Page:Anna Karenina.djvu/87

 CHAPTER XV

the guests had gone, Kitty told her mother of her conversation with Levin; and, in spite of all the pain that she had caused him, the thought that he had asked her to marry him flattered her. She had no doubt that she had acted properly, but it was long before she could go to sleep. One memory constantly arose in her mind: it was Levin's face as, with contracted brow, he stood listening to her father, looking at her and Vronsky with his gloomy, melancholy, kind eyes. She felt so sorry for him that she could not keep back the tears. But, as she thought of him who had replaced Levin in her regards, she saw vividly his handsome, strong, and manly face, his aristocratic self- possession, his universal kindness to every one; she recalled his love for her, and how she loved him, and joy came back to her heart. She laid her head on the pillow, and smiled with happiness.

"It is too bad, too bad; but what can I do? It is not my fault," she said to herself, although an inward voice whispered the contrary. She did not know whether she ought to reproach herself for having been attracted to Levin, or for having refused him; but her happiness was not alloyed with doubts. "Lord, have mercy upon me! Lord, have mercy upon me! Lord, have mercy upon me!" she repeated until she went to sleep.

Meantime, down-stairs, in the prince's little library, there was going on one of those scenes which frequently occurred between the parents in regard to their favorite daughter.

"What? This is what!" cried the prince, waving his arms and immediately wrapping around him his squirrel-skin khalat. "You have neither pride nor dignity; you are ruining your daughter with this low and ridiculous manner of husband-hunting."

"But in the name of Heaven, prince, what have I done?" said the princess, almost ready to cry.