Page 898 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘A successful confinement yesterday.’
Alexey Alexandrovitch stopped short and turned white.
He felt distinctly now how intensely he had longed for her
death.

‘And how is she?’
Korney in his morning apron ran downstairs.
‘Very ill,’ he answered. ‘There was a consultation
yesterday, and the doctor’s here now.’
‘Take my things,’ said Alexey Alexandrovitch, and
feeling some relief at the news that there was still hope of
her death, he went into the hall
On the hatstand there was a military overcoat. Alexey
Alexandrovitch noticed it and asked:
‘Who is here?’
‘The doctor, the midwife and Count Vronsky.’
Alexey Alexandrovitch went into the inner rooms.
I the drawing room there was no one; at the sound of
his steps there came out of her boudoir the midwife in a
cap with lilac ribbons.
She went up to Alexey Alexandrovitch, and with the
familiarity given by the approach of death took him by the
arm and drew him towards the bedroom.
‘Thank God you’ve come! She keeps on about you and
nothing but you,’ she said.

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