Page 383 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

Vronskaya’s ideas. But she had heard of late that her son
had refused a position offered him of great importance to
his career, simply in order to remain in the regiment,
where he could be constantly seeing Madame Karenina.

She learned that great personages were displeased with him
on this account, and she changed her opinion. She was
vexed, too, that from all she could learn of this connection
it was not that brilliant, graceful, worldly liaison which she
would have welcomed, but a sort of Wertherish, desperate
passion, so she was told, which might well lead him into
imprudence. She had not seen him since his abrupt
departure from Moscow, and she sent her elder son to bid
him come to see her.
This elder son, too, was displeased with his younger
brother. He did not distinguish what sort of love his might
be, big or little, passionate or passionless, lasting or passing
(he kept a ballet girl himself, though he was the father of a
family, so he was lenient in these matters), but he knew
that this love affair was viewed with displeasure by those
whom it was necessary to please, and therefore he did not
approve of his brother’s conduct.
Besides the service and society, Vronsky had another
great interest—horses; he was passionately fond of horses.

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