Emma Watson Pussy
Books:
Anna Karenina
War And Peace
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away the sauce.
Levin obediently helped himself to sauce, but would not let
Stepan Arkadyevitch go on with his dinner.
"No, stop a minute, stop a minute," he said. "You must
understand that its a question of life and death for me. I have
never spoken to any one of this. And theres no one I could
speak of it to, except you. You know were utterly unlike each
other, different tastes and views and everything; but I know
youre fond of me and understand me, and thats why I like you
awfully. But for Gods sake, be quite straightforward with me."
"I tell you what I think," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, smiling.
"But Ill say more: my wife is a wonderful woman..." Stepan
Arkadyevitch sighed, remembering his position with his wife, and,
after a moments silence, resumed--"She has a gift of foreseeing
things. She sees right through people; but thats not all; she
knows what will come to pass, especially in the way of marriages.
She foretold, for instance, that Princess Shahovskaya would marry
Brenteln. No one would believe it, but it came to pass. And
shes on your side."
"How do you mean?"
"Its not only that she likes you--she says that Kitty is
certain to be your wife."
At these words Levins face suddenly lighted up with a smile, a
smile not far from tears of emotion.
"She says that!" cried Levin. "I always said she was exquisite,
your wife. There, thats enough, enough said about it," he said,
getting up from his seat.
"All right, but do sit down."
But Levin could not sit down. He walked with his firm tread
twice up and down the little cage of a room, blinked his eyelids
that his tears might not fall, and only then sat down to the
table.
"You must understand," said he, "its not love. Ive been in
love, but its not that. Its not my feeling, but a sort of
force outside me has taken possession of me. I went away, you
see, because I made up my mind that it could never be, you
understand, as a happiness that does not come on earth; but Ive
struggled with myself, I see theres no living without it. And
it must be settled."
"What did you go away for?"
"Ah, stop a minute! Ah, the thoughts that come crowding on one!
The questions one must ask oneself! Listen. You cant imagine
what youve done for me by what you said. Im so happy that Ive
become positively hateful; Ive forgotten everything. I heard
today that my brother Nikolay...you know, hes here...I had even
forgotten him. It seems to me that hes happy too. Its a sort
of madness. But one things awful.... Here, youve been
married, you know the feeling...its awful that we--old--with a
past... not of love, but of sins...are brought all at once so
near to a creature pure and innocent; its loathsome, and thats
why one cant help feeling oneself unworthy."
"Oh, well, youve not many sins on your conscience."
"Alas! all the same," said Levin, "when with loathing I go over
my life, I shudder and curse and bitterly regret it.... Yes."
"What would you have? The worlds made so," said Stepan
Arkadyevitch.
"The one comfort is like that prayer, which I always liked:
Forgive me not according to my unworthiness, but according to
Thy lovingkindness. Thats the only way she can forgive me."
Chapter 11
Levin emptied his glass, and they were silent for a while.
"Theres one other thing I ought to tell you. Do you know
Vronsky?" Stepan Arkadyevitch asked Levin.
"No, I dont. Why do you ask?"
"Give us another bottle," Stepan Arkadyevitch directed the Tatar,
who was filling up their glasses and fidgeting round them just
when he was not wanted.
"Why you ought to know Vronsky is that hes one of your rivals."
"Whos Vronsky?" said Levin, and his face was suddenly
transformed from the look of childlike ecstasy which Oblonsky had
just been admiring to an angry and unpleasant expression.
"Vronsky is one of the sons of Count Kirill Ivanovitch Vronsky,
and one of the finest specimens of the gilded youth of
Petersburg. I made his acquaintance in Tver when I was there on
official business, and he came there for the levy of recruits.
Fearfully rich, handsome, great connections, an aide-de-camp, and
with all that a very nice, good-natured fellow. But hes more
than simply a good-natured fellow, as Ive found
Anna Karenina page 21 Anna Karenina page 23
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