Page 1600 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

again, but making an effort she conquered it, and met
Vronsky as good-humoredly as before.
When he came in she told him, partly repeating phrases
she had prepared beforehand, how she had spent the day,

and her plans for going away.
‘You know it came to me almost like an inspiration,’
she said. ‘Why wait here for the divorce? Won’t it be just
the same in the country? I can’t wait any longer! I don’t
want to go on hoping, I don’t want to hear anything
about the divorce. I have made up my mind it shall not
have any more influence on my life. Do you agree?’
‘Oh, yes!’ he said, glancing uneasily at her excited face.
‘What did you do? Who was there?’ she said, after a
pause.
Vronsky mentioned the names of the guests. ‘The
dinner was first rate, and the boat race, and it was all
pleasant enough, but in Moscow they can never do
anything without something ridicule. A lady of a sort
appeared on the scene, teacher of swimming to the Queen
of Sweden, and gave us an exhibition of her skill.’
‘How? did she swim?’ asked Anna, frowning.
‘In an absurd red costume de natation; she was old and
hideous too. So when shall we go?’

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