"I'm a wicked woman, a lost woman," she thought; "but I don't

like lying, I can't endure falsehood, while as for _him_ (her

husband) it's the breath of his life--falsehood. He knows all

about it, he sees it all; what does he care if he can talk so

calmly? If he were to kill me, if he were to kill Vronsky, I

might respect him. No, all he wants is falsehood and propriety,"

Anna said to herself, not considering exactly what it was she

wanted of her husband, and how she would have liked to see him

behave. She did not understand either that Alexey

Alexandrovitch's peculiar loquacity that day, so exasperating to

Advertisement..

her, was merely the expression of his inward distress and

uneasiness. As a child that has been hurt skips about, putting

all his muscles into movement to drown the pain, in the same way

Alexey Alexandrovitch needed mental exercise to drown the

thoughts of his wife that in her presence and in Vronsky's, and

with the continual iteration of his name, would force themselves

on his attention. And it was as natural for him to talk well and

cleverly, as it is natural for a child to skip about. He was

saying: "Danger in the races of officers, of cavalry men, is an essential

element in the race. If England can point to the most brilliant

feats of cavalry in military history, it is simply owing to the

fact that she has historically developed this force both in

beasts and in men. Sport has, in my opinion, a great value, and

as is always the case, we see nothing but what is most

superficial."

"It's not superficial," said Princess Tverskaya. "One of the

officers, they say, has broken two ribs."

Alexey Alexandrovitch smiled his smile, which uncovered his

teeth, but revealed nothing more.

"We'll admit, princess, that that's not superficial," he said,

"but internal. But that's not the point," and he turned again to

the general with whom he was talking seriously; "we mustn't

forget that those who are taking part in the race are military

men, who have chosen that career, and one must allow that every

calling has its disagreeable side. It forms an integral part of

the duties of an officer. Low sports, such as prize-fighting or

Spanish bull-fights, are a sign of barbarity. But specialized

trials of skill are a sign of development."

"No, I shan't come another time; it's too upsetting," said

Princess Betsy. "Isn't it, Anna?"

"It is upsetting, but one can't tear oneself away," said another

lady. "If I'd been a Roman woman I should never have missed a

single circus."




Most Popular