Prince Vasili kept the promise
he had given to Princess Drubetskaya who
had spoken to him on behalf of her only son Boris on
the evening of Anna Pavlovna's soiree.
The matter was mentioned to the Emperor,
an exception made,
and Boris transferred into the regiment of
Semenov Guards with the rank of cornet.
He received, however, no appointment to
Kutuzov's staff despite all Anna Mikhaylovna's
endeavors and entreaties.
Soon after Anna Pavlovna's reception Anna
Mikhaylovna returned to
Moscow and went straight to her rich relations,
the Rostovs, with whom she stayed when in the town and
where and where her darling Bory,
who had only just entered a regiment of the line
and was being at once transferred to
the Guards as a cornet,
had been educated from childhood
and lived for years at a time.
The Guards had already left Petersburg
on the tenth of August, and her son,
who had remained in Moscow for his equipment,
was to join them on the march to Radzivilov.