Un certain jeudi, il pleuvait, il faisait froid ; à chaque instant de la soirée le duc entendait des voitures qui ébranlaient le pavé de la place du palais, en allant chez Mme Sanseverina. Il eut un mouvement d’impatience : d’autres s’amusaient, et lui, prince souverain, maître absolu, qui devait s’amuser plus que personne au monde, il connaissait l’ennui !
There came a certain Thursday of cold wind and rain; all through the evening the Prince heard carriages rattling over the pavement of the piazza outside the Palace, on their way to Signora Sanseverina's. He moved petulantly in his chair: other people were amusing themselves, and he, their sovereign Prince, their absolute master, who ought to find more amusement than anyone in the world, he was tasting the fruit of boredom!