Page 968 - ANNA KARENINA
P. 968
Anna Karenina
sorting over heaps of dresses of different colors, spread on
the backs of chairs and on the floor.
‘Ah!’ she cried, seeing him, and beaming with delight.
‘Kostya! Konstantin Dmitrievitch!’ (These latter days she
used these names almost alternately.) ‘I didn’t expect you!
I’m going through my wardrobe to see what’s for whom..’
‘Oh! that’s very nice!’ he said gloomily, looking at the
maid.
‘You can go, Dunyasha, I’ll call you presently,’ said
Kitty. ‘Kostya, what’s the matter?’ she asked, definitely
adopting this familiar name as soon as the maid had gone
out. She noticed his strange face, agitated and gloomy, and
a panic came over her.
‘Kitty! I’m in torture. I can’t suffer alone,’ he said with
despair in his voice, standing before her and looking
imploringly into her eyes. He saw already from her loving,
truthful face, that nothing could come of what he had
meant to say, but yet he wanted her to reassure him
herself. ‘I’ve come to say that there’s still time. This can all
be stopped and set right.’
‘What? I don’t understand. What is the matter?’
‘What I have said a thousand times over, and can’t help
thinking ...that I’m not worthy of you. You couldn’t
consent to marry me. Think a little. You’ve made a
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