Anna Karenina - Part 1 - Page 66/119

"Yes, the countess and I have been talking all the time, I of my

son and she of hers," said Madame Karenina, and again a smile

lighted up her face, a caressing smile intended for him.

"I am afraid that you must have been dreadfully bored," he said,

promptly catching the ball of coquetry she had flung him. But

apparently she did not care to pursue the conversation in that

strain, and she turned to the old countess.

"Thank you so much. The time has passed so quickly. Good-bye,

countess."

"Good-bye, my love," answered the countess. "Let me have a kiss

of your pretty face. I speak plainly, at my age, and I tell you

simply that I've lost my heart to you."

Stereotyped as the phrase was, Madame Karenina obviously believed

it and was delighted by it. She flushed, bent down slightly, and

put her cheek to the countess's lips, drew herself up again, and

with the same smile fluttering between her lips and her eyes, she

gave her hand to Vronsky. He pressed the little hand she gave

him, and was delighted, as though at something special, by the

energetic squeeze with which she freely and vigorously shook his

hand. She went out with the rapid step which bore her rather

fully-developed figure with such strange lightness.

"Very charming," said the countess.

That was just what her son was thinking. His eyes followed her

till her graceful figure was out of sight, and then the smile

remained on his face. He saw out of the window how she went up

to her brother, put her arm in his, and began telling him

something eagerly, obviously something that had nothing to do

with him, Vronsky, and at that he felt annoyed.

"Well, maman, are you perfectly well?" he repeated, turning to

his mother.

"Everything has been delightful. Alexander has been very good,

and Marie has grown very pretty. She's very interesting."

And she began telling him again of what interested her most--the

christening of her grandson, for which she had been staying in

Petersburg, and the special favor shown her elder son by the

Tsar.

"Here's Lavrenty," said Vronsky, looking out of the window; "now

we can go, if you like."

The old butler who had traveled with the countess, came to the

carriage to announce that everything was ready, and the countess

got up to go.

"Come; there's not such a crowd now," said Vronsky.

The maid took a handbag and the lap dog, the butler and a porter

the other baggage. Vronsky gave his mother his arm; but just as

they were getting out of the carriage several men ran suddenly by

with panic-stricken faces. The station-master, too, ran by in

his extraordinary colored cap. Obviously something unusual had

happened. The crowd who had left the train were running back

again.