Page 585 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

they would have done with their nurse or Miss Hoole or
their mother. Lily, too, began begging to go to him, and
her mother handed her to him; he sat her on his shoulder
and ran along with her.

‘Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, Darya Alexandrovna!’
he said, smiling good-humoredly to the mother; ‘there’s
no chance of my hurting or dropping her.’
And, looking at his strong, agile, assiduously careful and
needlessly wary movements, the mother felt her mind at
rest, and smiled gaily and approvingly as she watched him.
Here, in the country, with children, and with Darya
Alexandrovna, with whom he was in sympathy, Levin was
in a mood not infrequent with him, of childlike light-
heartedness that she particularly liked in him. As he ran
with the children, he taught them gymnastic feats, set Miss
Hoole laughing with his queer English accent, and talked
to Darya Alexandrovna of his pursuits in the country.
After dinner, Darya Alexandrovna, sitting alone with
him on the balcony, began to speak of Kitty.
‘You know, Kitty’s coming here, and is going to spend
the summer with me.’
‘Really,’ he said, flushing, and at once, to change the
conversation, he said: ‘Then I’ll send you two cows, shall

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