Anna Karenina - Part 8

His ears were filled with the incessant hum in various notes, now

the busy hum of the working bee flying quickly off, then the

blaring of the lazy drone, and the excited buzz of the bees on

guard protecting their property from the enemy and preparing to

sting. On the farther side of the fence the old bee-keeper was

shaving a hoop for a tub, and he did not see Levin. Levin stood

still in the midst of the beehives and did not call him.

He was glad of a chance to be alone to recover from the influence

of ordinary actual life, which had already depressed his happy

mood. He thought that he had already had time to lose his temper

with Ivan, to show coolness to his brother, and to talk

flippantly with Katavasov.

"Can it have been only a momentary mood, and will it pass and

leave no trace?" he thought. But the same instant, going back to

his mood, he felt with delight that something new and important

had happened to him. Real life had only for a time overcast the

spiritual peace he had found, but it was still untouched within

him.

Just as the bees, whirling round him, now menacing him and

distracting his attention, prevented him from enjoying complete

physical peace, forced him to restrain his movements to avoid

them, so had the petty cares that had swarmed about him from the

moment he got into the trap restricted his spiritual freedom; but

that lasted only so long as he was among them. Just as his

bodily strength was still unaffected, in spite of the bees, so

too was the spiritual strength that he had just become aware of.