Page 1306 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘I wanted....’ He paused, but suddenly, remembering
Kitty and everything that had happened, he said, looking
him resolutely in the face: ‘I have ordered the horses to be
put-to for you.’

‘How so?’ Vassenka began in surprise. ‘To drive
where?’
‘For you to drive to the station,’ Levin said gloomily.
‘Are you going away, or has something happened?’
‘It happens that I expect visitors,’ said Levin, his strong
fingers more and more rapidly breaking off the ends of the
split stick. ‘And I’m not expecting visitors, and nothing has
happened, but I beg you to go away. You can explain my
rudeness as you like.’
Vassenka drew himself up.
‘I beg you to explain...’ he said with dignity,
understanding at last.
‘I can’t explain,’ Levin said softly and deliberately,
trying to control the trembling of his jaw; ‘and you’d
better not ask.’
And as the split ends were all broken off, Levin
clutched the thick ends in his finger, broke the stick in
two, and carefully caught the end as it fell.
Probably the sight of those nervous fingers, of the
muscles he had proved that morning at gymnastics, of the

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