Not a whit abashed by the disappointment caused by his having
come in place of the old prince, Veslovsky greeted Levin gaily,
claiming acquaintance with him in the past, and snatching up
Grisha into the carriage, lifted him over the pointer that Stepan
Arkadyevitch had brought with him.
Levin did not get into the carriage, but walked behind. He was
rather vexed at the non-arrival of the old prince, whom he liked
more and more the more he saw of him, and also at the arrival of
this Vassenka Veslovsky, a quite uncongenial and superfluous
person. He seemed to him still more uncongenial and superfluous
when, on approaching the steps where the whole party, children
and grown-up, were gathered together in much excitement, Levin
saw Vassenka Veslovsky, with a particularly warm and gallant air,
kissing Kitty's hand.
"Your wife and I are cousins and very old friends," said
Vassenka Veslovsky, once more shaking Levin's hand with great
warmth.
"Well, are there plenty of birds?" Stepan Arkadyevitch said to
Levin, hardly leaving time for everyone to utter their greetings.
"We've come with the most savage intentions. Why, maman, they've
not been in Moscow since! Look, Tanya, here's something for you!
Get it, please, it's in the carriage, behind!" he talked in all
directions. "How pretty you've grown, Dolly," he said to his
wife, once more kissing her hand, holding it in one of his, and
patting it with the other.
Levin, who a minute before had been in the happiest frame of
mind, now looked darkly at everyone, and everything displeased
him.
"Who was it he kissed yesterday with those lips?" he thought,
looking at Stepan Arkadyevitch's tender demonstrations to his
wife. He looked at Dolly, and he did not like her either.
"She doesn't believe in his love. So what is she so pleased
about? Revolting!" thought Levin.
He looked at the princess, who had been so dear to him a minute
before, and he did not like the manner in which she welcomed this
Vassenka, with his ribbons, just as though she were in her own
house.
Even Sergey Ivanovitch, who had come out too onto the steps,
seemed to him unpleasant with the show of cordiality with which
he met Stepan Arkadyevitch, though Levin knew that his brother
neither liked nor respected Oblonsky.
And Varenka, even she seemed hateful, with her air _sainte
nitouche_ making the acquaintance of this gentleman, while all
the while she was thinking of nothing but getting married.
And more hateful than anyone was Kitty for falling in with the
tone of gaiety with which this gentleman regarded his visit in
the country, as though it were a holiday for himself and everyone
else. And, above all, unpleasant was that particular smile with
which she responded to his smile.