"His children are all illegitimate.

I think Pierre also is illegitimate." The visitor made a gesture with her hand.
"I should think he has a score of them." Princess Anna Mikhaylovna intervened in the conversation, evidently wishing to show her connections and knowledge of what went on in society.
"The fact of the matter is," said she significantly, and also in a half whisper, "everyone knows Count Cyril's reputation....

He has lost count of his children, but this Pierre was his favorite." "How handsome the old man still was only a year ago!" remarked the countess.

"I have never seen a handsomer man." "He is very much altered now," said Anna Mikhaylovna.

"Well, as I was saying, Prince Vasili is the next heir through his wife, but the count is very fond of Pierre, looked after his education, and wrote to the Emperor about him; so that in the case of his death--and he is so ill that he may die at any moment, and Dr.Lorrain has come from Petersburg--no one knows who will inherit his immense fortune, Pierre or Prince Vasili.