Anna Karenina - LimpidSoft

PART TWO CHAPTER 32
Chapter 32
THE particulars which the princess had learned in regard to Varenka’s past and her
relations with Madame Stahl were as follows:
Madame Stahl, of whom some people said that she had worried her husband out
of his life, while others said it was he who had made her wretched by his immoral
behavior, had always been a woman of weak health and enthusiastic temperament.
When, after her separation from her husband, she gave birth to her only child, the
child had died almost immediately, and the family of Madame Stahl, knowing her
sensibility, and fearing the news would kill her, had substituted another child, a baby
born the same night and in the same house in Petersburg, the daughter of the chief
cook of the Imperial Household. This was Varenka. Madame Stahl learned later on
that Varenka was not her own child, but she went on bringing her up, especially as
very soon afterwards Varenka had not a relation of her own living. Madame Stahl
had now been living more than ten years continuously abroad, in the south, never
leaving her couch. And some people said that Madame Stahl had made her social
position as a philanthropic, highly religious woman; other people said she really
was at heart the highly ethical being, living for nothing but the good of her fellow
creatures, which she represented herself to be. No one knew what her faith was–
Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox. But one fact was indubitable–she was in amicable
relations with the highest dignitaries of all the churches and sects.
Varenka lived with her all the while abroad, and everyone who knew Madame
Stahl knew and liked Mademoiselle Varenka, as everyone called her.
Having learned all these facts, the princess found nothing to object to in her
daughter’s intimacy with Varenka, more especially as Varenka’s breeding and education
were of the best–she spoke French and English extremely well–and what
was of the most weight, brought a message from Madame Stahl expressing her regret
that she was prevented by her ill health from making the acquaintance of the
princess.
After getting to know Varenka, Kitty became more and more fascinated by her
friend, and every day she discovered new virtues in her.
The princess, hearing that Varenka had a good voice, asked her to come and sing
to them in the evening.
“Kitty plays, and we have a piano; not a good one, it’s true, but you will give us
so much pleasure,” said the princess with her affected smile, which Kitty disliked
particularly just then, because she noticed that Varenka had no inclination to sing.
Varenka came, however, in the evening and brought a roll of music with her. The
princess had invited Marya Yevgenyevna and her daughter and the colonel.
Varenka seemed quite unaffected by there being persons present she did not know,
and she went directly to the piano. She could not accompany herself, but she could
sing music at sight very well. Kitty, who played well, accompanied her.
“You have an extraordinary talent,” the princess said to her after Varenka had
sung the first song extremely well.
Marya Yevgenyevna and her daughter expressed their thanks and admiration.
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