Page 327 - ANNA KARENINA
P. 327
Anna Karenina
Chapter 11
That which for Vronsky had been almost a whole year
the one absorbing desire of his life, replacing all his old
desires; that which for Anna had been an impossible,
terrible, and even for that reason more entrancing dream
of bliss, that desire had been fulfilled. He stood before her,
pale, his lower jaw quivering, and besought her to be
calm, not knowing how or why.
‘Anna! Anna!’ he said with a choking voice, ‘Anna, for
pity’s sake!..’
But the louder he spoke, the lower she dropped her
once proud and gay, now shame-stricken head, and she
bowed down and sank from the sofa where she was sitting,
down on the floor, at his feet; she would have fallen on
the carpet if he had not held her.
‘My God! Forgive me!’ she said, sobbing, pressing his
hands to her bosom.
She felt so sinful, so guilty, that nothing was left her but
to humiliate herself and beg forgiveness; and as now there
was no one in her life but him, to him she addressed her
prayer for forgiveness. Looking at him, she had a physical
sense of her humiliation, and she could say nothing more.
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