Page 1348 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘Oh, it’s a work of real importance!’ said Sviazhsky. But
to show he was not trying to ingratiate himself with
Vronsky, he promptly added some slightly critical remarks.
‘I wonder, though, count,’ he said, ‘that while you do

so much for the health of the peasants, you take so little
interest in the schools.’
‘C’est devenu tellement commun les ecoles,’ said
Vronsky. ‘You understand it’s not on that account, but it
just happens so, my interest has been diverted elsewhere.
This way then to the hospital,’ he said to Darya
Alexandrovna, pointing to a turning out of the avenue.
The ladies put up their parasols and turned into the side
path. After going down several turnings, and going
through a little gate, Darya Alexandrovna saw standing on
rising ground before her a large pretentious-looking red
building, almost finished. The iron roof, which was not
yet painted, shone with dazzling brightness in the
sunshine. Beside the finished building another had been
begun, surrounded by scaffolding. Workmen in aprons,
standing on scaffolds, were laying bricks, pouring mortar
out of vats, and smoothing it with trowels.
‘How quickly work gets done with you!’ said
Sviazhsky. ‘When I was here last time the roof was not
on.’

1347 of 1759