Part Four: Chapter 9

by Leo Tolstoy

　　It was past five, and several guests had already arrived, beforethe host himself got home. He went in together with SergeyIvanovitch Koznishev and Pestsov, who had reached the street doorat the same moment. These were the two leading representativesof the Moscow intellectuals, as Oblonsky had called them. Bothwere men respected for their character and their intelligence.They respected each other, but were in complete and hopelessdisagreement upon almost every subject, not because they belongedto opposite parties, but precisely because they were of the sameparty (their enemies refused to see any distinction between theirviews); but, in that party, each had his own special shade ofopinion. And since no difference is less easily overcome thanthe difference of opinion about semi-abstract questions, theynever agreed in any opinion, and had long, indeed, beenaccustomed to jeer without anger, each at the other'sincorrigible aberrations.

　　They were just going in at the door, talking of the weather, whenStepan Arkadyevitch overtook them. In the drawing room therewere already sitting Prince Alexander Dmitrievitch Shtcherbatsky,young Shtcherbatsky, Turovtsin, Kitty, and Karenin.

　　Stepan Arkadyevitch saw immediately that things were not goingwell in the drawing-room without him. Darya Alexandrovna, in herbest gray silk gown, obviously worried about the children, whowere to have their dinner by themselves in the nursery, and byher husband's absence, was not equal to the task of making theparty mix without him. All were sitting like so many priests'wives on a visit (so the old prince expressed it), obviouslywondering why they were there, and pumping up remarks simply toavoid being silent. Turovtsin--good, simple man--feltunmistakably a fish out of water, and the smile with which histhick lips greeted Stepan Arkadyevitch said, as plainly as words:"Well, old boy, you have popped me down in a learned set! Adrinking party now, or the Chateau des Fleurs, would be more inmy line!" The old prince sat in silence, his bright little eyeswatching Karenin from one side, and Stepan Arkadyevitch saw thathe had already formed a phrase to sum up that politician of whomguests were invited to partake as though he were a sturgeon.Kitty was looking at the door, calling up all her energies tokeep her from blushing at the entrance of Konstantin Levin.Young Shtcherbatsky, who had not been introduced to Karenin, wastrying to look as though he were not in the least conscious ofit. Karenin himself had followed the Petersburg fashion for adinner with ladies and was wearing evening dress and a white tie.Stepan Arkadyevitch saw by his face that he had come simply tokeep his promise, and was performing a disagreeable duty in beingpresent at this gathering. He was indeed the person chieflyresponsible for the chill benumbing all the guests before StepanArkadyevitch came in.

　　On entering the drawing room Stepan Arkadyevitch apologized,explaining that he had been detained by that prince, who wasalways the scapegoat for all his absences and unpunctualities,and in one moment he had made all the guests acquainted with eachother, and, bringing together Alexey Alexandrovitch and SergeyKoznishev, started them on a discussion of the Russification ofPoland, into which they immediately plunged with Pestsov.Slapping Turovtsin on the shoulder, he whispered something comicin his ear, and set him down by his wife and the old prince.Then he told Kitty she was looking very pretty that evening, andpresented Shtcherbatsky to Karenin. In a moment he had sokneaded together the social dough that the drawing room becamevery lively, and there was a merry buzz of voices. KonstantinLevin was the only person who had not arrived. But this was somuch the better, as going into the dining room, StepanArkadyevitch found to his horror that the port and sherry hadbeen procured from Depre, and not from Levy, and, directing thatthe coachman should be sent off as speedily as possible toLevy's, he was going back to the drawing room.

　　In the dining room he was met by Konstantin Levin.

　　"I'm not late?"

　　"You can never help being late!" said Stepan Arkadyevitch, takinghis arm.

　　"Have you a lot of people? Who's here?" asked Levin, unable tohelp blushing, as he knocked the snow off his cap with his glove.

　　"All our own set. Kitty's here. Come along, I'll introduce youto Karenin."

　　Stepan Arkadyevitch, for all his liberal views, was well awarethat to meet Karenin was sure to be felt a flatteringdistinction, and so treated his best friends to this honor. Butat that instant Konstantin Levin was not in a condition to feelall the gratification of making such an acquaintance. He had notseen Kitty since that memorable evening when he met Vronsky, notcounting, that is, the moment when he had had a glimpse of her onthe highroad. He had known at the bottom of his heart that hewould see her here today. But to keep his thoughts free, he hadtried to persuade himself that he did not know it. Now when heheard that she was here, he was suddenly conscious of suchdelight, and at the same time of such dread, that his breathfailed him and he could not utter what he wanted to say.

　　"What is she like, what is she like? Like what she used to be,or like what she was in the carriage? What if Darya Alexandrovnatold the truth? Why shouldn't it be the truth?" he thought.

　　"Oh, please, introduce me to Karenin," he brought out with aneffort, and with a desperately determined step he walked into thedrawing room and beheld her.

　　She was not the same as she used to be, nor was she as she hadbeen in the carriage; she was quite different.

　　She was scared, shy, shame-faced, and still more charming fromit. She saw him the very instant he walked into the room. Shehad been expecting him. She was delighted, and so confused ather own delight that there was a moment, the moment when he wentup to her sister and glanced again at her, when she, and he, andDolly, who saw it all, thought she would break down and wouldbegin to cry. She crimsoned, turned white, crimsoned again, andgrew faint, waiting with quivering lips for him to come to her.He went up to her, bowed, and held out his hand without speaking.Except for the slight quiver of her lips and the moisture in hereyes that made them brighter, her smile was almost calm as shesaid:

　　"How long it is since we've seen each other!" and with desperatedetermination she pressed his hand with her cold hand.

　　"You've not seen me, but I've seen you," said Levin, with aradiant smile of happiness. "I saw you when you were drivingfrom the railway station to Ergushovo."

　　"When?" she asked, wondering.

　　"You were driving to Ergushovo," said Levin, feeling as if hewould sob with the rapture that was flooding his heart. "And howdared I associate a thought of anything not innocent with thistouching creature? And, yes, I do believe it's true what DaryaAlexandrovna told me," he thought.

　　Stepan Arkadyevitch took him by the arm and led him away toKarenin.

　　"Let me introduce you." He mentioned their names.

　　"Very glad to meet you again," said Alexey Alexandrovitch coldly,shaking hands with Levin.

　　"You are acquainted?" Stepan Arkadyevitch asked in surprise.

　　"We spent three hours together in the train," said Levin smiling,"but got out, just as in a masquerade, quite mystified--at leastI was."

　　"Nonsense! Come along, please," said Stepan Arkadyevitch,pointing in the direction of the dining room.

　　The men went into the dining-room and went up to a table, laidwith six sorts of spirits and as many kinds of cheese, some withlittle silver spades and some without, caviar, herrings,preserves of various kinds, and plates with slices of Frenchbread.

　　The men stood round the strong-smelling spirits and saltdelicacies, and the discussion of the Russification of Polandbetween Koznishev, Karenin, and Pestsov died down in anticipationof dinner.

　　Sergey Ivanovitch was unequaled in his skill in winding up themost heated and serious argument by some unexpected pinch ofAttic salt that changed the disposition of his opponent. He didthis now.

　　Alexey Alexandrovitch had been maintaining that the Russificationof Poland could only be accomplished as a result of largermeasures which ought to be introduced by the Russian government.

　　Pestsov insisted that one country can only absorb another when itis the more densely populated.

　　Koznishev admitted both points, but with limitations. As theywere going out of the drawing room to conclude the argument,Koznishev said, smiling:

　　"So, then, for the Russification of our foreign populations thereis but one method--to bring up as many children as one can. Mybrother and I are terribly in fault, I see. You married men,especially you, Stepan Arkadyevitch, are the real patriots: whatnumber have you reached?" he said, smiling genially at their hostand holding out a tiny wine glass to him.

　　Everyone laughed, and Stepan Arkadyevitch with particular goodhumor.

　　"Oh, yes, that's the best method!" he said, munching cheese andfilling the wine-glass with a special sort of spirit. Theconversation dropped at the jest.

　　"This cheese is not bad. Shall I give you some?" said the masterof the house. "Why, have you been going in for gymnasticsagain?" he asked Levin, pinching his muscle with his left hand.Levin smiled, bent his arm, and under Stepan Arkadyevitch'sfingers the muscles swelled up like a sound cheese, hard as aknob of iron, through the fine cloth of the coat.

　　"What biceps! A perfect Samson!"

　　"I imagine great strength is needed for hunting bears," observedAlexey Alexandrovitch, who had the mistiest notions about thechase. He cut off and spread with cheese a wafer of bread fineas a spider-web.

　　Levin smiled.

　　"Not at all. Quite the contrary; a child can kill a bear," hesaid, with a slight bow moving aside for the ladies, who wereapproaching the table.

　　"You have killed a bear, I've been told!" said Kitty, tryingassiduously to catch with her fork a perverse mushroom that wouldslip away, and setting the lace quivering over her white arm."Are there bears on your place?" she added, turning her charminglittle head to him and smiling.

　　There was apparently nothing extraordinary in what she said, butwhat unutterable meaning there was for him in every sound, inevery turn of her lips, her eyes, her hand as she said it! Therewas entreaty for forgiveness, and trust in him, and tenderness--soft, timid tenderness--and promise and hope and love for him,which he could not but believe in and which choked him withhappiness.

　　"No, we've been hunting in the Tver province. It was coming backfrom there that I met your beau-frere in the train, or yourbeau-frere's brother-in-law," he said with a smile. "It was anamusing meeting."

　　And he began telling with droll good-humor how, after notsleeping all night, he had, wearing an old fur-lined,full-skirted coat, got into Alexey Alexandrovitch's compartment.

　　"The conductor, forgetting the proverb, would have chucked me outon account of my attire; but thereupon I began expressing myfeelings in elevated language, and...you, too," he said,addressing Karenin and forgetting his name, "at first would haveejected me on the ground of the old coat, but afterwards you tookmy part, for which I am extremely grateful."

　　"The rights of passengers generally to choose their seats are tooill-defined," said Alexey Alexandrovitch, rubbing the tips of hisfingers on his handkerchief.

　　"I saw you were in uncertainty about me," said Levin, smilinggood-naturedly, "but I made haste to plunge into intellectualconversation to smooth over the defects of my attire."Sergey Ivanovitch, while he kept up a conversation with theirhostess, had one ear for his brother, and he glanced askance athim. "What is the matter with him today? Why such a conqueringhero?" he thought. He did not know that Levin was feeling asthough he had grown wings. Levin knew she was listening to hiswords and that she was glad to listen to him. And this was theonly thing that interested him. Not in that room only, but inthe whole world, there existed for him only himself, withenormously increased importance and dignity in his own eyes, andshe. He felt himself on a pinnacle that made him giddy, and faraway down below were all those nice excellent Karenins,Oblonskys, and all the world.

　　Quite without attracting notice, without glancing at them, asthough there were no other places left, Stepan Arkadyevitch putLevin and Kitty side by side.

　　"Oh, you may as well sit there," he said to Levin.

　　The dinner was as choice as the china, in which StepanArkadyevitch was a connoisseur. The soupe Marie-Louise was asplendid success; the tiny pies eaten with it melted in the mouthand were irreproachable. The two footmen and Matvey, in whitecravats, did their duty with the dishes and wines unobtrusively,quietly, and swiftly. On the material side the dinner was asuccess; it was no less so on the immaterial. The conversation,at times general and at times between individuals, never paused,and towards the end the company was so lively that the men rosefrom the table, without stopping speaking, and even AlexeyAlexandrovitch thawed.