ANNA KARENINA (Collector's Edition). Leo Tolstoy

Чтение книги онлайн.

      Chapter 17

      THE croquet match to which the Princess Tverskaya had invited Anna was to be played by two ladies and their admirers. The two ladies were the chief representatives of a choice new Petersburg circle called, in imitation of an imitation of something, Les sept merveilles du monde [The seven wonders of the world]. These ladies belonged to a circle which, though higher, was entirely hostile to the set Anna frequented. Old Stremov — one of Petersburg’s influential men, and Lisa Merkalova’s adorer — was also officially hostile to Karenin. These considerations had made Anna reluctant to come, and it was to her refusal that the hints in Princess Tverskaya’s note had referred. But now the hope of seeing Vronsky had brought Anna.

      She arrived at the Princess Tverskaya’s house before the other visitors.

      Just as she arrived Vronsky’s footman, who with his well-brushed whiskers looked like a Gentleman of the Bedchamber, also came up. He stopped at the door, took off his cap, and let her pass. Anna saw him, and only then remembered that the evening before Vronsky had said that he was not coming. Probably he had sent a note to say so.

      As she was taking off her outdoor things in the hall she heard the footman — who even pronounced his r’s like a Gentleman of the Bedchamber — say: ‘From the Count to the Princess,’ as he delivered the note.

      She felt inclined to ask where his master was; she wanted to go home and write to him to come to her house, or to go to him herself But none of these things could be done. She heard in front of her the bell that announced her arrival, and the Princess Tverskaya’s footman was already standing half-turned toward her at an open door, waiting for her to enter the inner rooms.

      ‘The Princess is in the garden; she will be informed in a minute. Will you not come into the garden?’ said another footman in the next room.

      The feelings of irresolution and indefiniteness were just the same as at home, or even worse, because she could do nothing; she could not see Vronsky but had to stay there, in this company of strangers so out of sympathy with her present mood. But she wore a costume that she knew suited her, she was not alone but surrounded by a ceremonious setting of idleness, and she felt easier than at home; she had no need to think of what to do. Everything did itself. When she met Betsy coming toward her in a white costume that struck Anna by its elegance, Anna smiled at her as usual. The Princess Tverskaya came accompanied by Tushkevich and a young girl, a relation, who to the great delight of her provincial parents was spending the summer with the grand Princess.

      There must have been something unusual about Anna’s look, for Betsy noticed it at once.

      ‘I have slept badly,’ answered Anna, gazing at the footman, who she guessed was bringing Vronsky’s note.

      ‘How glad I am that you have come!’ said Betsy. ‘I am tired, and am going to have a cup of tea before they arrive. Won’t you and Masha go and look at the croquet-lawn where the grass is cut?’ she said to Tushkevich. ‘We can have a heart-to-heart talk over our tea. We’ll have a cosy chat, won’t we?’ she added in English, pressing the hand with which Anna held her sunshade.

      ‘Yes, especially as I cannot stay long. I must go to the old Countess Vrede — I promised to, ages ago,’ said Anna, to whom falsehood — so alien to her by nature — had now become so simple and natural in Society that it even gave her pleasure. Why she had said something she had not even thought of a moment before she could not have explained. Her only reason for saying it was that since Vronsky was not coming she must secure her freedom and try to see him in some other way. But why she had mentioned the old Lady-in-Waiting Vrede, to whom, among many other people, she owed a visit, she could not have explained; and yet as it happened she could have thought of nothing better had she tried to invent the most cunning means of seeing Vronsky.

      ‘No, I won’t let you go on any account,’ said Betsy, fixing her eyes intently on Anna. ‘I should be really hurt, if I were not so fond of you. It’s just as if you thought my company might compromise you! Please bring us tea in the little drawing-room,’ she said to the footman, screwing up her eyes as she always did when speaking to a footman.

      She took the note from him and read it.

      ‘Alexis has failed us,’ she said in French. ‘He writes that he cannot come.’ She spoke in a natural and matter-of-fact tone, as if it never entered her head that Vronsky had any other interest for Anna than as a croquet player.

      Anna was aware that Betsy knew everything, but when she heard her talk about Vronsky she always felt a momentary conviction that Betsy knew nothing about it.

      ‘Ah!’ said Anna, in an indifferent tone as if she cared very little about it, and went on with a smile: ‘How could your company compromise anyone?’ This play of words, this concealment of a secret, had a great charm for Anna, as it has for all women. It was not the necessity for secrecy, not its purpose, but the process itself that was fascinating.

      ‘I cannot be more Catholic than the Pope,’ she said. ‘Stremov and Lisa Merkalova are the cream of the cream of Society! They are received everywhere, and I’ — she put special stress on that I — ‘never was severe or intolerant: I simply have not the time.’

      ‘No! Perhaps you do not want to meet Stremov? Let him and Alexis Alexandrovich break lances at their Committee Meetings, that has nothing to do with us. In Society he is the most amiable man I know, and a passionate croquet player. You’ll see! And in spite of his ridiculous position as Lisa’s old admirer, you should see how he carries it off. He is very charming. Sappho Stolz you do not know? She is quite a new type.’

      While СКАЧАТЬ