Part Three: Chapter 23

by Leo Tolstoy

　　On Monday there was the usual sitting of the Commission of the2nd of June. Alexey Alexandrovitch walked into the hall wherethe sitting was held, greeted the members and the president, asusual, and sat down in his place, putting his hand on the paperslaid ready before him. Among these papers lay the necessaryevidence and a rough outline of the speech he intended to make.But he did not really need these documents. He remembered everypoint, and did not think it necessary to go over in his memorywhat he would say. He knew that when the time came, and when hesaw his enemy facing him, and studiously endeavoring to assume anexpression of indifference, his speech would flow of itselfbetter than he could prepare it now. He felt that the import ofhis speech was of such magnitude that every word of it would haveweight. Meantime, as he listened to the usual report, he had themost innocent and inoffensive air. No one, looking at his whitehands, with their swollen veins and long fingers, so softlystroking the edges of the white paper that lay before him, and atthe air of weariness with which his head drooped on one side,would have suspected that in a few minutes a torrent of wordswould flow from his lips that would arouse a fearful storm, setthe members shouting and attacking one another, and force thepresident to call for order. When the report was over, AlexeyAlexandrovitch announced in his subdued, delicate voice that hehad several points to bring before the meeting in regard to theCommission for the Reorganization of the Native Tribes. Allattention was turned upon him. Alexey Alexandrovitch cleared histhroat, and not looking at his opponent, but selecting, as healways did while he was delivering his speeches, the first personsitting opposite him, an inoffensive little old man, who neverhad an opinion of any sort in the Commission, began to expoundhis views. When he reached the point about the fundamental andradical law, his opponent jumped up and began to protest.Stremov, who was also a member of the Commission, and also stungto the quick, began defending himself, and altogether a stormysitting followed; but Alexey Alexandrovitch triumphed, and hismotion was carried, three new commissions were appointed, and thenext day in a certain Petersburg circle nothing else was talkedof but this sitting. Alexey Alexandrovitch's success had beeneven greater than he had anticipated.

　　Next morning, Tuesday, Alexey Alexandrovitch, on waking up,recollected with pleasure his triumph of the previous day, and hecould not help smiling, though he tried to appear indifferent,when the chief secretary of his department, anxious to flatterhim, informed him of the rumors that had reached him concerningwhat had happened in the Commission.

　　Absorbed in business with the chief secretary, AlexeyAlexandrovitch had completely forgotten that it was Tuesday, theday fixed by him for the return of Anna Arkadyevna, and he wassurprised and received a shock of annoyance when a servant camein to inform him of her arrival.

　　Anna had arrived in Petersburg early in the morning; the carriagehad been sent to meet her in accordance with her telegram, and soAlexey Alexandrovitch might have known of her arrival. But whenshe arrived, he did not meet her. She was told that he had notyet gone out, but was busy with his secretary. She sent word toher husband that she had come, went to her own room, and occupiedherself in sorting out her things, expecting he would come toher. But an hour passed; he did not come. She went into thedining room on the pretext of giving some directions, and spokeloudly on purpose, expecting him to come out there; but he didnot come, though she heard him go to the door of his study as heparted from the chief secretary. She knew that he usually wentout quickly to his office, and she wanted to see him before that,so that their attitude to one another might be defined.

　　She walked across the drawing room and went resolutely to him.When she went into his study he was in official uniform,obviously ready to go out, sitting at a little table on which herested his elbows, looking dejectedly before him. She saw himbefore he saw her, and she saw that he was thinking of her.

　　On seeing her, he would have risen, but changed his mind, thenhis face flushed hotly--a thing Anna had never seen before, andhe got up quickly and went to meet her, looking not at her eyes,but above them at her forehead and hair. He went up to her, tookher by the hand, and asked her to sit down.

　　"I am very glad you have come," he said, sitting down beside her,and obviously wishing to say something, he stuttered. Severaltimes he tried to begin to speak, but stopped. In spite of thefact that, preparing herself for meeting him, she had schooledherself to despise and reproach him, she did not know what to sayto him, and she felt sorry for him. And so the silence lastedfor some time. "Is Seryozha quite well?" he said, and notwaiting for an answer, he added: "I shan't be dining at hometoday, and I have got to go out directly."

　　"I had thought of going to Moscow," she said.

　　"No, you did quite, quite right to come," he said, and was silentagain.

　　Seeing that he was powerless to begin the conversation, she beganherself.

　　"Alexey Alexandrovitch," she said, looking at him and notdropping her eyes under his persistent gaze at her hair, "I'm aguilty woman, I'm a bad woman, but I am the same as I was, as Itold you then, and I have come to tell you that I can changenothing."

　　"I have asked you no question about that," he said, all at once,resolutely and with hatred looking her straight in the face;"that was as I had supposed." Under the influence of anger heapparently regained complete possession of all his faculties."But as I told you then, and have written to you," he said in athin, shrill voice, "I repeat now, that I am not bound to knowthis. I ignore it. Not all wives are so kind as you, to be insuch a hurry to communicate such agreeable news to theirhusbands." He laid special emphasis on the word "agreeable." "Ishall ignore it so long as the world knows nothing of it, so longas my name is not disgraced. And so I simply inform you thatour relations must be just as they have always been, and thatonly in the event of your compromising me I shall be obliged totake steps to secure my honor."

　　"But our relations cannot be the same as always," Anna began in atimid voice, looking at him with dismay.

　　When she saw once more those composed gestures, heard thatshrill, childish, and sarcastic voice, her aversion for himextinguished her pity for him, and she felt only afraid, but atall costs she wanted to make clear her position.

　　"I cannot be your wife while I..." she began.

　　He laughed a cold and malignant laugh.

　　"The manner of life you have chosen is reflected, I suppose, inyour ideas. I have too much respect or contempt, or both...Irespect your past and despise your present...that I was far fromthe interpretation you put on my words."

　　Anna sighed and bowed her head.

　　"Though indeed I fail to comprehend how, with the independenceyou show," he went on, getting hot, "--announcing your infidelityto your husband and seeing nothing reprehensible in it,apparently--you can see anything reprehensible in performing awife's duties in relation to your husband."

　　"Alexey Alexandrovitch! What is it you want of me?"

　　"I want you not to meet that man here, and to conduct yourself sothat neither the world nor the servants can reproach you...not tosee him. That's not much, I think. And in return you will enjoyall the privileges of a faithful wife without fulfilling herduties. That's all I have to say to you. Now it's time for meto go. I'm not dining at home." He got up and moved towards thedoor.

　　Anna got up too. Bowing in silence, he let her pass before him.