Anna Karenina - LimpidSoft

PART SEVEN CHAPTER 7
The young man, holding himself very erect, with eyes forever twinkling with enjoyment,
was an officer from Petersburg, Gagin. Turovtsin introduced them.
“Oblonsky’s always late.”
“Ah, here he is!”
“Have you only just come?” said Oblonsky, coming quickly towards them. “Good
day. Had some vodka? Well, come along then.”
Levin got up and went with him to the big table spread with spirits and appetizers
of the most various kinds. One would have thought that out of two dozen delicacies
one might find something to one’s taste, but Stepan Arkadyevitch asked for something
special, and one of the liveried waiters standing by immediately brought what
was required. They drank a wine glassful and returned to their table.
At once, while they were still at the soup, Gagin was served with champagne, and
told the waiter to fill four glasses. Levin did not refuse the wine, and asked for a
second bottle. He was very hungry, and ate and drank with great enjoyment, and
with still greater enjoyment took part in the lively and simple conversation of his
companions. Gagin, dropping his voice, told the last good story from Petersburg,
and the story, though improper and stupid, was so ludicrous that Levin broke into
roars of laughter so loud that those near looked round.
“That’s in the same style as, ‘that’s a thing I can’t endure!’ You know the story?”
said Stepan Arkadyevitch. “Ah, that’s exquisite! Another bottle,” he said to the
waiter, and he began to relate his good story.
“Pyotr Illyitch Vinovsky invites you to drink with him,” a little old waiter interrupted
Stepan Arkadyevitch, bringing two delicate glasses of sparkling champagne,
and addressing Stepan Arkadyevitch and Levin. Stepan Arkadyevitch took
the glass, and looking towards a bald man with red mustaches at the other end of
the table, he nodded to him, smiling.
“Who’s that?” asked Levin.
“You met him once at my place, don’t you remember? A good-natured fellow.”
Levin did the same as Stepan Arkadyevitch and took the glass.
Stepan Arkadyevitch’s anecdote too was very amusing. Levin told his story, and
that too was successful. Then they talked of horses, of the races, of what they had
been doing that day, and of how smartly Vronsky’s Atlas had won the first prize.
Levin did not notice how the time passed at dinner.
“Ah! and here they are!” Stepan Arkadyevitch said towards the end of dinner,
leaning over the back of his chair and holding out his hand to Vronsky, who came up
with a tall officer of the Guards. Vronsky’s face too beamed with the look of goodhumored
enjoyment that was general in the club. He propped his elbow playfully
on Stepan Arkadyevitch’s shoulder, whispering something to him, and he held out
his hand to Levin with the same good-humored smile.
“Very glad to meet you,” he said. “I looked out for you at the election, but I was
told you had gone away.”
“Yes, I left the same day. We’ve just been talking of your horse. I congratulate
you,” said Levin. “It was very rapidly run.”
634