VII
When Borís and Anna Pávlovna returned to the others Prince Ippolit had the ear of the company.
Bending forward in his armchair he said: “ Le Roi de Prusse! ” and having said this laughed. Everyone turned toward him.
“ Le Roi de Prusse? ” Ippolit said interrogatively, again laughing, and then calmly and seriously sat back in his chair. Anna Pávlovna waited for him to go on, but as he seemed quite decided to say no more she began to tell of how at Potsdam the impious Bonaparte had stolen the sword of Frederick the Great.
“It is the sword of Frederick the Great which I …” she began, but Ippolit interrupted her with the words: “ Le Roi de Prusse … ” and again, as soon as all turned toward him, excused himself and said no more.
Anna Pávlovna frowned.