Page 195 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

table, and moving back off half of it the scattered
cigarettes, so as to clear a space.
‘I’ve not read it,’ Kritsky responded gloomily,
obviously not desiring to enter into the conversation.

‘Why not?’ said Nikolay Levin, now turning with
exasperation upon Kritsky.
‘Because I didn’t see the use of wasting my time over
it.’
‘Oh, but excuse me, how did you know it would be
wasting your time? That article’s too deep for many
people—that’s to say it’s over their heads. But with me,
it’s another thing; I see through his ideas, and I know
where its weakness lies.’
Everyone was mute. Kritsky got up deliberately and
reached his cap.
‘Won’t you have supper? All right, good-bye! Come
round tomorrow with the locksmith.’
Kritsky had hardly gone out when Nikolay Levin
smiled and winked.
‘He’s no good either,’ he said. ‘I see, of course..’
But at that instant Kritsky, at the door, called him...
‘What do you want now?’ he said, and went out to
him in the passage. Left alone with Marya Nikolaevna,
Levin turned to her.

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