Anna Karenina - Part 6

"I don't like to see such imprudence."

"Well, I'll walk then, I'm so well." Kitty got up and went to her

husband and took his hand.

"You may be well, but everything in moderation," said the

princess.

"Well, Agafea Mihalovna, is the jam done?" said Levin, smiling to

Agafea Mihalovna, and trying to cheer her up. "Is it all right

in the new way?"

"I suppose it's all right. For our notions it's boiled too

long."

"It'll be all the better, Agafea Mihalovna, it won't mildew, even

though our ice has begun to thaw already, so that we've no cool

cellar to store it," said Kitty, at once divining her husband's

motive, and addressing the old housekeeper with the same feeling;

"but your pickle's so good, that mamma says she never tasted any

like it," she added, smiling, and putting her kerchief straight.

Agafea Mihalovna looked angrily at Kitty.

"You needn't try to console me, mistress. I need only to look at

you with him, and I feel happy," she said, and something in the

rough familiarity of that _with him_ touched Kitty.

"Come along with us to look for mushrooms, you will show us the

best places." Agafea Mihalovna smiled and shook her head, as

though to say: "I should like to be angry with you too, but I

can't."

"Do it, please, by my receipt," said the princess; "put some

paper over the jam, and moisten it with a little rum, and without

even ice, it will never go mildewy."