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 selves into any false position, but had associated only with those who pretended to understand their situation much better than they themselves did. Nor even the separation from her son, whom she loved, caused her any pain at this time. Her baby, her daughter, was so lovely and had so filled her heart since only the daughter was left to her, that she rarely thought of the son.

The joy of living caused by her convalescence was so keen, the conditions of her existence were so new and delightful, that Anna felt inexcusably happy. The more she came to know Vronsky, the more she loved him. She loved him for his own sake and for his love for her. The complete surrender to him was a delight. His presence was always a joy to her. All the traits of his character as she came to know them better and better became to her inexpressibly dear. His appearance, now that he dressed in civil attire instead of uniform, was as entrancing to her as for a young girl desperately in love. In all he said, thought, or did, she saw something noble and elevated. She herself often felt frightened at this excessive worship of him. She tried in vain to find any imperfection in him. She did not dare to confess to him her own inferiority, lest he, knowing it, should love her less. And now there was nothing that she feared so much, although there was not the slightest occasion for it, as to lose his love. But she could not fail to be grateful to him for the way he treated her or to show him how much she prized it.

Although in her opinion he had shown such a decided vocation for statesmanship, in which he would certainly have played an important part, and had sacrificed his ambition for her, still he had never expressed the slightest regret. He was more than ever affectionately respectful, and careful that she should never feel in the slightest degree the compromising character of her position. This man, so masculine, not only never opposed her, but moreover it might be said that he had no will besides hers, and his only aim seemed to be to anticipate her desires. And she could not but appreciate this, though this very assiduity in his attentions, this