Page 1532 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘Good morning!’ the doctor said to him, shaking hands,
and, as it were, teasing him with his composure. ‘There’s
no hurry. Well now?’
Trying to be as accurate as possible Levin began to tell

him every unnecessary detail of his wife’s condition,
interrupting his account repeatedly with entreaties that the
doctor would come with him at once.
‘Oh, you needn’t be in any hurry. You don’t
understand, you know. I’m certain I’m not wanted, still
I’ve promised, and if you like, I’ll come. But there’s no
hurry. Please sit down; won’t you have some coffee?’
Levin stared at him with eyes that asked whether he
was laughing at him; but the doctor had no notion of
making fun of him.
‘I know, I know,’ the doctor said, smiling; ‘I’m a
married man myself; and at these moments we husbands
are very much to be pitied. I’ve a patient whose husband
always takes refuge in the stables on such occasions.’
‘But what do you think, Pyotr Dmitrievitch? Do you
suppose it may go all right?’
‘Everything points to a favorable issue.’
‘So you’ll come immediately?’ said Levin, looking
wrathfully at the servant who was bringing in the coffee.
‘In an hour’s time.’

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