Page 1322 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

For the first minute it seemed to her unsuitable for
Anna to be on horseback. The conception of riding on
horseback for a lady was, in Darya Alexandrovna’s mind,
associated with ideas of youthful flirtation and frivolity,

which, in her opinion, was unbecoming in Anna’s
position. But when she had scrutinized her, seeing her
closer, she was at once reconciled to her riding. In spite of
her elegance, everything was so simple, quiet, and
dignified in the attitude, the dress and the movements of
Anna, that nothing could have been more natural.
Beside Anna, on a hot-looking gray cavalry horse, was
Vassenka Veslovsky in his Scotch cap with floating
ribbons, his stout legs stretched out in front, obviously
pleased with his own appearance. Darya Alexandrovna
could not suppress a good-humored smile as she
recognized him. Behind rode Vronsky on a dark bay mare,
obviously heated from galloping. He was holding her in,
pulling at the reins.
After him rode a little man in the dress of a jockey.
Sviazhsky and Princess Varvara in a new char-a-banc with
a big, raven-black trotting horse, overtook the party on
horseback.
Anna’s face suddenly beamed with a joyful smile at the
instant when, in the little figure huddled in a corner of the

1321 of 1759