"Oh, please, introduce me to Karenin," he brought out with an

effort, and with a desperately determined step he walked into the

drawing room and beheld her.

She was not the same as she used to be, nor was she as she had

been in the carriage; she was quite different.

She was scared, shy, shame-faced, and still more charming from

it. She saw him the very instant he walked into the room. She

had been expecting him. She was delighted, and so confused at

her own delight that there was a moment, the moment when he went

up to her sister and glanced again at her, when she, and he, and

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Dolly, who saw it all, thought she would break down and would

begin to cry. She crimsoned, turned white, crimsoned again, and

grew faint, waiting with quivering lips for him to come to her.

He went up to her, bowed, and held out his hand without speaking.

Except for the slight quiver of her lips and the moisture in her

eyes that made them brighter, her smile was almost calm as she

said: "How long it is since we've seen each other!" and with desperate

determination she pressed his hand with her cold hand.

"You've not seen me, but I've seen you," said Levin, with a

radiant smile of happiness. "I saw you when you were driving

from the railway station to Ergushovo."

"When?" she asked, wondering.

"You were driving to Ergushovo," said Levin, feeling as if he

would sob with the rapture that was flooding his heart. "And how

dared I associate a thought of anything not innocent with this

touching creature? And, yes, I do believe it's true what Darya

Alexandrovna told me," he thought.

Stepan Arkadyevitch took him by the arm and led him away to

Karenin.

"Let me introduce you." He mentioned their names.

"Very glad to meet you again," said Alexey Alexandrovitch coldly,

shaking hands with Levin.

"You are acquainted?" Stepan Arkadyevitch asked in surprise.

"We spent three hours together in the train," said Levin smiling,

"but got out, just as in a masquerade, quite mystified--at least

I was."

"Nonsense! Come along, please," said Stepan Arkadyevitch,

pointing in the direction of the dining room.

The men went into the dining-room and went up to a table, laid

with six sorts of spirits and as many kinds of cheese, some with

little silver spades and some without, caviar, herrings,

preserves of various kinds, and plates with slices of French

bread.




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