The aunt spoke to each of them in the same words, about their health and her own, and the health of Her Majesty, "who, thank God, was better today.
" And each visitor, though politeness prevented his showing impatience, left the old woman with a sense of relief at having performed a vexatious duty and did not return to her the whole evening.
The young Princess Bolkonskaya had brought some work in a gold-embroidered velvet bag.