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 But Karenin's wife did not wait for her brother; as soon as she saw him she ran lightly out of the carriage, went straight to him, and, with a gesture which struck Vronsky by its grace and energy, threw her left arm around his neck and kissed him affectionately.

Vronsky could not keep his eyes from her face, and smiled, without knowing why. But, remembering that his mother was waiting for him, he went back into the carriage.

"Very charming, is n't she?" said the countess, referring to Madame Karenina. "Her husband put her in my charge, and I was very glad. She and I talked together all the way. Well! and you? They say you are desperately in love. So much the better, my dear, so much the better."

"I don't know what you allude to, maman," replied the son, coldly. "Come, maman, let us go."

At this moment Madame Karenina came back to take leave of the countess.

"Well, countess! you have found your son, and I my brother," she said gayly; "and I have exhausted my whole fund of stories. I should n't have had anything more to talk about."

"Ah! not so," said the countess, taking her hand. "I should not object to travel round the world with you. You are one of those agreeable women with whom either speech or silence is pleasant. As to your son, I beg of you, don't think about him: we must have separations in this world."

Madame Karenina stood motionless, holding herself very erect, and her eyes smiled.

"Anna Arkadyevna has a little boy about eight years old," said the countess, in explanation to her son; "she has never been separated from him before, and it troubles her to leave him."

"Yes, we have talked about our children all the time,—the countess of her son, I of mine," said Madame Karenina, turning to Vronsky; and again the smile lighted up her face, the caressing smile which beamed upon him.