Page 1356 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

have other children. But the law and all the conditions of
our position are such that thousands of complications arise
which she does not see and does not want to see. And that
one can well understand. But I can’t help seeing them. My

daughter is by law not my daughter, but Karenin’s. I
cannot bear this falsity!’ he said, with a vigorous gesture of
refusal, and he looked with gloomy inquiry towards Darya
Alexandrovna.
She made no answer, but simply gazed at him. He
went on:
‘One day a son may be born, my son, and he will be
legally a Karenin; he will not be the heir of my name nor
of my property, and however happy we may be in our
home life and however many children we may have, there
will be no real tie between us. They will be Karenins. You
can understand the bitterness and horror of this position! I
have tried to speak of this to Anna. It irritates her. She
does not understand, and to her I cannot speak plainly of
all this. Now look at another side. I am happy, happy in
her love, but I must have occupation. I have found
occupation, and am proud of what I am doing and
consider it nobler than the pursuits of my former
companions at court and in the army. And most certainly I
would not change the work I am doing for theirs. I am

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