Page 153 of 3800

"I am glad I have spoken out fully. Perhaps you did not like it?

You must excuse me," said he, putting Pierre at ease instead of

being put at ease by him, "but I hope I have not offended you. I

always make it a rule to speak out... Well, what answer am I to

take? Will you come to dinner at the Rostovs'?"

And Boris, having apparently relieved himself of an onerous duty

and extricated himself from an awkward situation and placed

another in it, became quite pleasant again.