Page 1633 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

The sisters were having a consultation about nursing
when Anna called. Dolly went down alone to see the
visitor who had interrupted their conversation.
‘Well, so you’ve not gone away yet? I meant to have

come to you,’ she said; ‘I had a letter from Stiva today.’
‘We had a telegram too,’ answered Anna, looking
round for Kitty.
‘He writes that he can’t make out quite what Alexey
Alexandrovitch wants, but he won’t go away without a
decisive answer.’
‘I thought you had someone with you. Can I see the
letter?’
‘Yes; Kitty,’ said Dolly, embarrassed. ‘She stayed in the
nursery. She has been very ill.’
‘So I heard. May I see the letter?’
‘I’ll get it directly. But he doesn’t refuse; on the
contrary, Stiva has hopes,’ said Dolly, stopping in the
doorway.
‘I haven’t, and indeed I don’t wish it,’ said Anna.
‘What’s this? Does Kitty consider it degrading to meet
me?’ thought Anna when she was alone. ‘Perhaps she’s
right, too. But it’s not for her, the girl who was in love
with Vronsky, it’s not for her to show me that, even if it is
true. I know that in my position I can’t be received by any

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