"I suppose you had better stay here, Alexander," said his wife.

"That's as you like."

"Mamma, why shouldn't father come with us?" said Kitty. "It

would be nicer for him and for us too."

The old prince got up and stroked Kitty's hair. She lifted her

head and looked at him with a forced smile. It always seemed to

her that he understood her better than anyone in the family,

though he did not say much about her. Being the youngest, she

was her father's favorite, and she fancied that his love gave him

insight. When now her glance met his blue kindly eyes looking

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intently at her, it seemed to her that he saw right through her,

and understood all that was not good that was passing within her.

Reddening, she stretched out towards him expecting a kiss, but he

only patted her hair and said: "These stupid chignons! There's no getting at the real daughter.

One simply strokes the bristles of dead women. Well, Dolinka,"

he turned to his elder daughter, "what's your young buck about,

hey?"

"Nothing, father," answered Dolly, understanding that her husband

was meant. "He's always out; I scarcely ever see him," she could

not resist adding with a sarcastic smile.

"Why, hasn't he gone into the country yet--to see about selling

that forest?"

"No, he's still getting ready for the journey."

"Oh, that's it!" said the prince. "And so am I to be getting

ready for a journey too? At your service," he said to his wife,

sitting down. "And I tell you what, Katia," he went on to his

younger daughter, "you must wake up one fine day and say to

yourself: Why, I'm quite well, and merry, and going out again

with father for an early morning walk in the frost. Hey?"

What her father said seemed simple enough, yet at these words

Kitty became confused and overcome like a detected criminal.

"Yes, he sees it all, he understands it all, and in these words

he's telling me that though I'm ashamed, I must get over my

shame." She could not pluck up spirit to make any answer. She

tried to begin, and all at once burst into tears, and rushed out

of the room.

"See what comes of your jokes!" the princess pounced down on her

husband. "You're always..." she began a string of reproaches.

The prince listened to the princess's scolding rather a long

while without speaking, but his face was more and more frowning.

"She's so much to be pitied, poor child, so much to be pitied,

and you don't feel how it hurts her to hear the slightest

reference to the cause of it. Ah! to be so mistaken in people!"

said the princess, and by the change in her tone both Dolly and

the prince knew she was speaking of Vronsky. "I don't know why

there aren't laws against such base, dishonorable people."




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