Page 118 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘Do let us try table-turning at once, please,’ said
Vronsky. ‘Princess, will you allow it?’
And Vronsky stood up, looking for a little table.
Kitty got up to fetch a table, and as she passed, her eyes

met Levin’s. She felt for him with her whole heart, the
more because she was pitying him for suffering of which
she was herself the cause. ‘If you can forgive me, forgive
me,’ said her eyes, ‘I am so happy.’
‘I hate them all, and you, and myself,’ his eyes
responded, and he took up his hat. But he was not
destined to escape. Just as they were arranging themselves
round the table, and Levin was on the point of retiring,
the old prince came in, and after greeting the ladies,
addressed Levin.
‘Ah!’ he began joyously. ‘Been here long, my boy? I
didn’t even know you were in town. Very glad to see
you.’ The old prince embraced Levin, and talking to him
did not observe Vronsky, who had risen, and was serenely
waiting till the prince should turn to him.
Kitty felt how distasteful her father’s warmth was to
Levin after what had happened. She saw, too, how coldly
her father responded at last to Vronsky’s bow, and how
Vronsky looked with amiable perplexity at her father, as
though trying and failing to understand how and why

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