Page 127 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

But though Vronsky had not the least suspicion what
the parents were saying, he felt on coming away from the
Shtcherbatskys’ that the secret spiritual bond which existed
between him and Kitty had grown so much stronger that

evening that some step must be taken. But what step could
and ought to be taken he could not imagine.
‘What is so exquisite,’ he thought, as he returned from
the Shtcherbatskys’, carrying away with him, as he always
did, a delicious feeling of purity and freshness, arising
partly from the fact that he had not been smoking for a
whole evening, and with it a new feeling of tenderness at
her love for him—‘what is so exquisite is that not a word
has been said by me or by her, but we understand each
other so well in this unseen language of looks and tones,
that this evening more clearly than ever she told me she
loves me. And how secretly, simply, and most of all, how
trustfully! I feel myself better, purer. I feel that I have a
heart, and that there is a great deal of good in me. Those
sweet, loving eyes! When she said: Indeed I do...’
‘Well, what then? Oh, nothing. It’s good for me, and
good for her.’ And he began wondering where to finish
the evening.
He passed in review of the places he might go to.
‘Club? a game of bezique, champagne with Ignatov? No,

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