Page 494 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

saw that her daughter was rushing into extremes, and so
indeed she told her.
‘Il ne faut jamais rien outrer,’ she said to her.
Her daughter made her no reply, only in her heart she

thought that one could not talk about exaggeration where
Christianity was concerned. What exaggeration could
there be in the practice of a doctrine wherein one was
bidden to turn the other cheek when one was smitten, and
give one’s cloak if one’s coat were taken? But the princess
disliked this exaggeration, and disliked even more the fact
that she felt her daughter did not care to show her all her
heart. Kitty did in fact conceal her new views and feelings
from her mother. She concealed them not because she did
not respect or did not love her mother, but simply because
she was her mother. She would have revealed them to
anyone sooner than to her mother.
‘How is it Anna Pavlovna’s not been to see us for so
long?’ the princess said one day of Madame Petrova. ‘I’ve
asked her, but she seems put out about something.’
‘No, I’ve not noticed it, maman,’ said Kitty, flushing
hotly.
‘Is it long since you went to see them?’
‘We’re meaning to make an expedition to the
mountains tomorrow,’ answered Kitty,

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