Page:Anna Karenina.djvu/831

 CHAPTER XX

, princess, here we have Dolly, whom you wished so much to see," said Anna, as she and Darya Aleksandrovna came out on the great stone terrace where the Princess Varvara was sitting in the shade, with her embroidery frame in front of her, making a chair cover for Count Alekseï Kirillovitch. "She says that she does not want anything before dinner, but supposing you order luncheon brought in, while I go and find the gentlemen."

The Princess Varvara gave Dolly a gracious and somewhat condescending reception, and immediately began to explain that she had come to live with Anna because she loved her more than her sister, Katerina Pavlovna,—that was the aunt that had superintended Anna's education,—and because, now when all were abandoning Anna, she considered it her duty to help her at this trying period of transition.

"Her husband is going to grant her a divorce, and then I shall go back to my solitude; but, however painful it may be, I shall stay here for the present, and not imitate the example of others. And how kind you are; how good of you to make this visit! They live exactly like the very best married people. Let God judge them; it is not for us. It was just so with Biriuzovsky and Madame Avenyef, and then Vasiliyef and Madame Mamonov, and Liza Neptunova. You see no one says anything about them, and in the end they will be received. And then c'est un intérieur si joli, si comme il faut. Tout-à-fait à l'anglaise. On se réunit le matin au breakfeast et puis on se sépare. Every one does just as he pleases till dinner-time. They dine at seven. Stiva did very wisely to send you; he would better keep on good terms with them. You know the count has great influence through his mother and his brother.