On his right sat the Italian abbe whom Pierre had met at Anna Pavlovna's two years before.

There were also present a very distinguished dignitary and a Swiss who had formerly been tutor at the Kuragins'.

All maintained a solemn silence, listening to the words of the President, who held a mallet in his hand.

Let into the wall was a star-shaped light.

At one side of the table was a small carpet with various figures worked upon it, at the other was something resembling an altar on which lay a Testament and a skull.