Page 45 - ANNA KARENINA
P. 45

Anna Karenina


                                  he went up to Oblonsky with some papers, and began,
                                  under pretense of asking a question, to explain some
                                  objection. Stepan Arkadyevitch, without hearing him out,
                                  laid his hand genially on the secretary’s sleeve.

                                     ‘No, you do as I told you,’ he said, softening his words
                                  with a smile, and with a brief explanation of his view of
                                  the matter he turned away from the papers, and said: ‘So
                                  do it that way, if you please, Zahar Nikititch.’
                                     The secretary retired in confusion. During the
                                  consultation with the secretary Levin had completely
                                  recovered from his embarrassment. He was standing with
                                  his elbows on the back of a chair, and on his face was a
                                  look of ironical attention.
                                     ‘I don’t understand it, I don’t understand it,’ he said.
                                     ‘What don’t you understand?’ said Oblonsky, smiling as
                                  brightly as ever, and picking up a cigarette. He expected
                                  some queer outburst from Levin.
                                     ‘I don’t understand what you are doing,’ said Levin,
                                  shrugging his shoulders. ‘How can you do it seriously?’
                                     ‘Why not?’
                                     ‘Why, because there’s nothing in it.’
                                     ‘You think so, but we’re overwhelmed with work.’
                                     ‘On paper. But, there, you’ve a gift for it,’ added
                                  Levin.



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