Page 363 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘She’s never thought of being married, and isn’t
thinking of it; but she’s very ill, and the doctors have sent
her abroad. They’re positively afraid she may not live.’
‘What!’ cried Levin. ‘Very ill? What is wrong with her?

How has she...?’
While they were saying this, Laska, with ears pricked
up, was looking upwards at the sky, and reproachfully at
them.
‘They have chosen a time to talk,’ she was thinking.
‘It’s on the wing.... Here it is, yes, it is. They’ll miss it,’
thought Laska.
But at that very instant both suddenly heard a shrill
whistle which, as it were, smote on their ears, and both
suddenly seized their guns and two flashes gleamed, and
two gangs sounded at the very same instant. The snipe
flying high above instantly folded its wings and fell into a
thicket, bending down the delicate shoots.
‘Splendid! Together!’ cried Levin, and he ran with
Laska into the thicket to look for the snipe.
‘Oh, yes, what was it that was unpleasant?’ he
wondered. ‘Yes, Kitty’s ill.... Well, it can’t be helped; I’m
very sorry,’ he thought.

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