily’s in the society of the fat princess； his wife； and the beauty； his daughter Ellen。
Like every one else； Anna Pavlovna Scherer showed Pierre the change that had taken place in the attitude of society towards him。
In former days； Pierre had always felt in Anna Pavlovna’s presence that what he was saying was unsuitable； tactless； not the right thing； that the phrases； which seemed to him clever as he formed them in his mind； became somehow stupid as soon as he uttered them aloud； and that； on the contrary； Ippolit’s most pointless remarks had the effect of being clever and charming。 Now everything he said was always “delightful。” Even if Anna Pavlovna did not say so； he saw she was longing to say so； and only refraining from doing so from regard for his modesty。
At the beginning of the winter； in the year 1805； Pierre received one of Anna Pavlovna’s customary pink notes of invitation； in which the words occurred： “You will find the fair Hélène at my house； whom one never gets tired of seeing。”
On reading that passage； Pierre felt for the first time that there was being formed between himself and Ellen some sort of tie； recognised by other people； and this idea at once alarmed him； as though an obligation were being laid upon him which he could not fulfil； and pleased him as an amusing supposition。
Anna Pavlovna’s evening party was like her first one； only the novel attraction which she had provided for her guests was not on this occasion Mortemart； but a diplomat； who had just arrived from Berlin； bringing the latest details of the Emperor Alexander’s stay at Potsdam； and of the inviolable alliance the two exalted friends had sworn together； to maintain the true cause against the enemy of the human race。 Pierre was welcomed by Anna Pavlovna with a shade of melancholy； bearing unmistakable reference to the recent loss sustained by the young man in the death of Count Bezuhov （every one felt bound to be continually assuring Pierre that he was greatly afflicted at the death of his father； whom he had hardly known）。 Her melancholy was of precisely the same kind as that more exalted melancholy she always displayed at any allusion to Her Most August Majesty the Empress Marya Fyodorovna。 Pierre felt flattered by it。 Anna Pavlovna had arranged the groups in her drawing…room with her usual skill。 The larger group； in which were Prince Vassily and some generals； had the benefit of the diplomat。 Another group gathered about the tea…table。 Pierre would have liked to join the first group； but Anna Pavlovna； who was in the nervous excitement of a general on the battlefield； that mental condition in which numbers of brilliant new ideas occur to one that one has hardly time to put into execution—Anna Pavlovna； on seeing Pierre； detained him with a finger on his coat sleeve： “Wait； I have designs on you for this evening。”
She looked round at Ellen and smiled at her。
“My dear Hélène； you must show charity to my poor aunt； who has an adoration for you。 Go and keep her company for ten minutes。 And that you may not find it too tiresome； here’s our dear count； who certainly won’t refuse to follow you。”
The beauty moved away towards the old aunt； but Anna Pavlovna still detained Pierre at her side； with the air of having still some last and essential arrangement to make with him。
“She is exquisite； isn’t she？” she said to Pierre； indicating the majestic beauty swimming away from them。 “And how she carries herself！ For such a young girl； what tact； what a finished perfection of manner。 It comes from the heart。 Happy will be the man who wins her。 The most unworldly of men would take a brilliant place in society as her husband。 That’s true； isn’t it？ I only wanted to know your opinion；” and Anna Pavlovna let Pierre go。
Pierre was perfectly sincere in giving an affirmative answer to her question about Ellen’s perfection of manner。 If ever he thought of Ellen； it was either of her beauty that he thought； or of her extraordinary capacity for serene； dignified silence in society。
The old aunt received the two young people in her corner； but appeared anxious to conceal her adoration of Ellen； and rather to show her fear of Anna Pavlovna。 She glanced at her niece； as though to inquire what she was to do with them。 Anna Pavlovna again laid a finger on Pierre’s sleeve and said： “I hope you will never say in future that people are bored at my house；” and glanced at Ellen。 Ellen smiled with an air； which seemed to say that she did not admit the possibility of any one’s seeing her without being enchanted。 The old aunt coughed； swallowed the phlegm； and said in French that she was very glad to see Ellen； then she addressed Pierre with the same greeting and the same grimace。 In the middle of a halting and tedious conversation； Ellen looked round at Pierre and smiled at him with the bright； beautiful smile with which she smiled at every one。 Pierre was so used to this smile； it meant so little to him； that he did not even notice it。 The aunt was speaking at that moment of a collection of snuff…boxes belonging to Pierre’s father； Count Bezuhov； and she showed them her snuff…box。 Princess Ellen asked to look at the portrait of the aunt’s husband； which was on the snuff…box。
“It’s probably the work of Vines；” said Pierre； mentioning a celebrated