He particularly liked the program of that day's dinner.

There would be fresh perch, asparagus, and _la piece de resistance_-- first-rate, but quite plain, roast beef, and wines to suit: so much for the eating and drinking.

Kitty and Levin would be of the party, and that this might not be obtrusively evident, there would be a girl cousin too, and young Shtcherbatsky, and _la piece de resistance_ among the guests--Sergey Koznishev and Alexey Alexandrovitch.

Sergey Ivanovitch was a Moscow man, and a philosopher; Alexey Alexandrovitch a Petersburger, and a practical politician.

He was asking, too, the well-known eccentric enthusiast, Pestsov, a liberal, a great talker, a musician, an historian, and the most delightfully youthful person of fifty, who would be a sauce or garnish for Koznishev and Karenin.