Anna Karenina - LimpidSoft

PART SIX CHAPTER 3
“Well, what would you say about papa?” asked Kitty. “Is he a poor creature then,
as he does nothing for the public good?”
“He?–no! But then one must have the simplicity, the straightforwardness, the
goodness of your father: and I haven’t got that. I do nothing, and I fret about it.
It’s all your doing. Before there was you–and this too,” he added with a glance towards
her waist that she understood–”I put all my energies into work; now I can’t,
and I’m ashamed; I do it just as though it were a task set me, I’m pretending....”
“Well, but would you like to change this minute with Sergey Ivanovitch?” said
Kitty. “Would you like to do this work for the general good, and to love the task set
you, as he does, and nothing else?”
“Of course not,” said Levin. “But I’m so happy that I don’t understand anything.
So you think he’ll make her an offer today?” he added after a brief silence.
“I think so, and I don’t think so. Only, I’m awfully anxious for it. Here, wait a
minute.” She stooped down and picked a wild camomile at the edge of the path.
“Come, count: he does propose, he doesn’t,” she said, giving him the flower.
“He does, he doesn’t,” said Levin, tearing off the white petals.
“No, no!” Kitty, snatching at his hand, stopped him. She had been watching his
fingers with interest. “You picked off two.”
“Oh, but see, this little one shan’t count to make up,” said Levin, tearing off a little
half-grown petal. “Here’s the wagonette overtaking us.”
“Aren’t you tired, Kitty?” called the princess.
“Not in the least.”
“If you are you can get in, as the horses are quiet and walking.”
But it was not worth while to get in, they were quite near the place, and all walked
on together.
518