Page 646 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

before that he would not come. Most likely he was
sending a note to say so.
As she took off her outer garment in the hall, she heard
the footman, pronouncing his ‘r’s’ even like a

Kammerjunker, say, ‘From the count for the princess,’ and
hand the note.
She longed to question him as to where his master was.
She longed to turn back and send him a letter to come and
see her, or to go herself to see him. But neither the first
nor the second nor the third course was possible. Already
she heard bells ringing to announce her arrival ahead of
her, and Princess Tverskaya’s footman was standing at the
open door waiting for her to go forward into the inner
rooms.
‘The princess is in the garden; they will inform her
immediately. Would you be pleased to walk into the
garden?’ announced another footman in another room.
The position of uncertainty, of indecision, was still the
same as at home—worse, in fact, since it was impossible to
take any step, impossible to see Vronsky, and she had to
remain here among outsiders, in company so uncongenial
to her present mood. But she was wearing a dress that she
knew suited her. She was not alone; all around was that
luxurious setting of idleness that she was used to, and she

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