Page 690 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

this he suddenly drew himself up, and a proud and hard
expression came over his face.
‘Yes, yes, that’s better, a thousand times better! I know
how painful it was,’ he said. But she was not listening to

his words, she was reading his thoughts from the
expression of his face. She could not guess that that
expression arose from the first idea that presented itself to
Vronsky—that a duel was now inevitable. The idea of a
duel had never crossed her mind, and so she put a different
interpretation on this passing expression of hardness.
When she got her husband’s letter, she knew then at
the bottom of her heart that everything would go on in
the old way, that she would not have the strength of will
to forego her position, to abandon her son, and to join her
lover. The morning spent at Princess Tverskaya’s had
confirmed her still more in this. But this interview was still
of the utmost gravity for her. She hoped that this
interview would transform her position, and save her. If
on hearing this news he were to say to her resolutely,
passionately, without an instant’s wavering: ‘Throw up
everything and come with me!’ she would give up her son
and go away with him. But this news had not produced
what she had expected in him; he simply seemed as
though he were resenting some affront.

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