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 has not told any one. Now, what have you against her? Tell me!"

"I have told you all that there was."

"When was it?"

"When I was at your house the last time."

"But do you know? I will tell you," said Darya Aleksandrovna. "I am sorry for Kitty, awfully sorry. You suffer only in your pride ...."

"Perhaps so," said Levin, "but...."

She interrupted him.

"But she, poor little girl, I am awfully sorry for her. Now I understand all!"

"Well, Darya Aleksandrovna, excuse me," said he, rising. "Prashchaïte—good-by, Darya Aleksandrovna, da svidanya!"

"No! wait!" she cried, holding him by the sleeve; "wait! sit down!"

"I beg of you, I beg of you, let us not speak of this any more," said Levin, sitting down again, while a ray of that hope which he believed forever vanished flashed into his heart.

"If I did not like you," said Dolly, and the tears came into her eyes, "if I did not know you as I do ...."

The hope which he thought was dead awoke more and more, filled Levin's heart, and took masterful possession of it.

"Yes, I understand all now," said Dolly: "you cannot understand this, you men, who are free in your choice; it is perfectly clear whom you love; but a young girl, with that feminine, maidenly reserve which is imposed on her, and seeing you men only at a distance, is constrained to wait, and she is, and must be, so agitated that she will not know what answer to give."

"Yes, if her heart does not speak...."

"No; her heart speaks, but think for a moment: you men decide on some girl, you visit her home, you watch, observe, and you make up your minds whether you are in love or not, and then, when you have come to the conclusion that you love her, you offer yourselves.... "