Page:Anna Karenina.djvu/299

 was on the other. Varenka, in her dark dress and a black hat with the brim turned down, was walking up and down the whole length of the gallery with a little blind French woman; each time that she and Kitty met, they exchanged friendly glances.

"Mamma, may I speak with her?" asked Kitty, as she happened to be following her unknown friend and noticed that she was approaching the spring, where they might meet.

"Yes, if you wish it so much. I will inquire about her, and make her acquaintance first," said her mother. "But what do you find especially interesting in her? She is only a lady's companion. If you like, I can speak to Madame Stahl. I knew her belle-sœur," added the princess, proudly raising her head.

Kitty knew that her mother was vexed because Madame Stahl seemed to avoid making her acquaintance, and she did not press the point.

"How wonderfully charming she is!" said she, as she saw Varenka give the blind French lady a glass. "See how lovely and gentle everything is that she does."

"You amuse me with your engouements," replied the princess. "No, we had better go back," she added, as she saw Levin approaching with Marya and a German doctor, with whom he was speaking in a loud and angry tone.

As they turned to go back, suddenly they heard, not loud voices, but a cry. Levin had stopped, and was shrieking. The doctor was also angry. A crowd was gathering around them. The princess and Kitty hurried away, but the colonel joined the throng to find out what the trouble was. After a few moments the colonel came back to them.

"What was it?" asked the princess.

"It is a shame and a disgrace," replied the colonel. "There's only one thing you need to fear, and that is to meet with Russians abroad. This tall gentleman was quarreling with his doctor, heaped indignities upon him for not attending to him as he wished, and finally he threatened him with his cane. It is simply disgraceful."