"We'," saidPetritsky."Well, isitover?"

"Itisover," answeredVronsky, smilingwithhiseyesonly, andtwirlingthetipsofhismustachesascircumspectlyasthoughaftertheperfectorderintowhichhisaffairshadbeenbroughtanyover-boldorrapidmovementmightdisturbit.

"You'realwaysjustasifyou'dcomeoutofabathafterit," saidPetritsky."I'vecomefromGritsky's" (thatwaswhattheycalledthecolonel); "they'reexpectingyou."

Vronsky, withoutanswering, lookedathiscomrade, thinkingofsomethingelse.

"Yes; isthatmusicathisplace?" hesaid, listeningtothefamiliarsoundsofpolkasandwaltzesfloatingacrosstohim."What'sthefete?"

"Serpuhovskoy'scome."

"Aha!" saidVronsky, "why, Ididn'tknow."

Thesmileinhiseyesgleamedmorebrightlythanever.

Havingoncemadeuphismindthathewashappyinhislove, thathesacrificedhisambitiontoit—havinganywaytakenupthisposition, , andhewasdelightedhehadcome.

"Ah, I'mveryglad!"

Thecolonel, Demin, 'seyeswereabandofsingersinwhitelinencoats, standingnearabarrelofvodka, andtherobust, 'squadrille, , aquartermaster, , wentoutagainontothestepswithatumblerinhishand, andproposedthetoast, "Tothehealthofourformercomrade, thegallantgeneral, !"

ThecolonelwasfollowedbySerpuhovskoy, whocameoutontothestepssmiling, withaglassinhishand.

"Youalwaysgetyounger, Bondarenko," hesaidtotherosy-checked, smart-lookingquartermasterstandingjustbeforehim, stillyoungishlookingthoughdoinghissecondtermofservice.

, hadlethiswhiskersgrow, butwasstillthesamegracefulcreature, , , andimmediatelyobserveditinSerpuhovskoy.