Page 1750 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

Chapter 18

During the whole of that day, in the extremely
different conversations in which he took part, only as it
were with the top layer of his mind, in spite of the
disappointment of not finding the change he expected in
himself, Levin had been all the while joyfully conscious of
the fulness of his heart.
After the rain it was too wet to go for a walk; besides,
the storm clouds still hung about the horizon, and
gathered here and there, black and thundery. on the rim
of the sky. The whole party spent the rest of the day in the
house.
No more discussions sprang up; on the contrary, after
dinner every one was in the most amiable frame of mind.
At first Katavasov amused the ladies by his original
jokes, which always pleased people on their first
acquaintance with him. Then Sergey Ivanovitch induced
him to tell them about the very interesting observations he
had made on the habits and characteristics of common
houseflies, and their life. Sergey Ivanovitch, too, was in
good spirits, and at tea his brother drew him on to explain
his views of the future of the Eastern question, and he

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