Nekhludoff was approaching the house a carriage was standing near the
curb, opposite the door, and a lackey in a cockaded silk hat and cape,
was seating a lady, who, raising the long train of her skirt,
displayed the sharp joints of her toes through the thin slippers.
Among the carriages he recognized the covered landau of the
Korchagins. The gray-haired, rosy-cheeked driver deferentially raised
his hat. Nekhludoff had scarcely asked the porter where Michael
Ivanovich (Maslenikoff) was, when the latter appeared on the carpeted
stairway, escorting a very important guest, such as he usually
escorted not to the upper landing, but to the vestibule. This very
important military guest, while descending the stairs, was conversing
in French about a lottery for the benefit of orphan asylums, giving
his opinion that it was a good occupation for ladies. "They enjoy
themselves while they are raising money."

"Qu'elles s'amusent et que le bon Dieu les bénisse. Ah, Nekhludoff,
how do you do? You haven't shown yourself for a long time," he greeted
Nekhludoff. "Allez présenter vos devoirs à madame. The Korchagins are
here, too. Toutes les jolies femmes de la ville," he said, holding out
and somewhat raising his military shoulders for his overcoat, which
was being placed on him by his own magnificent lackey in gold-braided
uniform. "Au revoir, mon cher." Then he shook Maslenikoff's hand.

"Well, now let us go upstairs. How glad I am," Maslenikoff began
excitedly, seizing Nekhludoff by the arm, and, notwithstanding his
corpulence, nimbly leading him up the stairs. Maslenikoff was in a
particularly happy mood, which Nekhludoff could not help ascribing to
the attention shown him by the important person. Every attention shown
him by an important person put him into such an ecstasy as may be
observed in a fawning little dog when its master pats it, strokes it,