Anna Karenina - Part 5

Alexey Alexandrovitch did not merely fail to observe his hopeless

position in the official world, he was not merely free from

anxiety on this head, he was positively more satisfied than ever

with his own activity.

"He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the

Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth

for the things that are of the world, how he may please his

wife," says the Apostle Paul, and Alexey Alexandrovitch, who was

now guided in every action by Scripture, often recalled this

text. It seemed to him that ever since he had been left without

a wife, he had in these very projects of reform been serving the

Lord more zealously than before.

The unmistakable impatience of the member of the Council trying

to get away from him did not trouble Alexey Alexandrovitch; he

gave up his exposition only when the member of the Council,

seizing his chance when one of the Imperial family was passing,

slipped away from him.

Left alone, Alexey Alexandrovitch looked down, collecting his

thoughts, then looked casually about him and walked towards the

door, where he hoped to meet Countess Lidia Ivanovna.

"And how strong they all are, how sound physically," thought

Alexey Alexandrovitch, looking at the powerfully built gentleman

of the bedchamber with his well-combed, perfumed whiskers, and at

the red neck of the prince, pinched by his tight uniform. He had

to pass them on his way. "Truly is it said that all the world is

evil," he thought, with another sidelong glance at the calves of

the gentleman of the bedchamber.

Moving forward deliberately, Alexey Alexandrovitch bowed with his

customary air of weariness and dignity to the gentleman who had

been talking about him, and looking towards the door, his eyes

sought Countess Lidia Ivanovna.

"Ah! Alexey Alexandrovitch!" said the little old man, with a

malicious light in his eyes, at the moment when Karenin was on a

level with them, and was nodding with a frigid gesture, "I

haven't congratulated you yet," said the old man, pointing to his

newly received ribbon.

"Thank you," answered Alexey Alexandrovitch. "What an _exquisite_

day to-day," he added, laying emphasis in his peculiar way on the

word _exquisite_.

That they laughed at him he was well aware, but he did not expect

anything but hostility from them; he was used to that by now.

Catching sight of the yellow shoulders of Lidia Ivanovna jutting

out above her corset, and her fine pensive eyes bidding him to

her, Alexey Alexandrovitch smiled, revealing untarnished white

teeth, and went towards her.