Page 839 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘You are acquainted?’ Stepan Arkadyevitch asked in
surprise.
‘We spent three hours together in the train,’ said Levin
smiling, ‘but got out, just as in a masquerade, quite

mystified—at least I was.’
‘Nonsense! Come along, please,’ said Stepan
Arkadyevitch, pointing in the direction of the dining
room.
The men went into the dining-room and went up to a
table, laid with six sorts of spirits and as many kinds of
cheese, some with little silver spades and some without,
caviar, herrings, preserves of various kinds, and plates with
slices of French bread.
The men stood round the strong-smelling spirits and
salt delicacies, and the discussion of the Russification of
Poland between Koznishev, Karenin, and Pestsov died
down in anticipation of dinner.
Sergey Ivanovitch was unequaled in his skill in winding
up the most heated and serious argument by some
unexpected pinch of Attic salt that changed the disposition
of his opponent. He did this now.
Alexey Alexandrovitch had been maintaining that the
Russification of Poland could only be accomplished as a

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