Page 289 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

was a capital fellow and first-rate comrade, who had lately
joined the regiment, the young Prince Kedrov. And what
was most important, the interests of the regiment were
involved in it too.

Both the young men were in Vronsky’s company. The
colonel of the regiment was waited upon by the
government clerk, Venden, with a complaint against his
officers, who had insulted his wife. His young wife, so
Venden told the story—he had been married half a year—
was at church with her mother, and suddenly overcome
by indisposition, arising from her interesting condition,
she could not remain standing, she drove home in the first
sledge, a smart-looking one, she came across. On the spot
the officers set off in pursuit of her; she was alarmed, and
feeling still more unwell, ran up the staircase home.
Venden himself, on returning from his office, heard a ring
at their bell and voices, went out, and seeing the
intoxicated officers with a letter, he had turned them out.
He asked for exemplary punishment.
‘Yes, it’s all very well,’ said the colonel to Vronsky,
whom he had invited to come and see him. ‘Petritsky’s
becoming impossible. Not a week goes by without some
scandal. This government clerk won’t let it drop, he’ll go
on with the thing.’

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