" Besides, it seemed to him that the society of women was rather derogatory to his manhood.

He went to balls and into ladies' society with an affectation of doing so against his will.

The races, the English Club, sprees with Denisov, and visits to a certain house--that was another matter and quite the thing for a dashing young hussar! At the beginning of March, old Count Ilya Rostov was very busy arranging a dinner in honor of Prince Bagration at the English Club.