Anna Karenina - Part 8

Sergey Ivanovitch had not telegraphed to his brother to send to

meet him, as he did not know when he should be able to leave

Moscow. Levin was not at home when Katavasov and Sergey

Ivanovitch in a fly hired at the station drove up to the steps of

the Pokrovskoe house, as black as Moors from the dust of the

road. Kitty, sitting on the balcony with her father and sister,

recognized her brother-in-law, and ran down to meet him.

"What a shame not to have let us know," she said, giving her hand

to Sergey Ivanovitch, and putting her forehead up for him to

kiss.

"We drove here capitally, and have not put you out," answered

Sergey Ivanovitch. "I'm so dirty. I'm afraid to touch you.

I've been so busy, I didn't know when I should be able to tear

myself away. And so you're still as ever enjoying your peaceful,

quiet happiness," he said, smiling, "out of the reach of the

current in your peaceful backwater. Here's our friend Fyodor

Vassilievitch who has succeeded in getting here at last."

"But I'm not a negro, I shall look like a human being when I

wash," said Katavasov in his jesting fashion, and he shook hands

and smiled, his teeth flashing white in his black face.

"Kostya will be delighted. He has gone to his settlement. It's

time he should be home."

"Busy as ever with his farming. It really is a peaceful

backwater," said Katavasov; "while we in town think of nothing

but the Servian war. Well, how does our friend look at it? He's

sure not to think like other people."

"Oh, I don't know, like everybody else," Kitty answered, a little

embarrassed, looking round at Sergey Ivanovitch. "I'll send to

fetch him. Papa's staying with us. He's only just come home

from abroad."

And making arrangements to send for Levin and for the guests to

wash, one in his room and the other in what had been Dolly's, and

giving orders for their luncheon, Kitty ran out onto the balcony,

enjoying the freedom, and rapidity of movement, of which she had

been deprived during the months of her pregnancy.

"It's Sergey Ivanovitch and Katavasov, a professor," she said.

"Oh, that's a bore in this heat," said the prince.

"No, papa, he's very nice, and Kostya's very fond of him," Kitty

said, with a deprecating smile, noticing the irony on her

father's face.

"Oh, I didn't say anything."