Page 1086 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

making the sign of the cross on the tense brow, and the
prominent shoulders and hollow, gasping chest, which one
could not feel consistent with the life the sick man was
praying for. During the sacrament Levin did what he, an

unbeliever, had done a thousand times. He said, addressing
God, ‘If Thou dost exist, make this man to recover’ (of
course this same thing has been repeated many times), ‘and
Thou wilt save him and me.’
After extreme unction the sick man became suddenly
much better. He did not cough once in the course of an
hour, smiled, kissed Kitty’s hand, thanking her with tears,
and said he was comfortable, free from pain, and that he
felt strong and had an appetite. He even raised himself
when his soup was brought, and asked for a cutlet as well.
Hopelessly ill as he was, obvious as it was at the first glance
that he could not recover, Levin and Kitty were for that
hour both in the same state of excitement, happy, though
fearful of being mistaken.
‘Is he better?’
‘Yes, much.’
‘It’s wonderful.’
‘There’s nothing wonderful in it.’
‘Anyway, he’s better,’ they said in a whisper, smiling to
one another.

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