Page 106 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

She talked on, not knowing what her lips were
uttering, and not taking her supplicating and caressing eyes
off him.
He glanced at her; she blushed, and ceased speaking.

‘I told you I did not know whether I should be here
long...that it depended on you..’
She dropped her head lower and lower, not knowing
herself what answer she should make to what was coming.
‘That it depended on you,’ he repeated. ‘I meant to
say...I meant to say...I came for this...to be my wife!’ he
brought out, not knowing what he was saying; but feeling
that the most terrible thing was said, he stopped short and
looked at her...
She was breathing heavily, not looking at him. She was
feeling ecstasy. Her soul was flooded with happiness. She
had never anticipated that the utterance of love would
produce such a powerful effect on her. But it lasted only
an instant. She remembered Vronsky. She lifted her clear,
truthful eyes, and seeing his desperate face, she answered
hastily:
‘That cannot be...forgive me.’
A moment ago, and how close she had been to him, of
what importance in his life! And how aloof and remote
from him she had become now!

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