Page 1252 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

before a new spectator—not to be outdone by
Oblonsky—that too was a thought that crossed his brain.
Oblonsky was feeling the same, and he too was not
talkative. Vassenka Veslovsky kept up alone a ceaseless

flow of cheerful chatter. As he listened to him now, Levin
felt ashamed to think how unfair he had been to him the
day before. Vassenka was really a nice fellow, simple,
good-hearted, and very good-humored. If Levin had met
him before he was married, he would have made friends
with him. Levin rather disliked his holiday attitude to life
and a sort of free and easy assumption of elegance. It was
as though he assumed a high degree of importance in
himself that could not be disputed, because he had long
nails and a stylish cap, and everything else to correspond;
but this could be forgiven for the sake of his good nature
and good breeding. Levin liked him for his good
education, for speaking French and English with such an
excellent accent, and for being a man of his world.
Vassenka was extremely delighted with the left horse, a
horse of the Don Steppes. He kept praising him
enthusiastically. ‘How fine it must be galloping over the
steppes on a steppe horse! Eh? isn’t it?’ he said. He had
imagined riding on a steppe horse as something wild and
romantic, and it turned out nothing of the sort. But his

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