“Oh, come, my dear count! C’est la fable de tout Moscou. Je vous admire, ma parole d’honneur! ” 88

“Forfeit, forfeit!” cried the militia officer.

“All right, one can’t talk⁠—how tiresome!”

“What is ‘the talk of all Moscow’?” Pierre asked angrily, rising to his feet.

“Come now, Count, you know!”

“I don’t know anything about it,” said Pierre.

“I know you were friendly with Natáli, and so⁠ ⁠… but I was always more friendly with Véra⁠—that dear Véra.”