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 She held him with one of her burning hands, and pushed him away with the other.

Alekseï Aleksandrovitch's emotion had been all the time increasing, and now it reached such a degree that he could no longer control himself. He suddenly felt that what he had considered his spiritual discord was, on the contrary, a blessed state of the soul which imparted to him what seemed like a new and hitherto unknown happiness. He had not believed that the Christian law, which he had taken for a guide in life, ordered him to forgive and love his enemies; but now his soul was filled with joyous love and forgiveness to his enemies. He knelt beside the bed, he laid his forehead on her arm, the fever of which burned through the sleeve, and sobbed like a child. She bent toward him, placed her arm around her husband's bald head, and raised her eyes defiantly and proudly.

"There, I knew that it would be so. Now farewell, farewell all!.... They are coming back again. Why don't they go away? .... There! take off all these furs from me!"

The doctor disengaged her arms, laid her back gently on her pillows, and drew the covering over her. Anna made no resistance, looking all the while straight before her, with shining eyes.

"Remember that I have only asked your pardon; I ask nothing more Why doesn't he come?" she said, suddenly looking toward the door, toward Vronsky. "Come! come here, and give him your hand."

Vronsky came to the side of the bed, and, when he saw Anna, he hid his face in his hands again.

"Uncover your face; look at him, he is a saint," said she. "Yes, uncover your face! look at him!" she repeated in an irritated manner. "Alekseï Aleksandrovitch, uncover his face; I want to see him."

Alekseï Aleksandrovitch took Vronsky's hands and uncovered his face, disfigured by the expression of suffering and humiliation which it wore.

"Give him your hand; forgive him."