Page 800 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

Chapter 5

The waiting-room of the celebrated Petersburg lawyer
was full when Alexey Alexandrovitch entered it. Three
ladies—an old lady, a young lady, and a merchant’s wife—
and three gentlemen— one a German banker with a ring
on his finger, the second a merchant with a beard, and the
third a wrathful-looking government clerk in official
uniform, with a cross on his neck— had obviously been
waiting a long while already. Two clerks were writing at
tables with scratching pens. The appurtenances of the
writing-tables, about which Alexey Alexandrovitch was
himself very fastidious, were exceptionally good. He could
not help observing this. One of the clerks, without getting
up, turned wrathfully to Alexey Alexandrovitch, half
closing his eyes. ‘What are you wanting?’
He replied that he had to see the lawyer on some
business.
‘He is engaged,’ the clerk responded severely, and he
pointed with his pen at the persons waiting, and went on
writing.
‘Can’t he spare time to see me?’ said Alexey
Alexandrovitch.

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