Page 121 - ANNA KARENINA
P. 121
Anna Karenina
poisoned by doubts. ‘Lord, have pity on us; Lord, have
pity on us; Lord, have pity on us!’ she repeated to herself,
till she fell asleep.
Meanwhile there took place below, in the prince’s little
library, one of the scenes so often repeated between the
parents on account of their favorite daughter.
‘What? I’ll tell you what!’ shouted the prince, waving
his arms, and at once wrapping his squirrel-lined dressing-
gown round him again. ‘That you’ve no pride, no dignity;
that you’re disgracing, ruining your daughter by this
vulgar, stupid match-making!’
‘But, really, for mercy’s sake, prince, what have I
done?’ said the princess, almost crying.
She, pleased and happy after her conversation with her
daughter, had gone to the prince to say good-night as
usual, and though she had no intention of telling him of
Levin’s offer and Kitty’s refusal, still she hinted to her
husband that she fancied things were practically settled
with Vronsky, and that he would declare himself so soon
as his mother arrived. And thereupon, at those words, the
prince had all at once flown into a passion, and began to
use unseemly language.
‘What have you done? I’ll tell you what. First of all,
you’re trying to catch an eligible gentleman, and all
120 of 1759