Page 432 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

Every eye, every opera glass, was turned on the brightly
colored group of riders at the moment they were in line to
start.
‘They’re off! They’re starting!’ was heard on all sides

after the hush of expectation.
And little groups and solitary figures among the public
began running from place to place to get a better view. In
the very first minute the close group of horsemen drew
out, and it could be seen that they were approaching the
stream in two’s and three’s and one behind another. To
the spectators it seemed as though they had all started
simultaneously, but to the racers there were seconds of
difference that had great value to them.
Frou-Frou, excited and over-nervous, had lost the first
moment, and several horses had started before her, but
before reaching the stream, Vronsky, who was holding in
the mare with all his force as she tugged at the bridle,
easily overtook three, and there were left in front of him
Mahotin’s chestnut Gladiator, whose hind-quarters were
moving lightly and rhythmically up and down exactly in
front of Vronsky, and in front of all, the dainty mare
Diana bearing Kuzovlev more dead than alive.

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