Page 984 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

book: ‘Eternal God, that joinest together in love them that
were separate,’ he read in a gentle, piping voice: ‘who hast
ordained the union of holy wedlock that cannot be set
asunder, Thou who didst bless Isaac and Rebecca and their

descendants, according to Thy Holy Covenant; bless Thy
servants, Konstantin and Ekaterina, leading them in the
path of all good works. For gracious and merciful art
Thou, our Lord, and glory be to Thee, the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Ghost, now and ever shall be.’
‘Amen!’ the unseen choir sent rolling again upon the
air.
’ ‘Joinest together in love them that were separate.’
What deep meaning in those words, and how they
correspond with what one feels at this moment,’ thought
Levin. ‘Is she feeling the same as I?’
And looking round, he met her eyes, and from their
expression he concluded that she was understanding it just
as he was. But this was a mistake; she almost completely
missed the meaning of the words of the service; she had
not heard them, in fact. She could not listen to them and
take them in, so strong was the one feeling that filled her
breast and grew stronger and stronger. That feeling was
joy at the completion of the process that for the last month
and a half had been going on in her soul, and had during

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