Page 939 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

feeling his own weakness and unconsciously swayed by it,
was ready to believe what Stepan Arkadyevitch was saying.
‘She will never speak out about it. But one thing is
possible, one thing she might desire,’ he went on: ‘that is

the cessation of your relations and all memories associated
with them. To my thinking, in your position what’s
essential is the formation of a new attitude to one another.
And that can only rest on a basis of freedom on both
sides.’
‘Divorce,’ Alexey Alexandrovitch interrupted, in a tone
of aversion.
‘Yes, I imagine that divorce—yes, divorce,’ Stepan
Arkadyevitch repeated, reddening. ‘That is from every
point of view the most rational course for married people
who find themselves in the position you are in. What can
be done if married people find that life is impossible for
them together? That may always happen.’
Alexey Alexandrovitch sighed heavily and closed his
eyes.
‘There’s only one point to be considered: is either of
the parties desirous of forming new ties? If not, it is very
simple,’ said Stepan Arkadyevitch, feeling more and more
free from constraint.

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