Page 323 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

I say as much for myself as for you. I am your husband,
and I love you.’
For an instant her face fell, and the mocking gleam in
her eyes died away; but the word love threw her into

revolt again. She thought: ‘Love? Can he love? If he
hadn’t heard there was such a thing as love, he would
never have used the word. He doesn’t even know what
love is.’
‘Alexey Alexandrovitch, really I don’t understand,’ she
said. Define what it is you find..’
‘Pardon, let me say all I have to say. I love you. But I
am not speaking of myself; the most important persons in
this matter are our son and yourself. It may very well be, I
repeat, that my words seem to you utterly unnecessary and
out of place; it may be that they are called forth by my
mistaken impression. In that case, I beg you to forgive me.
But if you are conscious yourself of even the smallest
foundation for them, then I beg you to think a little, and if
your heart prompts you, to speak out to me..’
Alexey Alexandrovitch was unconsciously saying
something utterly unlike what he had prepared.
‘I have nothing to say. And besides,’ she said hurriedly,
with difficulty repressing a smile, ‘it’s really time to be in
bed.’

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