Page 215 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘If it had not been for you, God knows what would
have happened! How happy you are, Anna!’ said Dolly.
‘Everything is clear and good in your heart.’
‘Every heart has its own skeletons, as the English say.’

‘You have no sort of skeleton, have you? Everything is
so clear in you.’
‘I have!’ said Anna suddenly, and, unexpectedly after
her tears, a sly, ironical smile curved her lips.
‘Come, he’s amusing, anyway, your skeleton, and not
depressing,’ said Dolly, smiling.
‘No, he’s depressing. Do you know why I’m going
today instead of tomorrow? It’s a confession that weighs
on me; I want to make it to you,’ said Anna, letting herself
drop definitely into an armchair, and looking straight into
Dolly’s face.
And to her surprise Dolly saw that Anna was blushing
up to her ears, up to the curly black ringlets on her neck.
‘Yes,’ Anna went on. ‘Do you know why Kitty didn’t
come to dinner? she’s jealous of me. I have spoiled...I’ve
been the cause of that ball being a torture to her instead of
a pleasure. But truly, truly, it’s not my fault, or only my
fault a little bit,’ she said, daintily drawling the words ‘a
little bit.’
‘Oh, how like Stiva you said that!’ said Dolly, laughing.

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