Page 757 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

had business with him, Levin went back to his study and
sat down to work.
Laska lay under the table; Agafea Mihalovna settled
herself in her place with her stocking.

After writing for a little while, Levin suddenly thought
with exceptional vividness of Kitty, her refusal, and their
last meeting. He got up and began walking about the
room.
‘What’s the use of being dreary?’ said Agafea
Mihalovna. ‘Come, why do you stay on at home? You
ought to go to some warm springs, especially now you’re
ready for the journey.’
‘Well, I am going away the day after tomorrow, Agafea
Mihalovna; I must finish my work.’
‘There, there, your work, you say! As if you hadn’t
done enough for the peasants! Why, as ‘tis, they’re saying,
‘Your master will be getting some honor from the Tsar for
it.’ Indeed and it is a strange thing; why need you worry
about the peasants?’
‘I’m not worrying about them; I’m doing it for my
own good.’
Agafea Mihalovna knew every detail of Levin’s plans
for his land. Levin often put his views before her in all
their complexity, and not uncommonly he argued with

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