Anna Karenina - Part 3

Absorbed in business with the chief secretary, Alexey

Alexandrovitch had completely forgotten that it was Tuesday, the

day fixed by him for the return of Anna Arkadyevna, and he was

surprised and received a shock of annoyance when a servant came

in to inform him of her arrival.

Anna had arrived in Petersburg early in the morning; the carriage

had been sent to meet her in accordance with her telegram, and so

Alexey Alexandrovitch might have known of her arrival. But when

she arrived, he did not meet her. She was told that he had not

yet gone out, but was busy with his secretary. She sent word to

her husband that she had come, went to her own room, and occupied

herself in sorting out her things, expecting he would come to

her. But an hour passed; he did not come. She went into the

dining room on the pretext of giving some directions, and spoke

loudly on purpose, expecting him to come out there; but he did

not come, though she heard him go to the door of his study as he

parted from the chief secretary. She knew that he usually went

out quickly to his office, and she wanted to see him before that,

so that their attitude to one another might be defined.

She walked across the drawing room and went resolutely to him.

When she went into his study he was in official uniform,

obviously ready to go out, sitting at a little table on which he

rested his elbows, looking dejectedly before him. She saw him

before he saw her, and she saw that he was thinking of her.

On seeing her, he would have risen, but changed his mind, then

his face flushed hotly--a thing Anna had never seen before, and

he got up quickly and went to meet her, looking not at her eyes,

but above them at her forehead and hair. He went up to her, took

her by the hand, and asked her to sit down.

"I am very glad you have come," he said, sitting down beside her,

and obviously wishing to say something, he stuttered. Several

times he tried to begin to speak, but stopped. In spite of the

fact that, preparing herself for meeting him, she had schooled

herself to despise and reproach him, she did not know what to say

to him, and she felt sorry for him. And so the silence lasted

for some time. "Is Seryozha quite well?" he said, and not

waiting for an answer, he added: "I shan't be dining at home

today, and I have got to go out directly."