Page:Anna Karenina.djvu/738

 You are ours, every inch of you," said the regimental commander.

"I shan't have the time now. I am awfully sorry, another time," replied Vronsky, going rapidly up the steps which led to his brother's box.

The old countess, his mother, with her little steel-colored curls, was in the box. Varia and the young Princess Sorokin were walking together in the lobby of the belle-etage. As soon as she saw her brother-in-law, Varia went back to her mother with her companion, and then, taking Vronsky's arm, immediately began to speak with him about the subject which concerned him. She showed more excitement than he had ever seen in her.

"I think it is dastardly and vile; Madame Kartasof had no right to do so. Madame Karenin ...." she began.

"But what is the matter? I don't know what you mean."

"What? you have n't heard anything about it?"

"You can well understand that I should be the last person to hear anything about it."

"Is there a more wicked creature in the world than this Madame Kartasof!"

"But what did she do?"

"My husband told me about it .... she insulted Madame Karenin. Her husband began to speak across from his box to Madame Karenin, and Madame Kartasof made a scene about it. They say she said something very offensive in a loud voice, and went out."

"Count, your maman is calling you," said the young Princess Sorokin, opening the door of the box.

"I have been waiting for you all this time," said his mother to him, with a sarcastic smile; "we never see anything of you now."

The son saw that she could not conceal a smile of satisfaction.

"Good evening, maman. I was coming to see you," he replied coolly.

"What, I hope you are not going faire la cour a Madame Karénine," she added, when the young Prin-