cisely. The great bronze clock, of the time of Peter the Great, had not yet finished its fifth stroke, when Alekseï Aleksandrovitch, in white cravat, and with two decorations on his dress-coat, left his dressing-room; he had an engagement immediately after dinner. Every moment of Alekseï Aleksandrovitch's life was counted and occupied; and in order to accomplish what he had to do every day, he was forced to use the strictest punctuality. "Without haste, and without rest," was his motto. He entered the dining-room, bowed to his guests, and, giving his wife a smile, hastily sat down.
"Yes, my solitude is over! You can't believe how irksome,"—he laid a special stress on the word nelovko, irksome,—"it is to dine alone!"
During the dinner he talked with his wife about matters in Moscow, and, with his mocking smile, inquired especially about Stepan Arkadyevitch; but the conversation dwelt for the most part on common subjects, about official and social matters in Petersburg. After dinner he spent a half-hour with his guests, and then, giving his wife another smile, and pressing her hand, he left the room and went to the council.
Anna did not go out that evening either to the Princess Betsy Tverskaya's, who, having heard of her arrival, had sent her an invitation; or to the theater, where she just now had a box. She did not go out principally because the gown on which she had counted was not finished. After the departure of her guests, Anna took a general survey of her wardrobe, and was very angry. She was extremely clever in dressing at small expense, and just before she went to Moscow she had given three gowns to her dressmaker to make over. These gowns required to be made over in such a way that no one would recognize them, and they should have been ready three days before. Two of the gowns proved to be absolutely unfinished, and one was not made over in a way which Anna liked. The dressmaker sought to explain what she had done, declaring that her way was best; and Anna reprimanded her so severely that afterwards she felt ashamed of herself. To calm her
