Page 382 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

connection. But in spite of that, his love was known to all
the town; everyone guessed with more or less confidence
at his relations with Madame Karenina. The majority of
the younger men envied him for just what was the most

irksome factor in his love—the exalted position of
Karenin, and the consequent publicity of their connection
in society.
The greater number of the young women, who envied
Anna and had long been weary of hearing her called
virtuous, rejoiced at the fulfillment of their predictions,
and were only waiting for a decisive turn in public
opinion to fall upon her with all the weight of their scorn.
They were already making ready their handfuls of mud to
fling at her when the right moment arrived. The greater
number of the middle-aged people and certain great
personages were displeased at the prospect of the
impending scandal in society.
Vronsky’s mother, on hearing of his connection, was at
first pleased at it, because nothing to her mind gave such a
finishing touch to a brilliant young man as a liaison in the
highest society; she was pleased, too, that Madame
Karenina, who had so taken her fancy, and had talked so
much of her son, was, after all, just like all other pretty and
well-bred women,—at least according to the Countess

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