Anna Karenina - Part 5

When Vronsky turned the opera glass again in that direction, he

noticed that Princess Varvara was particularly red, and kept

laughing unnaturally and looking round at the next box. Anna,

folding her fan and tapping it on the red velvet, was gazing away

and did not see, and obviously did not wish to see, what was

taking place in the next box. Yashvin's face wore the expression

which was common when he was losing at cards. Scowling, he

sucked the left end of his mustache further and further into his

mouth, and cast sidelong glances at the next box.

In that box on the left were the Kartasovs. Vronsky knew them,

and knew that Anna was acquainted with them. Madame Kartasova, a

thin little woman, was standing up in her box, and, her back

turned upon Anna, she was putting on a mantle that her husband

was holding for her. Her face was pale and angry, and she was

talking excitedly. Kartasov, a fat, bald man, was continually

looking round at Anna, while he attempted to soothe his wife.

When the wife had gone out, the husband lingered a long while,

and tried to catch Anna's eye, obviously anxious to bow to her.

But Anna, with unmistakable intention, avoided noticing him, and

talked to Yashvin, whose cropped head was bent down to her.

Kartasov went out without making his salutation, and the box was

left empty.

Vronsky could not understand exactly what had passed between the

Kartasovs and Anna, but he saw that something humiliating for

Anna had happened. He knew this both from what he had seen, and

most of all from the face of Anna, who, he could see, was taxing

every nerve to carry through the part she had taken up. And in

maintaining this attitude of external composure she was

completely successful. Anyone who did not know her and her

circle, who had not heard all the utterances of the women

expressive of commiseration, indignation, and amazement, that she

should show herself in society, and show herself so conspicuously

with her lace and her beauty, would have admired the serenity and

loveliness of this woman without a suspicion that she was

undergoing the sensations of a man in the stocks.

Knowing that something had happened, but not knowing precisely

what, Vronsky felt a thrill of agonizing anxiety, and hoping to

find out something, he went towards his brother's box. Purposely

choosing the way round furthest from Anna's box, he jostled as he

came out against the colonel of his old regiment talking to two

acquaintances. Vronsky heard the name of Madame Karenina, and

noticed how the colonel hastened to address Vronsky loudly by

name, with a meaning glance at his companions.