Page 158 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

charm in her themselves, the two elder ones, and the
younger following their lead, as children so often do, had
clung about their new aunt since before dinner, and
would not leave her side. And it had become a sort of

game among them to sit a close as possible to their aunt, to
touch her, hold her little hand, kiss it, play with her ring,
or even touch the flounce of her skirt.
‘Come, come, as we were sitting before,’ said Anna
Arkadyevna, sitting down in her place.
And again Grisha poked his little face under her arm,
and nestled with his head on her gown, beaming with
pride and happiness.
‘And when is your next ball?’ she asked Kitty.
‘Next week, and a splendid ball. One of those balls
where one always enjoys oneself.’
‘Why, are there balls where one always enjoys oneself?’
Anna said, with tender irony.
‘It’s strange, but there are. At the Bobrishtchevs’ one
always enjoys oneself, and at the Nikitins’ too, while at the
Mezhkovs’ it’s always dull. Haven’t you noticed it?’
‘No, my dear, for me there are no balls now where one
enjoys oneself,’ said Anna, and Kitty detected in her eyes
that mysterious world which was not open to her. ‘For me
there are some less dull and tiresome.’

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