Anna was the hostess only in conducting the conversation. The

conversation was a difficult one for the lady of the house at a

small table with persons present, like the steward and the

architect, belonging to a completely different world, struggling

not to be overawed by an elegance to which they were

unaccustomed, and unable to sustain a large share in the general

conversation. But this difficult conversation Anna directed with

her usual tact and naturalness, and indeed she did so with actual

enjoyment, as Darya Alexandrovna observed. The conversation

began about the row Tushkevitch and Veslovsky had taken alone

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together in the boat, and Tushkevitch began describing the last

boat races in Petersburg at the Yacht Club. But Anna, seizing

the first pause, at once turned to the architect to draw him out

of his silence.

"Nikolay Ivanitch was struck," she said, meaning Sviazhsky, "at

the progress the new building had made since he was here last;

but I am there every day, and every day I wonder at the rate at

which it grows."

"It's first-rate working with his excellency," said the architect

with a smile (he was respectful and composed, though with a sense

of his own dignity). "It's a very different matter to have to do

with the district authorities. Where one would have to write out

sheaves of papers, here I call upon the count, and in three words

we settle the business."

"The American way of doing business," said Sviazhsky, with a

smile.

"Yes, there they build in a rational fashion..."

The conversation passed to the misuse of political power in the

United States, but Anna quickly brought it round to another

topic, so as to draw the steward into talk.

"Have you ever seen a reaping machine?" she said, addressing

Darya Alexandrovna. "We had just ridden over to look at one when

we met. It's the first time I ever saw one."

"How do they work?" asked Dolly.

"Exactly like little scissors. A plank and a lot of little

scissors. Like this."

Anna took a knife and fork in her beautiful white hands covered

with rings, and began showing how the machine worked. It was

clear that she saw nothing would be understood from her

explanation; but aware that her talk was pleasant and her hands

beautiful she went on explaining.

"More like little penknives," Veslovsky said playfully, never

taking his eyes off her.

Anna gave a just perceptible smile, but made no answer. "Isn't

it true, Karl Fedoritch, that it's just like little scissors?"

she said to the steward.




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