Anna Karenina - Part 5

Shtcherbatsky and Tchirikov, supporting the crowns and stumbling

over the bride's train, smiling too and seeming delighted at

something, were at one moment left behind, at the next treading

on the bridal pair as the priest came to a halt. The spark of

joy kindled in Kitty seemed to have infected everyone in the

church. It seemed to Levin that the priest and the deacon too

wanted to smile just as he did.

Taking the crowns off their heads the priest read the last prayer

and congratulated the young people. Levin looked at Kitty, and

he had never before seen her look as she did. She was charming

with the new radiance of happiness in her face. Levin longed to

say something to her, but he did not know whether it was all

over. The priest got him out of his difficulty. He smiled his

kindly smile and said gently, "Kiss your wife, and you kiss your

husband," and took the candles out of their hands.

Levin kissed her smiling lips with timid care, gave her his arm,

and with a new strange sense of closeness, walked out of the

church. He did not believe, he could not believe, that it was

true. It was only when their wondering and timid eyes met that

he believed in it, because he felt that they were one.

After supper, the same night, the young people left for the

country.