The lackey had already announced him when they entered, and Anna Ignatievna, the vice-governess—Mrs. General, as she called herself—sat on a couch surrounded by ladies. As Nekhludoff approached she was already leaning forward with a radiant smile on her face. At the other end of the reception-room women sat around a table, while men in military uniforms and civil attire stood over them. An incessant cackle came from that direction.
"Enfin! Why do you estrange yourself? Have we offended you in any way?"
With these words, presupposing an intimacy between her and Nekhludoff, which never existed, Anna Ignatievna greeted him.
"Are you acquainted? Madam Beliavskaia—Michael Ivanovich Chernoff. Take a seat here."
"Missy, venez donc à notre table. On vous opportera votre thé. And you," she turned to the officer who was conversing with Missy, evidently forgetting his name, "come here, please. Will you have some tea, Prince?"
"No, no; I will never agree with you. She simply did not love him," said a woman's voice.
"But she loved pie."
"Eternally those stupid jests," laughingly interfered another lady in a high hat and dazzling with gold and diamonds.
"C'est excellent, these waffles, and so light! Let us have some more."
"Well, how soon are you going to leave us?"