Page 827 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

regard to his sister, and explain why it is I can’t dine with
him.’
‘Come in!’ he said aloud, collecting his papers, and
putting them in the blotting-paper.

‘There, you see, you’re talking nonsense, and he’s at
home!’ responded Stepan Arkadyevitch’s voice, addressing
the servant, who had refused to let him in, and taking off
his coat as he went, Oblonsky walked into the room.
‘Well, I’m awfully glad I’ve found you! So I hope...’
Stepan Arkadyevitch began cheerfully.
‘I cannot come,’ Alexey Alexandrovitch said coldly,
standing and not asking his visitor to sit down.
Alexey Alexandrovitch had thought to pass at once into
those frigid relations in which he ought to stand with the
brother of a wife against whom he was beginning a suit for
divorce. But he had not taken into account the ocean of
kindliness brimming over in the heart of Stepan
Arkadyevitch.
Stepan Arkadyevitch opened wide his clear, shining
eyes.
‘Why can’t you? What do you mean?’ he asked in
perplexity, speaking in French. ‘Oh, but it’s a promise.
And we’re all counting on you.’

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