Page 1216 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

that as I care for you!... Instead of that, I do it in these days
like a task that is set me.’
‘Well, what would you say about papa?’ asked Kitty. ‘Is
he a poor creature then, as he does nothing for the public

good?’
‘He?—no! But then one must have the simplicity, the
straightforwardness, the goodness of your father: and I
haven’t got that. I do nothing, and I fret about it. It’s all
your doing. Before there was you—and THIS too,’ he
added with a glance towards her waist that she
understood— ‘I put all my energies into work; now I
can’t, and I’m ashamed; I do it just as though it were a task
set me, I’m pretending...’
‘Well, but would you like to change this minute with
Sergey Ivanovitch?’ said Kitty. ‘Would you like to do this
work for the general good, and to love the task set you, as
he does, and nothing else?’
‘Of course not,’ said Levin. ‘But I’m so happy that I
don’t understand anything. So you think he’ll make her an
offer today?’ he added after a brief silence.
‘I think so, and I don’t think so. Only, I’m awfully
anxious for it. Here, wait a minute.’ she stooped down
and picked a wild camomile at the edge of the path.

1215 of 1759