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 "Lovely ball," he said, so as to say something.

"Yes," was her reply.

Toward the middle of the mazurka, in going through a complicated figure recently invented by Korsunsky, Anna went to the center of the circle, and called out two gentlemen and two ladies; Kitty was one. As she approached Anna, she looked at her in dismay. Anna, half shutting her eyes, looked at her with a smile, and pressed her hand; then noticing that Kitty's face, replying to her smile, wore an expression of despair and amazement, she turned from her and began to talk to the other lady in animated tones.

"Yes, there is some terrible, almost infernal attraction about her," said Kitty to herself.

Anna did not wish to remain to supper, but the host insisted.

"Do stay, Anna Arkadyevna," said Korsunsky, as she stood with her bare arm resting on the sleeve of his coat. "Such a cotillion I have in mind! Un bijou!"

And the master of the house, looking on with a smile, encouraged his efforts to detain her.

"No, I cannot stay," said Anna, also smiling; but in spite of her smile the two men understood by the determination in her voice that she would not stay.

"No, for I have danced here in Moscow at this single ball more than all winter in Petersburg," said she, looking at Vronsky, who was standing near her; "one must rest before a journey."

"And so you are really going back to-morrow?" he asked.

"Yes; I think so," replied Anna, as if surprised at the boldness of his question. But as she said this to him, the brilliancy of her eyes and of her smile set his heart on fire.

Anna Arkadyevna did not stay for supper, but took her departure.