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 CHAPTER XXVIII

Alekseï Aleksandrovitch reached the racecourse, Anna was already in her place beside Betsy, in the grand pavilion, where all the highest society was gathered in a brilliant throng. She saw her husband from a distance. Two men, her husband and her lover, were for her the two centers of life, and without the help of her external senses she felt their presence. Even when her husband was at a distance she was conscious of his presence, and she involuntarily followed him in that billowing throng in the midst of which he was coming along. She saw him approach the pavilion, now replying with condescension to ingratiating salutations, then cordially or carelessly exchanging greetings with his equals; then again assiduously watching to catch the glances of the great ones of the earth, and taking off his large, round hat, which came down to the top of his ears. Anna knew all these mannerisms of salutation, and they were all equally distasteful to her.

"Nothing but ambition; craze for success; it is all that his heart contains," she thought; "but his lofty views, his love for civilization, his religion, they are only means whereby to win success."

From the glances that Karenin cast on the pavilion, he was looking straight at his wife, but could not see her in the sea of muslin, ribbons, feathers, flowers, and sunshades—Anna knew he was looking for her, but she pretended not to see him.

"Alekseï Aleksandrovitch," cried the Princess Betsy, "don't you see your wife? here she is!"

He looked up with his icy smile.

"Everything is so brilliant here, that it blinds the eyes," he replied, as he came up the pavilion.

He smiled at Anna, as it is a husband's duty to do when he has only just left his wife, greeted Betsy and his other acquaintances, conducting himself in due form, in other words, jesting with the ladies, and exchanging compliments with the men.