Part Seven: Chapter 18

by Leo Tolstoy

　　"Now there is something I want to talk about, and you know whatit is. About Anna," Stepan Arkadyevitch said, pausing for abrief space, and shaking off the unpleasant impression.

　　As soon as Oblonsky uttered Anna's name, the face of AlexeyAlexandrovitch was completely transformed; all the life was goneout of it, and it looked weary and dead.

　　"What is it exactly that you want from me?" he said, moving inhis chair and snapping his pince-nez.

　　"A definite settlement, Alexey Alexandrovitch, some settlement ofthe position. I'm appealing to you" ("not as an injuredhusband," Stepan Arkadyevitch was going to say, but afraid ofwrecking his negotiation by this, he changed the words) "not as astatesman" (which did not sound a propos), "but simply as a man,and a good-hearted man and a Christian. You must have pity onher," he said.

　　"That is, in what way precisely?" Karenin said softly.

　　"Yes, pity on her. If you had seen her as I have!--I have beenspending all the winter with her--you would have pity on her.Her position is awful, simply awful!"

　　"I had imagined," answered Alexey Alexandrovitch in a higher,almost shrill voice, "that Anna Arkadyevna had everything she haddesired for herself."

　　"Oh, Alexey Alexandrovitch, for heaven's sake, don't let usindulge in recriminations! What is past is past, and you knowwhat she wants and is waiting for--divorce."

　　"But I believe Anna Arkadyevna refuses a divorce, if I make it acondition to leave me my son. I replied in that sense, andsupposed that the matter was ended. I consider it at an end,"shrieked Alexey Alexandrovitch.

　　"But, for heaven's sake, don't get hot!" said StepanArkadyevitch, touching his brother-in-law's knee. "The matter isnot ended. If you will allow me to recapitulate, it was likethis: when you parted, you were as magnanimous as could possiblybe; you were ready to give her everything--freedom, divorce even.She appreciated that. No, don't think that. She did appreciateit--to such a degree that at the first moment, feeling how shehad wronged you, she did not consider and could not considereverything. She gave up everything. But experience, time, haveshown that her position is unbearable, impossible."

　　"The life of Anna Arkadyevna can have no interest for me," AlexeyAlexandrovitch put in, lifting his eyebrows.

　　"Allow me to disbelieve that," Stepan Arkadyevitch repliedgently. "Her position is intolerable for her, and of no benefitto anyone whatever. She has deserved it, you will say. Sheknows that and asks you for nothing; she says plainly that shedare not ask you. But I, all of us, her relatives, all who loveher, beg you, entreat you. Why should she suffer? Who is anythe better for it?"

　　"Excuse me, you seem to put me in the position of the guiltyparty," observed Alexey Alexandrovitch.

　　"Oh, no, oh, no, not at all! please understand me," said StepanArkadyevitch, touching his hand again, as though feeling surethis physical contact would soften his brother-in-law. "All Isay is this: her position is intolerable, and it might bealleviated by you, and you will lose nothing by it. I willarrange it all for you, so that you'll not notice it. You didpromise it, you know."

　　"The promise was given before. And I had supposed that thequestion of my son had settled the matter. Besides, I had hopedthat Anna Arkadyevna had enough generosity..." AlexeyAlexandrovitch articulated with difficulty, his lips twitchingand his face white.

　　"She leaves it all to your generosity. She begs, she imploresone thing of you--to extricate her from the impossible positionin which she is placed. She does not ask for her son now.Alexey Alexandrovitch, you are a good man. Put yourself in herposition for a minute. The question of divorce for her in herposition is a question of life and death. If you had notpromised it once, she would have reconciled herself to herposition, she would have gone on living in the country. But youpromised it, and she wrote to you, and moved to Moscow. And hereshe's been for six months in Moscow, where every chance meetingcuts her to the heart, every day expecting an answer. Why, it'slike keeping a condemned criminal for six months with the roperound his neck, promising him perhaps death, perhaps mercy. Havepity on her, and I will undertake to arrange everything. Vosscrupules..."

　　"I am not talking about that, about that..." AlexeyAlexandrovitch interrupted with disgust. "But, perhaps, Ipromised what I had no right to promise."

　　"So you go back from your promise?"

　　"I have never refused to do all that is possible, but I want timeto consider how much of what I promised is possible."

　　"No, Alexey Alexandrovitch!" cried Oblonsky, jumping up, "I won'tbelieve that! She's unhappy as only an unhappy woman can be, andyou cannot refuse in such..."

　　"As much of what I promised as is possible. Vous professezd'etre libre penseur. But I as a believer cannot, in a matter ofsuch gravity, act in opposition to the Christian law."

　　"But in Christian societies and among us, as far as I'm aware,divorce is allowed," said Stepan Arkadyevitch. "Divorce issanctioned even by our church. And we see..."

　　"It is allowed, but not in the sense..."

　　"Alexey Alexandrovitch, you are not like yourself," saidOblonsky, after a brief pause. "Wasn't it you (and didn't we allappreciate it in you?) who forgave everything, and moved simplyby Christian feeling was ready to make any sacrifice? You saidyourself: if a man take thy coat, give him thy cloak also, andnow..."

　　"I beg," said Alexey Alexandrovitch shrilly, getting suddenlyonto his feet, his face white and his jaws twitching, "I beg youto drop this...to drop...this subject!"

　　"Oh, no! Oh, forgive me, forgive me if I have wounded you," saidStepan Arkadyevitch, holding out his hand with a smile ofembarrassment; "but like a messenger I have simply performed thecommission given me."

　　Alexey Alexandrovitch gave him his hand, pondered a little, andsaid:

　　"I must think it over and seek for guidance. The day aftertomorrow I will give you a final answer," he said, afterconsidering a moment.