Page:Anna Karenina.djvu/101

 "What is the matter, Anna?" he asked, when they had gone a little distance.

"It is an evil omen," she answered.

"What nonsense!" said Stepan Arkadyevitch. "You have come .... that is the main thing. You cannot imagine how much I hope from your visit."

"Have you known Vronsky long?" she asked.

"Yes. You know we hope that he will marry Kitty."

"Really," said Anna, gently. "Well! now let us talk about yourself," she added, shaking her head as if she wanted to drive away something that troubled and pained her physically. "Let us speak about your affairs. I received your letter, and here I am."

"Yes, all my hope is in you," said Stepan Arkadyevitch.

"Well, then! tell me all."

And Stepan Arkadyevitch began his story.

When they reached the house he helped his sister from the carriage, sighed, shook hands with her, and went to the court-house.

CHAPTER XIX

Anna entered, Dolly was sitting in her little reception-room, with a plump light-haired lad, the image of his father, who was learning a lesson from a French reading-book. The boy was reading aloud, and at the same time twisting and trying to pull from his jacket a button which was hanging loose. His mother had many times reproved him, but the plump little hand kept returning to the button. At last she had to take the button off, and put it in her pocket.

"Keep your hands still, Grisha," said she, and again took up the bed-quilt on which she had been long at work, and which always came handy at trying moments. She worked nervously, jerking her fingers and counting the stitches. Though she had sent word to her husband, the day before, that his sister's arrival made no