Anna Karenina - LimpidSoft

PART SIX CHAPTER 30
Chapter 30
SVIAZHSKY took Levin’s arm, and went with him to his own friends. This time
there was no avoiding Vronsky. He was standing with Stepan Arkadyevitch and
Sergey Ivanovitch, and looking straight at Levin as he drew near.
“Delighted! I believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you...at Princess
Shtcherbatskaya’s,” he said, giving Levin his hand.
“Yes, I quite remember our meeting,” said Levin, and blushing crimson, he turned
away immediately, and began talking to his brother.
With a slight smile Vronsky went on talking to Sviazhsky, obviously without the
slightest inclination to enter into conversation with Levin. But Levin, as he talked to
his brother, was continually looking round at Vronsky, trying to think of something
to say to him to gloss over his rudeness.
“What are we waiting for now?” asked Levin, looking at Sviazhsky and Vronsky.
“For Snetkov. He has to refuse or to consent to stand,” answered Sviazhsky.
“Well, and what has he done, consented or not?”
“That’s the point, that he’s done neither,” said Vronsky.
“And if he refuses, who will stand then?” asked Levin, looking at Vronsky.
“Whoever chooses to,” said Sviazhsky.
“Shall you?” asked Levin.
“Certainly not I,” said Sviazhsky, looking confused, and turning an alarmed
glance at the malignant gentleman, who was standing beside Sergey Ivanovitch.
“Who then? Nevyedovsky?” said Levin, feeling he was putting his foot into it.
But this was worse still. Nevyedovsky and Sviazhsky were the two candidates.
“I certainly shall not, under any circumstances,” answered the malignant gentleman.
This was Nevyedovsky himself. Sviazhsky introduced him to Levin.
“Well, you find it exciting too?” said Stepan Arkadyevitch, winking at Vronsky.
“It’s something like a race. One might bet on it.”
“Yes, it is keenly exciting,” said Vronsky. “And once taking the thing up, one’s
eager to see it through. It’s a fight!” he said, scowling and setting his powerful jaws.
“What a capable fellow Sviazhsky is! Sees it all so clearly.”
“Oh, yes!” Vronsky assented indifferently.
A silence followed, during which Vronsky–since he had to look at something–
looked at Levin, at his feet, at his uniform, then at his face, and noticing his gloomy
eyes fixed upon him, he said, in order to say something:
“How is it that you, living constantly in the country, are not a justice of the peace?
You are not in the uniform of one.”
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