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 as was proved by an act of the committee under numbers 17,015 and 18,308 of the 17th of December, 1863, and the 19th of June, 1864.

A flush of animation covered Alekseï Aleksandrovitch's face as he rapidly wrote down for his own use a digest of these thoughts. After he had covered a sheet of paper, he rang a bell, and sent a messenger to the director of the chancelry, asking for a few data which were missing. Then he got up, and began to walk up and down the room, looking again at the portrait with a frown and a scornful smile. Then he resumed his book about the cuneiform inscriptions, and found that his interest of the evening before had come back to him. He went to bed about eleven o'clock; and as he lay, still awake, he passed in review the affair with his wife, and it no longer appeared to him in the same gloomy aspect.

CHAPTER XV

Anna had obstinately and angrily contradicted Vronsky when he told her that her position was impossible, yet in the bottom of her heart she felt that it was false and dishonorable, and she longed with all her soul to escape from it. When, in a moment of agitation, she avowed all to her husband as they were returning from the races, notwithstanding the pain which it cost her, she felt glad. After Alekseï Aleksandrovitch left her, she kept repeating to herself that she was glad, that now all was explained, and that henceforth there would be at least no more need of falsehood and deception. It seemed to her indubitable that now her position would be henceforth determined. It might be bad, but it would be definite, and there would be an end to lying and equivocation. The pain which her words had cost her husband and herself would have its compensation, she thought, in the fact that now all would be definite.

That very evening Vronsky came to see her, but she