OnreachingtheFrenchtheater，Vronskyretiredtothefoyerwiththecolonel，andreportedtohimhissuccess-orlackofit。Thecolonel，thinkingitallover，decidednottogoonwiththematter；butthen，forhisowndelectation，proceededtoquestionVronskyaboutthedetailsofhisinterviewandforalongwhilecouldnotrestrainhislaughterashelistenedtoVronsky’sstoryofhowthegovernmentclerk，aftersubsidingforawhile，wouldsuddenlyflareupagain，asherecalledthedetails，andhowVronsky，atthelasthalf-wordofconciliation，hadskillfullymaneuveredaretreat，shovingPetritskyoutbeforehim。
`It’sadisgracefulscrape，butakillingone。Kedrovreallycan’tfightthisgentleman！Sohewasawfullywroughtup？’heaskedagain，laughing。
`ButwhatdoyouthinkofClairetoday？She’sawonder！’hewenton，speakingofanewFrenchactress。`Nomatterhowoftenyouseeher，she’sdifferenteachtime。It’sonlytheFrenchwhocandothat。’
[NextChapter][TableofContents]TOLSTOY:AnnaKareninaPart2，Chapter06[PreviousChapter][TableofContents]Chapter6PrincessBetsydrovehomefromthetheaterwithoutwaitingfortheendofthelastact。Shehadjusttimeenoughtogointoherdressingroom，sprinkleherlong，palefacewithpowder，rubitoff，setherdresstorights，andorderteainthebigdrawingroom，whenoneafteranothercarriagesdroveuptoherhugehouseontheBolshaiaMorskaia。Herguestsdismountedatthewideentrance，andthestoutporter，whousedtoreadnewspapersmorningsbehindtheglassdoor，totheedificationofthepassers-by，noiselesslyopenedtheimmensedoor，lettingthevisitorspassbyhimintothehouse。
Almostatthesameinstantthatthehostess，withfreshlyarrangedcoiffureandfreshenedface，enteredatonedoor，herguestsenteredattheother，intothedrawingroom，alargeroomwithdarkwalls，downyrugsandabrightlylightedtable，gleamingwiththelightofcandles，thewhitenessofnapery，thesilverofthesamovarandtheteaserviceoftransparentporcelain。