Page 1106 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

Chapter 22

Alexey Alexandrovitch had forgotten the Countess
Lidia Ivanovna, but she had not forgotten him. At the
bitterest moment of his lonely despair she came to him,
and without waiting to be announced, walked straight into
his study. She found him as he was sitting with his head in
both hands.
‘J’ai force la consigne,’ she said, walking in with rapid
steps and breathing hard with excitement and rapid
exercise. ‘I have heard all! Alexey Alexandrovitch! Dear
friend!’ she went on, warmly squeezing his hand in both
of hers and gazing with her fine pensive eyes into his.
Alexey Alexandrovitch, frowning, got up, and
disengaging his hand, moved her a chair.
‘Won’t you sit down, countess? I’m seeing no one
because I’m unwell, countess,’ he said, and his lips
twitched.
‘Dear friend!’ repeated Countess Lidia Ivanovna, never
taking her eyes off his, and suddenly her eyebrows rose at
the inner corners, describing a triangle on her forehead,
her ugly yellow face became still uglier, but Alexey
Alexandrovitch felt that she was sorry for him and was

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