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Nicholas sat at some distance from Sonya, beside Julie Karagina,

to whom he was again talking with the same involuntary smile.

Sonya wore a company smile but was evidently tormented by

jealousy; now she turned pale, now blushed and strained every

nerve to overhear what Nicholas and Julie were saying to one

another. The governess kept looking round uneasily as if

preparing to resent any slight that might be put upon the

children. The German tutor was trying to remember all the dishes,

wines, and kinds of dessert, in order to send a full description

of the dinner to his people in Germany; and he felt greatly

offended when the butler with a bottle wrapped in a napkin passed

him by. He frowned, trying to appear as if he did not want any of

that wine, but was mortified because no one would understand that

it was not to quench his thirst or from greediness that he wanted

it, but simply from a conscientious desire for knowledge.

CHAPTER XIX