Page 919 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘She’s very restless,’ answered the nurse in a whisper.
‘Miss Edwarde says that perhaps the wet-nurse has no
milk,’ he said.
‘I think so too, Alexey Alexandrovitch.’

‘Then why didn’t you say so?’
‘Who’s one to say it to? Anna Arkadyevna still ill...’
said the nurse discontentedly.
The nurse was an old servant of the family. And in her
simple words there seemed to Alexey Alexandrovitch an
allusion to his position.
The baby screamed louder than ever, struggling and
sobbing. The nurse, with a gesture of despair, went to it,
took it from the wet-nurse’s arms, and began walking up
and down, rocking it.
‘You must ask the doctor to examine the wet-nurse,’
said Alexey Alexandrovitch. The smartly dressed and
healthy-looking nurse, frightened at the idea of losing her
place, muttered something to herself, and covering her
bosom, smiled contemptuously at the idea of doubts being
cast on her abundance of milk. In that smile, too, Alexey
Alexandrovitch saw a sneer at his position.
‘Luckless child!’ said the nurse, hushing the baby, and
still walking up and down with it.

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