Anna Karenina - Part 5

For several days now Countess Lidia Ivanovna had been in a state

of intense excitement. She had learned that Anna and Vronsky

were in Petersburg. Alexey Alexandrovitch must be saved from

seeing her, he must be saved even from the torturing knowledge

that that awful woman was in the same town with him, and that he

might meet her any minute.

Lidia Ivanovna made inquiries through her friends as to what

those _infamous people_, as she called Anna and Vronsky, intended

doing, and she endeavored so to guide every movement of her

friend during those days that he could not come across them. The

young adjutant, an acquaintance of Vronsky, through whom she

obtained her information, and who hoped through Countess Lidia

Ivanovna to obtain a concession, told her that they had finished

their business and were going away next day. Lidia Ivanovna had

already begun to calm down, when the next morning a note was

brought her, the handwriting of which she recognized with horror.

It was the handwriting of Anna Karenina. The envelope was of

paper as thick as bark; on the oblong yellow paper there was a

huge monogram, and the letter smelt of agreeable scent.

"Who brought it?"

"A commissionaire from the hotel."

It was some time before Countess Lidia Ivanovna could sit down to

read the letter. Her excitement brought on an attack of asthma,

to which she was subject. When she had recovered her composure,

she read the following letter in French: "Madame la Comtesse, "The Christian feelings with which your heart is filled give me

the, I feel, unpardonable boldness to write to you. I am

miserable at being separated from my son. I entreat permission

to see him once before my departure. Forgive me for recalling

myself to your memory. I apply to you and not to Alexey

Alexandrovitch, simply because I do not wish to cause that

generous man to suffer in remembering me. Knowing your

friendship for him, I know you will understand me. Could you

send Seryozha to me, or should I come to the house at some fixed

hour, or will you let me know when and where I could see him away

from home? I do not anticipate a refusal, knowing the

magnanimity of him with whom it rests. You cannot conceive the

craving I have to see him, and so cannot conceive the gratitude

your help will arouse in me.

Anna"

Everything in this letter exasperated Countess Lidia Ivanovna:

its contents and the allusion to magnanimity, and especially its

free and easy--as she considered--tone.

"Say that there is no answer," said Countess Lidia Ivanovna, and

immediately opening her blotting-book, she wrote to Alexey

Alexandrovitch that she hoped to see him at one o'clock at the

levee.