Evidently just before coming to the dinner he had had his hair and whiskers trimmed, which changed his appearance for the worse.

There was something naively festive in his air, which, in conjunction with his firm and virile features, gave him a rather comical expression.

Bekleshev and Theodore Uvarov, who had arrived with him, paused at the doorway to allow him, as the guest of honor, to enter first.

Bagration was embarrassed, not wishing to avail himself of their courtesy, and this caused some delay at the doors, but after all he did at last enter first.

He walked shyly and awkwardly over the parquet floor of the reception room, not knowing what to do with his hands; he was more accustomed to walk over a plowed field under fire, as he had done at the head of the Kursk regiment at Schon Grabern--and he would have found that easier.