Part One: Chapter 15

by Leo Tolstoy

　　At the end of the evening Kitty told her mother of herconversation with Levin, and in spite of all the pity she feltfor Levin, she was glad at the thought that she had received anoffer. She had no doubt that she had acted rightly. But aftershe had gone to bed, for a long while she could not sleep. Oneimpression pursued her relentlessly. It was Levin's face, withhis scowling brows, and his kind eyes looking out in darkdejection below them, as he stood listening to her father, andglancing at her and at Vronsky. And she felt so sorry for himthat tears came into her eyes. But immediately she thought ofthe man for whom she had given him up. She vividly recalled hismanly, resolute face, his noble self-possession, and thegood nature conspicuous in everything towards everyone. Sheremembered the love for her of the man she loved, and once moreall was gladness in her soul, and she lay on the pillow, smilingwith happiness. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry; but what could I do?It's not my fault," she said to herself; but an inner voice toldher something else. Whether she felt remorse at having wonLevin's love, or at having refused him, she did not know. Buther happiness was poisoned by doubts. "Lord, have pity on us;Lord, have pity on us; Lord, have pity on us!" she repeated toherself, till she fell asleep.

　　Meanwhile there took place below, in the prince's little library,one of the scenes so often repeated between the parents onaccount of their favorite daughter.

　　"What? I'll tell you what!" shouted the prince, waving his arms,and at once wrapping his squirrel-lined dressing-gown round himagain. "That you've no pride, no dignity; that you'redisgracing, ruining your daughter by this vulgar, stupidmatch-making!"

　　"But, really, for mercy's sake, prince, what have I done?" saidthe princess, almost crying.

　　She, pleased and happy after her conversation with her daughter,had gone to the prince to say good-night as usual, and thoughshe had no intention of telling him of Levin's offer and Kitty'srefusal, still she hinted to her husband that she fancied thingswere practically settled with Vronsky, and that he would declarehimself so soon as his mother arrived. And thereupon, at thosewords, the prince had all at once flown into a passion, and beganto use unseemly language.

　　"What have you done? I'll tell you what. First of all, you'retrying to catch an eligible gentleman, and all Moscow will betalking of it, and with good reason. If you have eveningparties, invite everyone, don't pick out the possible suitors.Invite all the young bucks. Engage a piano player, and let themdance, and not as you do things nowadays, hunting up goodmatches. It makes me sick, sick to see it, and you've gone ontill you've turned the poor wench's head. Levin's a thousandtimes the better man. As for this little Petersburg swell,they're turned out by machinery, all on one pattern, and allprecious rubbish. But if he were a prince of the blood, mydaughter need not run after anyone."

　　"But what have I done?"

　　"Why, you've..." The prince was crying wrathfully.

　　"I know if one were to listen to you," interrupted the princess,"we should never marry our daughter. If it's to be so, we'dbetter go into the country."

　　"Well, and we had better."

　　"But do wait a minute. Do I try and catch them? I don't try tocatch them in the least. A young man, and a very nice one, hasfallen in love with her, and she, I fancy..."

　　"Oh, yes, you fancy! And how if she really is in love, and he'sno more thinking of marriage than I am!... Oh, that I shouldlive to see it! Ah! spiritualism! Ah! Nice! Ah! the ball!"And the prince, imagining that he was mimicking his wife, made amincing curtsey at each word. "And this is how we're preparingwretchedness for Kitty; and she's really got the notion into herhead..."

　　"But what makes you suppose so?"

　　"I don't suppose; I know. We have eyes for such things, thoughwomen-folk haven't. I see a man who has serious intentions,that's Levin: and I see a peacock, like this feather-head, who'sonly amusing himself."

　　"Oh, well, when once you get an idea into your head!..."

　　"Well, you'll remember my words, but too late, just as withDolly."

　　"Well, well, we won't talk of it," the princess stopped him,recollecting her unlucky Dolly.

　　"By all means, and good night!"

　　And signing each other with the cross, the husband and wifeparted with a kiss, feeling that they each remained of their ownopinion.

　　The princess had at first been quite certain that that eveninghad settled Kitty's future, and theat there could be no doubt ofVronsky's intentions, but her husband's words had disturbed her.And returning to her own room, in terror before the unknownfuture, she, too, like Kitty, repeated several times in herheart, "Lord, have pity; Lord, have pity; Lord, have pity."