Page 1681 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘I quite understand, and I merely meant to offer you
my services,’ said Sergey Ivanovitch, scanning Vronsky’s
face, full of unmistakable suffering. ‘Wouldn’t it be of use
to you to have a letter to Ristitch—to Milan?’

‘Oh, no!’ Vronsky said, seeming to understand him
with difficulty. ‘If you don’t mind, let’s walk on. It’s so
stuffy among the carriages. A letter? No, thank you; to
meet death one needs no letters of introduction. Nor for
the Turks...’ he said, with a smile that was merely of the
lips. His eyes still kept their look of angry suffering.
‘Yes; but you might find it easier to get into relations,
which are after all essential, with anyone prepared to see
you. But that’s as you like. I was very glad to hear of your
intention. There have been so many attacks made on the
volunteers, and a man like you raises them in public
estimation.’
‘My use as a man,’ said Vronsky, ‘is that life’s worth
nothing to me. And that I’ve enough bodily energy to cut
my way into their ranks, and to trample on them or fall—I
know that. I’m glad there’s something to give my life for,
for it’s not simply useless but loathsome to me. Anyone’s
welcome to it.’ And his jaw twitched impatiently from the
incessant gnawing toothache, that prevented him from
even speaking with a natural expression.

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