Page 1377 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

with Tushkevitch, deceiving her husband in the basest
way. And she told me that she did not care to know me so
long as my position was irregular. Don’t imagine I would
compare...I know you, darling. But I could not help

remembering.... Well, so what did he say to you?’ she
repeated.
‘He said that he was unhappy on your account and his
own. Perhaps you will say that it’s egoism, but what a
legitimate and noble egoism. He wants first of all to
legitimize his daughter, and to be your husband, to have a
legal right to you.’
‘What wife, what slave can be so utterly a slave as I, in
my position?’ she put in gloomily.
‘The chief thing he desires...he desires that you should
not suffer.’
‘That’s impossible. Well?’
‘Well, and the most legitimate desire—he wishes that
your children should have a name.’
‘What children?’ Anna said, not looking at Dolly, and
half closing her eyes.
‘Annie and those to come..’
‘He need not trouble on that score; I shall have no
more children.’
‘How can you tell that you won’t?’

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