Page:Anna Karenina.djvu/835

 "I said that the foundation ought to be raised," said Anna.

"Yes ! Of course, it would have been better, Anna Arkadyevna," said the architect; "yes, it was a mistake."

"Yes, indeed! I am very much interested in this," said Anna, in reply to Sviazhsky, who expressed his surprise that the architect spoke to her as he did. "The new building must correspond with the hospital. But this was thought of afterward, and begun without any plan."

Having concluded his talk with the architect, Vronsky joined the ladies and conducted them into the hospital. Though on the outside they were already placing the cornices and were painting the lower part of the building, on the upper floors almost everything was done. They went up by a broad cast-iron staircase to the second story, and entered the first great room. The walls were stuccoed for marble, the great glass windows were already in place; only the parquetry floor was as yet to be finished, and the carpenters, engaged in planing the squares, left off their work, and, removing the tapes which bound their hair, greeted the visitors.

"This is the reception-room," said Vronsky. "In this there will be not much besides the desk, a table, and a cupboard."

"Here, come this way. Don't go near the window," said Anna, touching the paint to see if it was dry. "Alekseï, the paint is beginning to dry."

From the reception-room they went into the corridor. Here Vronsky explained the new system of ventilation; then he showed them the marble bathrooms and the beds with extra spring mattresses. Then he showed them one after the other the wards, the laundry, then the heating apparatus, then the noiseless barrows for wheeling articles along the corridors, and many other contrivances, Dolly was simply amazed at the sight of so many novelties, and, wishing to understand it thoroughly, she asked a great many questions, which Vronsky answered with the greatest alacrity.