Page 436 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

quickened her pace, and the thud of Gladiator’s hoofs was
again heard at the same distance away.
Vronsky was at the head of the race, just as he wanted
to be and as Cord had advised, and now he felt sure of

being the winner. His excitement, his delight, and his
tenderness for Frou-Frou grew keener and keener. He
longed to look round again, but he did not dare do this,
and tried to be cool and not to urge on his mare so to
keep the same reserve of force in her as he felt that
Gladiator still kept. There remained only one obstacle, the
most difficult; if he could cross it ahead of the others he
would come in first. He was flying towards the Irish
barricade, Frou-Frou and he both together saw the
barricade in the distance, and both the man and the mare
had a moment’s hesitation. He saw the uncertainty in the
mare’s ears and lifted the whip, but at the same time felt
that his fears were groundless; the mare knew what was
wanted. She quickened her pace and rose smoothly, just as
he had fancied she would, and as she left the ground gave
herself up to the force of her rush, which carried her far
beyond the ditch; and with the same rhythm, without
effort, with the same leg forward, Frou-Frou fell back into
her pace again.

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