Page 1605 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

idea that alone interested her, but she could not get clear
sight of it. Thinking once more of Alexey Alexandrovitch,
she recalled the time of her illness after her confinement,
and the feeling which never left her at that time. ‘Why

didn’t I die?’ and the words and the feeling of that time
came back to her. And all at once she knew what was in
her soul. Yes, it was that idea which alone solved all. ‘Yes,
to die!... And the shame and disgrace of Alexey
Alexandrovitch and of Seryozha, and my awful shame, it
will all be saved by death. To die! and he will feel
remorse; will be sorry; will love me; he will suffer on my
account.’ With the trace of a smile of commiseration for
herself she sat down in the armchair, taking off and putting
on the rings on her left hand, vividly picturing from
different sides his feelings after her death.
Approaching footsteps—his steps—distracted her
attention. As though absorbed in the arrangement of her
rings, she did not even turn to him.
He went up to her, and taking her by the hand, said
softly:
‘Anna, we’ll go the day after tomorrow, if you like. I
agree to everything.’
She did not speak.
‘What is it?’ he urged.

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