Anna Karenina - LimpidSoft

PART SIX CHAPTER 19
Chapter 19
LEFT alone, Darya Alexandrovna, with a good housewife’s eye, scanned her room.
All she had seen in entering the house and walking through it, and all she saw
now in her room, gave her an impression of wealth and sumptuousness and of that
modern European luxury of which she had only read in English novels, but had
never seen in Russia and in the country. Everything was new from the new French
hangings on the walls to the carpet which covered the whole floor. The bed had a
spring mattress, and a special sort of bolster and silk pillowcases on the little pillows.
The marble washstand, the dressing table, the little sofa, the tables, the bronze
clock on the chimney piece, the window curtains, and the portières were all new and
expensive.
The smart maid, who came in to offer her services, with her hair done up high, and
a gown more fashionable than Dolly’s, was as new and expensive as the whole room.
Darya Alexandrovna liked her neatness, her deferential and obliging manners, but
she felt ill at ease with her. She felt ashamed of her seeing the patched dressing
jacket that had unluckily been packed by mistake for her. She was ashamed of the
very patches and darned places of which she had been so proud at home. At home
it had been so clear that for six dressing jackets there would be needed twenty-four
yards of nainsook at sixteen pence the yard, which was a matter of thirty shillings
besides the cutting-out and making, and these thirty shillings had been saved. But
before the maid she felt, if not exactly ashamed, at least uncomfortable.
Darya Alexandrovna had a great sense of relief when Annushka, whom she had
known for years, walked in. The smart maid was sent for to go to her mistress, and
Annushka remained with Darya Alexandrovna.
Annushka was obviously much pleased at that lady’s arrival, and began to chatter
away without a pause. Dolly observed that she was longing to express her opinion
in regard to her mistress’s position, especially as to the love and devotion of the
count to Anna Arkadyevna, but Dolly carefully interrupted her whenever she began
to speak about this.
“I grew up with Anna Arkadyevna; my lady’s dearer to me than anything. Well,
it’s not for us to judge. And, to be sure, there seems so much love...”
“Kindly pour out the water for me to wash now, please,” Darya Alexandrovna cut
her short.
“Certainly. We’ve two women kept specially for washing small things, but most
of the linen’s done by machinery. The count goes into everything himself. Ah, what
a husband!...”
Dolly was glad when Anna came in, and by her entrance put a stop to Annushka’s
gossip.
Anna had put on a very simple batiste gown. Dolly scrutinized that simple gown
attentively. She knew what it meant, and the price at which such simplicity was
obtained.
“An old friend,” said Anna of Annushka.
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