Part Four: Chapter 11

by Leo Tolstoy

　　Everyone took part in the conversation except Kitty and Levin.At first, when they were talking of the influence that one peoplehas on another, there rose to Levin's mind what he had to say onthe subject. But these ideas, once of such importance in hiseyes, seemed to come into his brain as in a dream, and had nownot the slightest interest for him. It even struck him asstrange that they should be so eager to talk of what was of nouse to anyone. Kitty, too, should, one would have supposed, havebeen interested in what they were saying of the rights andeducation of women. How often she had mused on the subject,thinking of her friend abroad, Varenka, of her painful state ofdependence, how often she had wondered about herself what wouldbecome of her if she did not marry, and how often she had arguedwith her sister about it! But it did not interest her at all.She and Levin had a conversation of their own, yet not aconversation, but some sort of mysterious communication, whichbrought them every moment nearer, and stirred in both a sense ofglad terror before the unknown into which they were entering.

　　At first Levin, in answer to Kitty's question how he could haveseen her last year in the carriage, told her how he had beencoming home from the mowing along the highroad and had met her.

　　"It was very, very early in the morning. You were probably onlyjust awake. Your mother was asleep in the corner. It was anexquisite morning. I was walking along wondering who it could bein a four-in-hand? It was a splendid set of four horses withbells, and in a second you flashed by, and I saw you at thewindow--you were sitting like this, holding the strings of yourcap in both hands, and thinking awfully deeply about something,"he said, smiling. "How I should like to know what you werethinking about then! Something important?"

　　"Wasn't I dreadfully untidy?" she wondered, but seeing the smileof ecstasy these reminiscences called up, she felt that theimpression she had made had been very good. She blushed andlaughed with delight; "Really I don't remember."

　　"How nicely Turovtsin laughs!" said Levin, admiring his moisteyes and shaking chest.

　　"Have you known him longs" asked Kitty.

　　"Oh, everyone knows him!"

　　"And I see you think he's a horrid man?"

　　"Not horrid, but nothing in him."

　　"Oh, you're wrong! And you must give up thinking so directly!"said Kitty. "I used to have a very poor opinion of him too, buthe, he's an awfully nice and wonderfully good-hearted man. Hehas a heart of gold."

　　"How could you find out what sort of heart he has?"

　　"We are great friends. I know him very well. Last winter, soonafter...you came to see us," she said, with a guilty and atthe same time confiding smile, "all Dolly's children had scarletfever, and he happened to come and see her. And only fancy," shesaid in a whisper, "he felt so sorry for her that he stayed andbegan to help her look after the children. Yes, and for threeweeks he stopped with them, and looked after the children like anurse."

　　"I am telling Konstantin Dmitrievitch about Turovtsin in thescarlet fever," she said, bending over to her sister.

　　"Yes, it was wonderful, noble!" said Dolly, glancing towardsTurovtsin, who had become aware they were talking of him, andsmiling gently to him. Levin glanced once more at Turovtsin, andwondered how it was he had not realized all this man's goodnessbefore.

　　"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, and I'll never think ill of people again!"he said gaily, genuinely expressing what he felt at the moment.