“Pardon me! A snuffbox with the Emperor’s portrait is a reward but not a distinction,” said the diplomatist—“a gift, rather.”
“There are precedents, I may mention Schwarzenberg.”
“It’s impossible,” replied another.
“Will you bet? The ribbon of the order is a different matter. …”
When everybody rose to go, Elèn who had spoken very little all the evening again turned to Borís, asking him in a tone of caressing significant command to come to her on Tuesday.
“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