Emma Watson Pussy
Books:
Anna Karenina
War And Peace
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for the
_diva?_" he said to him with a smile, taking his arm.
"Of course. Im collecting subscriptions. Oh, did you make the
acquaintance of my friend Levin?" asked Stepan Arkadyevitch.
"Yes; but he left rather early."
"Hes a capital fellow," pursued Oblonsky. "Isnt he?"
"I dont know why it is," responded Vronsky, "in all Moscow
people--present company of course excepted," he put in
jestingly, "theres something uncompromising. They are all on
the defensive, lose their tempers, as though they all want to
make one feel something..."
"Yes, thats true, it is so," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, laughing
good-humoredly.
"Will the train soon be in?" Vronsky asked a railway official.
"The trains signaled," answered the man.
The approach of the train was more and more evident by the
preparatory bustle in the station, the rush of porters, the
movement of policemen and attendants, and people meeting the
train. Through the frosty vapor could be seen workmen in short
sheepskins and soft felt boots crossing the rails of the curving
line. The hiss of the boiler could be heard on the distant
rails, and the rumble of something heavy.
"No," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, who felt a great inclination to
tell Vronsky of Levins intentions in regard to Kitty. "No,
youve not got a true impression of Levin. Hes a very nervous
man, and is sometimes out of humor, its true, but then he is
often very nice. Hes such a true, honest nature, and a heart of
gold. But yesterday there were special reasons," pursued Stepan
Arkadyevitch, with a meaning smile, totally oblivious of the
genuine sympathy he had felt the day before for his friend, and
feeling the same sympathy now, only for Vronsky. "Yes, there
were reasons why he could not help being either particularly
happy or particularly unhappy."
Vronsky stood still and asked directly: "How so? Do you mean he
made your _belle-soeur_ an offer yesterday?"
"Maybe," said Stepan Arkadyevitch. "I fancied something of the
sort yesterday. Yes, if he went away early, and was out of humor
too, it must mean it.... Hes been so long in love, and Im very
sorry for him."
"So thats it! I should imagine, though, she might reckon on a
better match," said Vronsky, drawing himself up and walking about
again, "though I dont know him, of course," he added. "Yes,
that is a hateful position! Thats why most fellows prefer to
have to do with Klaras. If you dont succeed with them it only
proves that youve not enough cash, but in this case ones
dignitys at stake. But heres the train."
The engine had already whistled in the distance. A few instants
later the platform was quivering, and with puffs of steam hanging
low in the air from the frost, the engine rolled up, with the
lever of the middle wheel rhythmically moving up and down, and
the stooping figure of the engine-driver covered with frost.
Behind the tender, setting the platform more and more slowly
swaying, came the luggage van with a dog whining in it. At last
the passenger carriages rolled in, oscillating before coming to a
standstill.
A smart guard jumped out, giving a whistle, and after him one by
one the impatient passengers began to get down: an officer of
the guards, holding himself erect, and looking severely about
him; a nimble little merchant with a satchel, smiling gaily; a
peasant with a sack over his shoulder.
Vronsky, standing beside Oblonsky, watched the carriages and the
passengers, totally oblivious of his mother. What he had just
heard about Kitty excited and delighted him. Unconsciously he
arched his chest, and his eyes flashed. He felt himself a
conqueror.
"Countess Vronskaya is in that compartment," said the smart
guard, going up to Vronsky.
The guards words roused him, and forced him to think of his
mother and his approaching meeting with her. He did not in his
heart respect his mother, and without acknowledging it to
himself, he did not love her, though in accordance with the
ideas of the set in which he lived, and with his own education,
he could not have conceived of any behavior to his mother not in
the highest degree respectful and obedient, and the more
externally obedient and respectful his behavior, the less in his
heart he respected and loved her.
Chapter 18
Vronsky followed the guard to the carriage, and at the door of
the compartment he stopped short to make room for a lady who was
getting out.
With the insight of a man
Anna Karenina page 33 Anna Karenina page 35
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