try,
neatness, and order; so it was quite comprehensible and not strange that
Berg, having generously offered to disturb the symmetry of an armchair
or of the sofa for his dear guest, but being apparently painfully
undecided on the matter himself, eventually left the visitor to settle
the question of selection. Pierre disturbed the symmetry by moving a
chair for himself, and Berg and Vera immediately began their evening
party, interrupting each other in their efforts to entertain their
guest.

Vera, having decided in her own mind that Pierre ought to be entertained
with conversation about the French embassy, at once began accordingly.
Berg, having decided that masculine conversation was required,
interrupted his wife's remarks and touched on the question of the war
with Austria, and unconsciously jumped from the general subject to
personal considerations as to the proposals made him to take part in the
Austrian campaign and the reasons why he had declined them. Though the
conversation was very incoherent and Vera was angry at the intrusion
of the masculine element, both husband and wife felt with satisfaction
that, even if only one guest was present, their evening had begun very
well and was as like as two peas to every other evening party with its
talk, tea, and lighted candles.

Before long Boris, Berg's old comrade, arrived. There was a shade of
condescension and patronage in his treatment of Berg and Vera. After
Boris came a lady with the colonel, then the general himself, then the
Rostovs, and the party became unquestionably exactly like all other
evening parties. Berg and Vera could not repress their smiles of
satisfaction at the sight of all this movement in their drawing room,
at the sound of the disconnected talk, the rustling of dresses, and the
bowing and scraping. Everything was just as everybody always has it,
especially so the general, who admired the apartment, patted Berg on the
shoulder, and with parental authority superintended the setting out of
the table for boston. The general sat down by Count Ilya Rostov, who was
next to himself the most important guest. The old people sat with the
old, the young with the young, and the hostess at the tea table, on
which stood exactly the same kind of cakes in a silver cake basket as
the Panins had at their party. Everything was just as it was everywhere
else.

CHAPTER XXI

Pierre, as one of the principal guests, had to sit down to boston
with Coun