Page 79 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

the restaurant, in the midst of private rooms where men
were dining with ladies, in all this fuss and bustle; the
surroundings of bronzes, looking glasses, gas, and
waiters—all of it was offensive to him. He was afraid of

sullying what his soul was brimful of.
‘I? Yes, I am; but besides, all this bothers me,’ he said.
‘You can’t conceive how queer it all seems to a country
person like me, as queer as that gentleman’s nails I saw at
your place..’
‘Yes, I saw how much interested you were in poor
Grinevitch’s nails,’ said Stepan Arkadyevitch, laughing.
‘It’s too much for me,’ responded Levin. ‘Do try, now,
and put yourself in my place, take the point of view of a
country person. We in the country try to bring our hands
into such a state as will be most convenient for working
with. So we cut our nails; sometimes we turn up our
sleeves. And here people purposely let their nails grow as
long as they will, and link on small saucers by way of
studs, so that they can do nothing with their hands.’
Stepan Arkadyevitch smiled gaily.
‘Oh, yes, that’s just a sign that he has no need to do
coarse work. His work is with the mind..’
‘Maybe. But still it’s queer to me, just as at this
moment it seems queer to me that we country folks try to

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