On the drive home, as Darya Alexandrovna, with all her children

round her, their heads still wet from their bath, and a kerchief

tied over her own head, was getting near the house, the coachman

said, "There's some gentleman coming: the master of Pokrovskoe,

I do believe."

Darya Alexandrovna peeped out in front, and was delighted when

she recognized in the gray hat and gray coat the familiar figure

of Levin walking to meet them. She was glad to see him at any

time, but at this moment she was specially glad he should see her

in all her glory. No one was better able to appreciate her

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grandeur than Levin.

Seeing her, he found himself face to face with one of the

pictures of his daydream of family life.

"You're like a hen with your chickens, Darya Alexandrovna."

"Ah, how glad I am to see you!" she said, holding out her hand

to him.

"Glad to see me, but you didn't let me know. My brother's

staying with me. I got a note from Stiva that you were here."

"From Stiva?" Darya Alexandrovna asked with surprise.

"Yes; he writes that you are here, and that he thinks you might

allow me to be of use to you," said Levin, and as he said it he

became suddenly embarrassed, and, stopping abruptly, he walked on

in silence by the wagonette, snapping off the buds of the

lime trees and nibbling them. He was embarrassed through a sense

that Darya Alexandrovna would be annoyed by receiving from an

outsider help that should by rights have come from her own

husband. Darya Alexandrovna certainly did not like this little

way of Stepan Arkadyevitch's of foisting his domestic duties on

others. And she was at once aware that Levin was aware of this.

It was just for this fineness of perception, for this delicacy,

that Darya Alexandrovna liked Levin.

"I know, of course," said Levin, "that that simply means that you

would like to see me, and I'm exceedingly glad. Though I can

fancy that, used to town housekeeping as you are, you must feel

in the wilds here, and if there's anything wanted, I'm altogether

at your disposal."

"Oh, no!" said Dolly. "At first things were rather

uncomfortable, but now we've settled everything capitally--

thanks to my old nurse," she said, indicating Marya Philimonovna,

who, seeing that they were speaking of her, smiled brightly and

cordially to Levin. She knew him, and knew that he would be a

good match for her young lady, and was very keen to see the

matter settled.




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