Emma Watson Pussy
Books:
Anna Karenina
War And Peace
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other. "What was it?"
"Oh, nothing," Konstantin answered in confusion.
"Oh, if you dont want to say, dont. Only its no good your
talking to her. Shes a wench, and youre a gentleman," he said
with a jerk of the neck. "You understand everything, I see, and
have taken stock of everything, and look with commiseration on my
shortcomings," he began again, raising his voice.
"Nikolay Dmitrievitch, Nikolay Dmitrievitch," whispered Marya
Nikolaevna, again going up to him.
"Oh, very well, very well!... But wheres the supper? Ah, here
it is," he said, seeing a waiter with a tray. "Here, set it
here," he added angrily, and promptly seizing the vodka, he
poured out a glassful and drank it greedily. "Like a drink?" he
turned to his brother, and at once became better humored.
"Well, enough of Sergey Ivanovitch. Im glad to see you, anyway.
After alls said and done, were not strangers. Come, have a
drink. Tell me what youre doing," he went on, greedily munching
a piece of bread, and pouring out another glassful. "How are you
living?"
"I live alone in the country, as I used to. Im busy looking
after the land," answered Konstantin, watching with horror the
greediness with which his brother ate and drank, and trying to
conceal that he noticed it.
"Why dont you get married?"
"It hasnt happened so," Konstantin answered, reddening a little.
"Why not? For me now...everythings at an end! Ive made a mess
of my life. But this Ive said, and I say still, that if my
share had been given me when I needed it, my whole life would
have been different."
Konstantin made haste to change the conversation.
"Do you know your little Vanyas with me, a clerk in the
countinghouse at Pokrovskoe."
Nikolay jerked his neck, and sank into thought.
"Yes, tell me whats going on at Pokrovskoe. Is the house
standing still, and the birch trees, and our schoolroom? And
Philip the gardener, is he living? How I remember the arbor and
the seat! Now mind and dont alter anything in the house, but
make haste and get married, and make everything as it used to be
again. Then Ill come and see you, if your wife is nice."
"But come to me now," said Levin. "How nicely we would arrange
it!"
"Id come and see you if I were sure I should not find Sergey
Ivanovitch."
"You wouldnt find him there. I live quite independently of
him."
"Yes, but say what you like, you will have to choose between me
and him," he said, looking timidly into his brothers face.
This timidity touched Konstantin.
"If you want to hear my confession of faith on the subject, I
tell you that in your quarrel with Sergey Ivanovitch I take
neither side. Youre both wrong. Youre more wrong externally,
and he inwardly."
"Ah, ah! You see that, you see that!" Nikolay shouted joyfully.
"But I personally value friendly relations with you more
because..."
"Why, why?"
Konstantin could not say that he valued it more because Nikolay
was unhappy, and needed affection. But Nikolay knew that this
was just what he meant to say, and scowling he took up the vodka
again.
"Enough, Nikolay Dmitrievitch!" said Marya Nikolaevna, stretching
out her plump, bare arm towards the decanter.
"Let it be! Dont insist! Ill beat you!" he shouted.
Marya Nikolaevna smiled a sweet and good-humored smile, which was
at once reflected on Nikolays face, and she took the bottle.
"And do you suppose she understands nothing?" said Nikolay. "She
understands it all better than any of us. Isnt it true theres
something good and sweet in her?"
"Were you never before in Moscow?" Konstantin said to her, for
the sake of saying something.
"Only you mustnt be polite and stiff with her. It frightens
her. No one ever spoke to her so but the justices of the peace
who tried her for trying to get out of a house of ill-fame.
Mercy on us, the senselessness in the world!" he cried suddenly.
"These new institutions, these justices of the peace, rural
councils, what hideousness it all is!"
And he began to enlarge on his encounters with the new
institutions.
Konstantin Levin heard him, and the disbelief in the sense of
all public institutions, which he shared with him, and often
expressed, was distasteful to him now from his brothers lips.
"In another world we shall understand it all," he said lightly.
"In another world! Ah, I dont like that
Anna Karenina page 50 Anna Karenina page 52
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