In the President's chair sat a young man he did not know, with a peculiar cross hanging from his neck.

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.