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 all the pity that she had begun to feel for him was driven away by the aversion that he inspired, and she had only a feeling of fear, which arose from the fact that she did not see any light in regard to their relations.

"I cannot be your wife, when I ...." she began.

He laughed with a cold and wicked laugh.

"It must needs be that the manner of life which you have chosen is reflected in your ideas. I have too much esteem or contempt.... or rather I esteem your past, and despise your present.... too much for me to accept the interpretation which you put on my words."

Anna sighed, and bowed her head.

"Besides, I do not understand how you, having so much independence," he continued, growing excited, "and telling your husband up and down of your infidelity, and not finding anything blameworthy in it, as it seems, how you can find anything blameworthy either in the fulfilment of a wife's duties to her husband."

"Alekseï Aleksandrovitch! What do you require of me?"

"I require that I may never meet this man here, and that you comport yourself so that neither the world nor our servants can accuse you .... that you do not see him. It seems to me that this is little. And in doing this, you will enjoy the rights of an honorable wife, though you do not fulfil the obligations. This is all that I have to say to you. Now it is time for me to go. I shall not dine at home."

He got up, and went to the door. Anna also arose. He silently bowed, and allowed her to pass.

CHAPTER XXIV

night spent by Levin on the hayrick was not without its lesson. His way of farming became repugnant to him, and entirely lost its interest. Notwithstanding the excellent crops, never, or at least it seemed to him that never, had there been such failure, and such unfriendly relations between him and the muzhiks, as