Vronsky and Anna spent the whole summer and part of the winter

in the country, living in just the same condition, and still

taking no steps to obtain a divorce. It was an understood thing

between them that they should not go away anywhere; but both

felt, the longer they lived alone, especially in the autumn,

without guests in the house, that they could not stand this

existence, and that they would have to alter it.

Their life was apparently such that nothing better could be

desired. They had the fullest abundance of everything; they had

a child, and both had occupation. Anna devoted just as much care

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to her appearance when they had no visitors, and she did a great

deal of reading, both of novels and of what serious literature

was in fashion. She ordered all the books that were praised in

the foreign papers and reviews she received, and read them with

that concentrated attention which is only given to what is read

in seclusion. Moreover, every subject that was of interest to

Vronsky, she studied in books and special journals, so that he

often went straight to her with questions relating to agriculture

or architecture, sometimes even with questions relating to

horse-breeding or sport. He was amazed at her knowledge, her

memory, and at first was disposed to doubt it, to ask for

confirmation of her facts; and she would find what he asked for

in some book, and show it to him.

The building of the hospital, too, interested her. She did not

merely assist, but planned and suggested a great deal herself.

But her chief thought was still of herself--how far she was dear

to Vronsky, how far she could make up to him for all he had given

up. Vronsky appreciated this desire not only to please, but to

serve him, which had become the sole aim of her existence, but at

the same time he wearied of the loving snares in which she tried

to hold him fast. As time went on, and he saw himself more and

more often held fast in these snares, he had an ever growing

desire, not so much to escape from them, as to try whether they

hindered his freedom. Had it not been for this growing desire to

be free, not to have scenes every time he wanted to go to the

town to a meeting or a race, Vronsky would have been perfectly

satisfied with his life. The rôle he had taken up, the rôle of a

wealthy landowner, one of that class which ought to be the very

heart of the Russian aristocracy, was entirely to his taste; and

now, after spending six months in that character, he derived even

greater satisfaction from it. And his management of his estate,

which occupied and absorbed him more and more, was most

successful. In spite of the immense sums cost him by the

hospital, by machinery, by cows ordered from Switzerland, and

many other things, he was convinced that he was not wasting, but

increasing his substance. In all matters affecting income, the

sales of timber, wheat, and wool, the letting of lands, Vronsky

was hard as a rock, and knew well how to keep up prices. In all

operations on a large scale on this and his other estates, he

kept to the simplest methods involving no risk, and in trifling

details he was careful and exacting to an extreme degree. In

spite of all the cunning and ingenuity of the German steward, who

would try to tempt him into purchases by making his original

estimate always far larger than really required, and then

representing to Vronsky that he might get the thing cheaper, and

so make a profit, Vronsky did not give in. He listened to his

steward, cross-examined him, and only agreed to his suggestions

when the implement to be ordered or constructed was the very

newest, not yet known in Russia, and likely to excite wonder.

Apart from such exceptions, he resolved upon an increased outlay

only where there was a surplus, and in making such an outlay he

went into the minutest details, and insisted on getting the very

best for his money; so that by the method on which he managed his

affairs, it was clear that he was not wasting, but increasing his

substance.




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