Page:Anna Karenina.djvu/171

 change of her habits and dissociation from the conditions that serve to recall unhappy thoughts. And finally, her mother wants her to go."

"Ah, well, in that case let them go, provided always that those German charlatans do not aggravate her disease. .... They must follow .... Yes! let them travel."

And again he looked at his watch.

"It is time for me to go;" and he started for the door.

The celebrated doctor explained to the princess that he wished to see the invalid once more—a sense of propriety dictated this.

"What! have another examination?" cried the princess, with horror.

"Oh, no! only a few minor points, princess."

"Then come in, I beg of you."

And the mother ushered the doctor into the drawing-room where Kitty was. Emaciated and flushed, with a peculiar gleam in her eyes, the result of the mortification she had borne, Kitty was standing in the middle of the room. When the doctor came in her eyes filled with tears, and she turned crimson. Her whole illness and the medical treatment seemed to her such stupid, even ridiculous nonsense. The medical treatment of her case seemed to her as absurd as to gather up the fragments of a broken vase. Her heart was broken, and could it be healed by pills and powders? But it was impossible to wound her mother's feelings, the more because her mother felt that she had been to blame.

"Will you sit down, princess?" said the celebrated doctor.

With a smile he sat down in front of her, felt her pulse, and with a smile began a series of wearisome questions. At first she replied to them, then suddenly arose impatiently.

"Excuse me, doctor; but, indeed, this all leads to nothing. This is the third time that you have asked me the same question."

The celebrated doctor took no offense.

"It is her nervous irritability," he remarked to the