But he in his wisdom at his little world was vanity and was depressed.

We moderns, with our infinitely bigger world and our infinitely greater knowledge, have no more wisdom than the Egyptian, and we see that the world is all the more vanity and are all the more overwhelmed with despair." "But--" said Paul.
"But--" cried the Princess.
Both laughed, and paused.

Paul bowed with a slight gesture.
"I am not overwhelmed with despair," the Princess continued.
"Neither am I," said Paul.
"I am keeping my end up wonderfully," said Lady Angela.
"I am in a nest of optimists," Count Lavretsky groaned.

"But was it not you, Lady Angela, who talked of wear and tear.
"That was only to contradict my husband." "What is all this about ?" asked the Countess Lavretsky, who had been discussing opera with Lord Bantry and Mademoiselle de Cressy.
Doon scientifically crystallized the argument.

It held the octette, while men-servants in powder and gold-laced livery offered poires Zobraska, a subtle creation of the chef.