Page 1732 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

property from the enemy and preparing to sting. On the
farther side of the fence the old bee-keeper was shaving a
hoop for a tub, and he did not see Levin. Levin stood still
in the midst of the beehives and did not call him.

He was glad of a chance to be alone to recover from
the influence of ordinary actual life, which had already
depressed his happy mood. He thought that he had already
had time to lose his temper with Ivan, to show coolness to
his brother, and to talk flippantly with Katavasov.
‘Can it have been only a momentary mood, and will it
pass and leave no trace?’ he thought. But the same instant,
going back to his mood, he felt with delight that
something new and important had happened to him. Real
life had only for a time overcast the spiritual peace he had
found, but it was still untouched within him.
Just as the bees, whirling round him, now menacing
him and distracting his attention, prevented him from
enjoying complete physical peace, forced him to restrain
his movements to avoid them, so had the petty cares that
had swarmed about him from the moment he got into the
trap restricted his spiritual freedom; but that lasted only so
long as he was among them. Just as his bodily strength was
still unaffected, in spite of the bees, so too was the spiritual
strength that he had just become aware of.

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