Part Four: Chapter 15

by Leo Tolstoy

　　The streets were still empty. Levin went to the house of theShtcherbatskys. The visitors' doors were closed and everythingwas asleep. He walked back, went into his room again, and askedfor coffee. The day servant, not Yegor this time, brought it tohim. Levin would have entered into conversation with him, but abell rang for the servant, and he went out. Levin tried to drinkcoffee and put some roll in his mouth, but his mouth was quite ata loss what to do with the roll. Levin, rejecting the roll, puton his coat and went out again for a walk. It was nine o'clockwhen he reached the Shtcherbatskys' steps the second time. Inthe house they were only just up, and the cook came out to gomarketing. He had to get through at least two hours more.

　　All that night and morning Levin lived perfectly unconsciously,and felt perfectly lifted out of the conditions of material life.He had eaten nothing for a whole day, he had not slept for twonights, had spent several hours undressed in the frozen air, andfelt not simply fresher and stronger than ever, but felt utterlyindependent of his body; he moved without muscular effort, andfelt as if he could do anything. He was convinced he could flyupwards or lift the corner of the house, if need be. He spentthe remainder of the time in the street, incessantly looking athis watch and gazing about him.

　　And what he saw then, he never saw again after. The childrenespecially going to school, the bluish doves flying down fromthe roofs to the pavement, and the little loaves covered withflour, thrust out by an unseen hand, touched him. Those loaves,those doves, and those two boys were not earthly creatures. Itall happened at the same time: a boy ran towards a dove andglanced smiling at Levin; the dove, with a whir of her wings,darted away, flashing in the sun, amid grains of snow thatquivered in the air, while from a little window there came asmell of fresh-baked bread, and the loaves were put out. All ofthis together was so extraordinarily nice that Levin laughed andcried with delight. Going a long way round by Gazetny Place andKislovka, he went back again to the hotel, and putting his watchbefore him, he sat down to wait for twelve o'clock. In the nextroom they were talking about some sort of machines, andswindling, and coughing their morning coughs. They did notrealize that the hand was near twelve. The hand reached it.Levin went out onto the steps. The sledge-drivers clearly knewall about it. They crowded round Levin with happy faces,quarreling among themselves, and offering their services. Tryingnot to offend the other sledge drivers, and promising to drivewith them too, Levin took one and told him to drive to theShtcherbatskys'. The sledge-driver was splendid in a whiteshirt-collar sticking out over his overcoat and into his strong,full-blooded red neck. The sledge was high and comfortable, andaltogether such a one as Levin never drove in after, and thehorse was a good one, and tried to gallop but didn't seem tomove. The driver knew the Shtcherbatskys' house, and drew up atthe entrance with a curve of his arm and a "Wo!" especiallyindicative of respect for his fare. The Shtcherbatskys'hall-porter certainly knew all about it. This was evident fromthe smile in his eyes and the way he said:

　　"Well, it's a long while since you've been to see us, KonstantinDemitrievitch!"

　　Not only he knew all about it, but he was unmistakably delightedand making efforts to conceal his joy. Looking into his kindlyold eyes, Levin realized even something new in his happiness.

　　"Are they up?"

　　"Pray walk in! Leave it here," said he, smiling, as Levin wouldhave come back to take his hat. That meant something.

　　"To whom shall I announce your honor?" asked the footman.

　　The footman, though a young man, and one of the new school offootmen, a dandy, was a very kind-hearted, good fellow, and hetoo knew all about it.

　　"The princess...the prince...the young princess..." said Levin.

　　The first person he saw was Mademoiselle Linon. She walkedacross the room, and her ringlets and her face were beaming. Hehad only just spoken to her, when suddenly he heard the rustle ofa skirt at the door, and Mademoiselle Linon vanished from Levin'seyes, and a joyful terror came over him at the nearness of hishappiness. Mademoiselle Linon was in great haste, and leavinghim, went out at the other door. Directly she had gone out,swift, swift light steps sounded on the parquet, and his bliss,his life, himself--what was best in himself, what he had so longsought and longed for--was quickly, so quickly approaching him.She did not walk, but seemed, by some unseen force, to float tohim. He saw nothing but her clear, truthful eyes, frightened bythe same bliss of love that flooded his heart. Those eyes wereshining nearer and nearer, blinding him with their light of love.She stopped still close to him, touching him. Her hands rose anddropped onto his shoulders.

　　She had done all she could--she had run up to him and givenherself up entirely, shy and happy. He put his arms round herand pressed his lips to her mouth that sought his kiss.

　　She too had not slept all night, and had been expecting him allthe morning.

　　Her mother and father had consented without demur, and were happyin her happiness. She had been waiting for him. She wanted tobe the first to tell him her happiness and his. She had gotready to see him alone, and had been delighted at the idea, andhad been shy and ashamed, and did not know herself what she wasdoing. She had heard his steps and voice, and had waited at thedoor for Mademoiselle Linon to go. Mademoiselle Linon had goneaway. Without thinking, without asking herself how and what, shehad gone up to him, and did as she was doing.

　　"Let us go to mamma!" she said, taking him by the hand. For along while he could say nothing, not so much because he wasafraid of desecrating the loftiness of his emotion by a word, asthat every time he tried to say something, instead of words hefelt that tears of happiness were welling up. He took her handand kissed it.

　　"Can it be true?" he said at last in a choked voice. "I can'tbelieve you love me, dear!"

　　She smiled at that "dear," and at the timidity with which heglanced at her.

　　"Yes!" she said significantly, deliberately. "I am so happy!"

　　Not letting go his hands, she went into the drawing room. Theprincess, seeing them, breathed quickly, and immediately began tocry and then immediately began to laugh and with a vigorous stepLevin had not expected, ran up to him, and hugging his head,kissed him, wetting his cheeks with her tears.

　　"So it is all settled! I am glad. Love her. I am glad....Kitty!"

　　"You've not been long settling things," said the old prince,trying to seem unmoved; but Levin noticed that his eyes were wetwhen he turned to him.

　　"I've long, always wished for this!" said the prince, takingLevin by the arm and drawing him towards himself. "Even whenthis little feather-head fancied..."

　　"Papa!" shrieked Kitty, and shut his mouth with her hands.

　　"Well, I won't!" he said. "I'm very, very ...plea ...Oh,what a fool I am..."

　　He embraced Kitty, kissed her face, her hand, her face again andmade the sign of the cross over her.

　　And there came over Levin a new feeling of love for this man,till then so little known to him, when he saw how slowly andtenderly Kitty kissed his muscular hand.