Page 320 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘I want to warn you,’ he said in a low voice, ‘that
through thoughtlessness and lack of caution you may cause
yourself to be talked about in society. Your too animated
conversation this evening with Count Vronsky’ (he

enunciated the name firmly and with deliberate emphasis)
‘attracted attention.’
He talked and looked at her laughing eyes, which
frightened him now with their impenetrable look, and, as
he talked, he felt all the uselessness and idleness of his
words.
‘You’re always like that,’ she answered as though
completely misapprehending him, and of all he had said
only taking in the last phrase. ‘One time you don’t like my
being dull, and another time you don’t like my being
lively. I wasn’t dull. Does that offend you?’
Alexey Alexandrovitch shivered, and bent his hands to
make the joints crack.
‘Oh, please, don’t do that, I do so dislike it,’ she said.
‘Anna, is this you?’ said Alexey Alexandrovitch, quietly
making an effort over himself, and restraining the motion
of his fingers.
‘But what is it all about?’ she said, with such genuine
and droll wonder. ‘What do you want of me?’

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