Page:Anna Karenina.djvu/997

Rh arrested by the sound of a carriage stopping, and she looked out of the window and saw a carriage, from the window of which a young girl in a light hat was putting out her head, and giving orders to the footman, who was at the door-bell. After a colloquy in the vestibule, some one came up-stairs, and Anna heard Vronsky's steps in the room next the drawing-room. Then he ran swiftly down-stairs. Anna looked out again, and saw him go out to the door-steps bare-headed, and approach the carriage. The young girl in the lilac-colored hat handed him a package. Vronsky smiled as he spoke to her. The carriage drove away, and Vronsky came quickly up-stairs again.

The mist which enwrapped everything in Anna's soul suddenly cleared away. The feelings of the day before tore her anguished heart more cruelly than ever. She now could not understand how she could have so far debased herself as to stay a single day under his roof. She went to his library, to acquaint him with the resolution that she had taken.

"The Princess Sorokin and her daughter have brought me the money and papers from maman. I could not get them yesterday. How is your headache? better?" he said quietly, seeming not to notice the gloomy and solemn expression of Anna's face.

She did not reply; but, standing in the middle of the room, she looked fixedly at him. He glanced at her for an instant, his brows contracted, and he continued to read his letter. Without speaking, Anna turned slowly about, and left the room. He might yet detain her; but she had reached the door. He said not a word, the only sound heard was the rustling of the sheet of paper.

"Oh! by the way," he exclaimed, just as she was on the threshold, "do we really go to-morrow?"

"You, but not I," answered she, turning round on him.

"Anna, it is impossible to live in this way."

"You, not I," she repeated.

"It's becoming intolerable!"

"You .... you will be sorry for this," said she; and she went out.