No one in the house of the retired lieutenant of guards, Stahov, had
ever seen him so sour, and at the same time so self-confident and
important as on that day. He walked into the drawing-room in his
overcoat and hat, with long deliberate stride, stamping with his
heels; he approached the looking-glass and took a long look at himself,
shaking his head and biting his lips with imperturbable severity. Anna
Vassilyevna met him with obvious agitation and secret delight (she
never met him otherwise); he did not even take off his hat, nor greet
her, and in silence gave Elena his doe-skin glove to kiss. Anna
Vassilyevna began questioning him about the progress of his cure; he
made her no reply. Uvar Ivanovitch made his appearance; he glanced at
him and said, 'bah!' He usually behaved c
