Anna Karenina - Part 7

"Oh, why so? On the contrary, I have hopes," said Dolly, looking

inquisitively at Anna. She had never seen her in such a

strangely irritable condition. "When are you going away?" she

asked.

Anna, half-closing her eyes, looked straight before her and did

not answer.

"Why does Kitty shrink from me?" she said, looking at the door

and flushing red.

"Oh, what nonsense! She's nursing, and things aren't going right

with her, and I've been advising her.... She's delighted.

She'll be here in a minute," said Dolly awkwardly, not clever at

lying. "Yes, here she is."

Hearing that Anna had called, Kitty had wanted not to appear, but

Dolly persuaded her. Rallying her forces, Kitty went in, walked

up to her, blushing, and shook hands.

"I am so glad to see you," she said with a trembling voice.

Kitty had been thrown into confusion by the inward conflict

between her antagonism to this bad woman and her desire to be

nice to her. But as soon as she saw Anna's lovely and attractive

face, all feeling of antagonism disappeared.

"I should not have been surprised if you had not cared to meet

me. I'm used to everything. You have been ill? Yes, you are

changed," said Anna.

Kitty felt that Anna was looking at her with hostile eyes. She

ascribed this hostility to the awkward position in which Anna,

who had once patronized her, must feel with her now, and she felt

sorry for her.

They talked of Kitty's illness, of the baby, of Stiva, but it was

obvious that nothing interested Anna.

"I came to say good-bye to you," she said, getting up.

"Oh, when are you going?"

But again not answering, Anna turned to Kitty.

"Yes, I am very glad to have seen you," she said with a smile.

"I have heard so much of you from everyone, even from your

husband. He came to see me, and I liked him exceedingly," she

said, unmistakably with malicious intent. "Where is he?"

"He has gone back to the country," said Kitty, blushing.

"Remember me to him, be sure you do."

"I'll be sure to!" Kitty said naïvely, looking compassionately

into her eyes.

"So good-bye, Dolly." And kissing Dolly and shaking hands with

Kitty, Anna went out hurriedly.

"She's just the same and just as charming! She's very lovely!"

said Kitty, when she was alone with her sister. "But there's

something piteous about her. Awfully piteous!"