Anna Karenina - LimpidSoft

PART ONE CHAPTER 15
“I know if one were to listen to you,” interrupted the princess, “we should never
marry our daughter. If it’s to be so, we’d better go into the country.”
“Well, and we had better.”
“But do wait a minute. Do I try and catch them? I don’t try to catch them in
the least. A young man, and a very nice one, has fallen in love with her, and she, I
fancy...”
“Oh, yes, you fancy! And how if she really is in love, and he’s no more thinking
of marriage than I am!... Oh, that I should live to see it! Ah! spiritualism! Ah! Nice!
Ah! the ball!” And the prince, imagining that he was mimicking his wife, made a
mincing curtsey at each word. “And this is how we’re preparing wretchedness for
Kitty; and she’s really got the notion into her head...”
“But what makes you suppose so?”
“I don’t suppose; I know. We have eyes for such things, though women-folk
haven’t. I see a man who has serious intentions, that’s Levin: and I see a peacock,
like this feather-head, who’s only amusing himself.”
“Oh, well, when once you get an idea into your head!...”
“Well, you’ll remember my words, but too late, just as with Dolly.”
“Well, well, we won’t talk of it,” the princess stopped him, recollecting her unlucky
Dolly.
“By all means, and good night!”
And signing each other with the cross, the husband and wife parted with a kiss,
feeling that they each remained of their own opinion.
The princess had at first been quite certain that that evening had settled Kitty’s
future, and that there could be no doubt of Vronsky’s intentions, but her husband’s
words had disturbed her. And returning to her own room, in terror before the unknown
future, she, too, like Kitty, repeated several times in her heart, “Lord, have
pity; Lord, have pity; Lord, have pity.”
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