“It is of great importance to me,” she said, turning with a smile toward Anna Pávlovna, and Anna Pávlovna, with the same sad smile with which she spoke of her exalted patroness, supported Elèn’s wish.

It seemed as if from some words Borís had spoken that evening about the Prussian army, Elèn had suddenly found it necessary to see him. She seemed to promise to explain that necessity to him when he came on Tuesday.

But on Tuesday evening, having come to Elèn’s splendid salon, Borís received no clear explanation of why it had been necessary for him to come. There were other guests and the countess talked little to him, and only as he kissed her hand on taking leave said unexpectedly and in a whisper, with a strangely unsmiling face: “Come to dinner tomorrow⁠ ⁠… in the evening. You must come.⁠ ⁠… Come!”

During that stay in Petersburg, Borís became an intimate in the countess’ house.