Page 1635 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘Oh, what nonsense! She’s nursing, and things aren’t
going right with her, and I’ve been advising her.... She’s
delighted. She’ll be here in a minute,’ said Dolly
awkwardly, not clever at lying. ‘Yes, here she is.’

Hearing that Anna had called, Kitty had wanted not to
appear, but Dolly persuaded her. Rallying her forces, Kitty
went in, walked up to her, blushing, and shook hands.
‘I am so glad to see you,’ she said with a trembling
voice.
Kitty had been thrown into confusion by the inward
conflict between her antagonism to this bad woman and
her desire to be nice to her. But as soon as she saw Anna’s
lovely and attractive face, all feeling of antagonism
disappeared.
‘I should not have been surprised if you had not cared
to meet me. I’m used to everything. You have been ill?
Yes, you are changed,’ said Anna.
Kitty felt that Anna was looking at her with hostile
eyes. She ascribed this hostility to the awkward position in
which Anna, who had once patronized her, must feel with
her now, and she felt sorry for her.
They talked of Kitty’s illness, of the baby, of Stiva, but
it was obvious that nothing interested Anna.
‘I came to say good-bye to you,’ she said, getting up.

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