Anna Karenina - LimpidSoft

PART EIGHT CHAPTER 6
Chapter 6
SERGEY Ivanovitch had not telegraphed to his brother to send to meet him, as he
did not know when he should be able to leave Moscow. Levin was not at home
when Katavasov and Sergey Ivanovitch in a fly hired at the station drove up to the
steps of the Pokrovskoe house, as black as Moors from the dust of the road. Kitty,
sitting on the balcony with her father and sister, recognized her brother-in-law, and
ran down to meet him.
“What a shame not to have let us know,” she said, giving her hand to Sergey
Ivanovitch, and putting her forehead up for him to kiss.
“We drove here capitally, and have not put you out,” answered Sergey Ivanovitch.
“I’m so dirty. I’m afraid to touch you. I’ve been so busy, I didn’t know when I should
be able to tear myself away. And so you’re still as ever enjoying your peaceful,
quiet happiness,” he said, smiling, “out of the reach of the current in your peaceful
backwater. Here’s our friend Fyodor Vassilievitch who has succeeded in getting here
at last.”
“But I’m not a negro, I shall look like a human being when I wash,” said Katavasov
in his jesting fashion, and he shook hands and smiled, his teeth flashing white in his
black face.
“Kostya will be delighted. He has gone to his settlement. It’s time he should be
home.”
“Busy as ever with his farming. It really is a peaceful backwater,” said Katavasov;
“while we in town think of nothing but the Servian war. Well, how does our friend
look at it? He’s sure not to think like other people.”
“Oh, I don’t know, like everybody else,” Kitty answered, a little embarrassed,
looking round at Sergey Ivanovitch. “I’ll send to fetch him. Papa’s staying with
us. He’s only just come home from abroad.”
And making arrangements to send for Levin and for the guests to wash, one in his
room and the other in what had been Dolly’s, and giving orders for their luncheon,
Kitty ran out onto the balcony, enjoying the freedom, and rapidity of movement, of
which she had been deprived during the months of her pregnancy.
“It’s Sergey Ivanovitch and Katavasov, a professor,” she said.
“Oh, that’s a bore in this heat,” said the prince.
“No, papa, he’s very nice, and Kostya’s very fond of him,” Kitty said, with a deprecating
smile, noticing the irony on her father’s face.
“Oh, I didn’t say anything.”
“You go to them, darling,” said Kitty to her sister, “and entertain them. They saw
Stiva at the station; he was quite well. And I must run to Mitya. As ill-luck would
have it, I haven’t fed him since tea. He’s awake now, and sure to be screaming.” And
feeling a rush of milk, she hurried to the nursery.
This was not a mere guess; her connection with the child was still so close, that she
could gauge by the flow of her milk his need of food, and knew for certain he was
hungry.
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