Page 1547 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

When the baby had been put to rights and transformed
into a firm doll, Lizaveta Petrovna dandled it as though
proud of her handiwork, and stood a little away so that
Levin might see his son in all his glory.

Kitty looked sideways in the same direction, never
taking her eyes off the baby. ‘Give him to me! give him to
me!’ she said, and even made as though she would sit up.
‘What are you thinking of, Katerina Alexandrovna, you
mustn’t move like that! Wait a minute. I’ll give him to
you. Here we’re showing papa what a fine fellow we are!’
And Lizaveta Petrovna, with one hand supporting the
wobbling head, lifted up on the other arm the strange,
limp, red creature, whose head was lost in its swaddling
clothes. But it had a nose, too, and slanting eyes and
smacking lips.
‘A splendid baby!’ said Lizaveta Petrovna.
Levin sighed with mortification. This splendid baby
excited in him no feeling but disgust and compassion. It
was not at all the feeling he had looked forward to.
He turned away while Lizaveta Petrovna put the baby
to the unaccustomed breast.
Suddenly laughter made him look round. The baby had
taken the breast.

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