Page 429 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘If you can, lead the race; but don’t lose heart till the
last minute, even if you’re behind.’
Before the mare had time to move, Vronsky stepped
with an agile, vigorous movement into the steel-toothed

stirrup, and lightly and firmly seated himself on the
creaking leather of the saddle. Getting his right foot in the
stirrup, he smoothed the double reins, as he always did,
between his fingers, and Cord let go.
As though she did not know which foot to put first,
Frou-Frou started, dragging at the reins with her long
neck, and as though she were on springs, shaking her rider
from side to side. Cord quickened his step, following him.
The excited mare, trying to shake off her rider first on one
side and then the other, pulled at the reins, and Vronsky
tried in vain with voice and hand to soothe her.
They were just reaching the dammed-up stream on
their way to the starting point. Several of the riders were
in front and several behind, when suddenly Vronsky heard
the sound of a horse galloping in the mud behind him,
and he was overtaken by Mahotin on his white-legged,
lop-eared Gladiator. Mahotin smiled, showing his long
teeth, but Vronsky looked angrily at him. He did not like
him, and regarded him now as his most formidable rival.
He was angry with him for galloping past and exciting his

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