But, despite Stepan Arkadyich’s wishes, and their own wishes, they had nothing to talk about and they both felt it.
‘You know, he’s not acquainted with Anna?’ Stepan Arkadyich said to Vronsky. ‘And I absolutely want to take him to her. Let’s go, Levin!’
‘Really?’ said Vronsky. ‘She’ll be very glad. I’d go home now,’ he added, ‘but I’m worried about Yashvin and want to stay till he’s finished.’
‘What, is it bad?’
‘He keeps losing and I’m the only one who can hold him back.’
‘How about a little game of pyramids? Levin, will you play? Well, splendid!’ said Stepan Arkadyich. ‘Set it up for pyramids.’ He turned to the marker.
‘It’s been ready for a long time,’ replied the marker, who had set the balls into a triangle long ago and was knocking the red one around to amuse himself.
‘Let’s begin.’
After the game, Vronsky and Levin joined Gagin’s table and Levin, at Stepan Arkadyich’s suggestion, began betting on aces. Vronsky first sat by the table, surrounded by acquaintances who were constantly coming up to him, then went to the inferno to visit Yashvin. Levin experienced a pleasant rest from the mental fatigue of the morning. He was glad of the cessation of hostilities with Vronsky, and the feeling of peacefulness, propriety and contentment never left him.
When the game was over, Stepan Arkadyich took Levin under the arm.
‘Well, shall we go to Anna? Now? Eh? She’s at home. I’ve long been promising to bring you. Where were you going to spend the evening?’
‘Nowhere in particular. I promised Sviyazhsky I’d go to the Agricultural Society. But all right, let’s go,’ said Levin.
‘Excellent! Off we go! Find out if my carriage has arrived,’ Stepan Arkadyich turned to a footman.
Levin went to the table, paid the forty roubles he had lost betting on aces, paid his club expenses, known in some mysterious way to the little old footman who stood by the door, and, with a special swing of the arms, walked through all the rooms to the exit.
IX
‘The Oblonsky carriage!’ shouted the porter in a gruff bass. The carriage pulled up and they got in. Only at the beginning, while the carriage was driving through the gates of the club, did Levin continue to feel the impression of the club’s peace, contentment, and the unquestionable propriety of the surroundings; but as soon as the carriage drove out to the street and he felt it jolting over the uneven road, heard the angry shout of a driver going the other way, saw in the dim light the red signs over a pot-house and a shop, that impression was destroyed, and he began to reflect on his actions, asking himself if he was doing the right thing by going to Anna. What would Kitty say? But Stepan Arkadyich did not let him ponder and, as if guessing his doubts, dispersed them.
‘I’m so glad,’ he said, ‘that you’ll get to know her. You know, Dolly has long been wanting it. And Lvov has called on her and keeps dropping in. Though she’s my sister,’ Stepan Arkadyich went on, ‘I can boldly say that she’s a remarkable woman. You’ll see. Her situation is very trying, especially now.’
‘Why especially now?’
‘We’re discussing a divorce with her husband. And he consents. But there’s a difficulty here about her son, and the matter, which should have been concluded long ago, has been dragging on for three months. As soon as she gets the divorce, she’ll marry Vronsky. It’s so stupid, this old custom of marching in a circle, “Rejoice, O Isaiah,”16 which nobody believes in and which hinders people’s happiness!’ Stepan Arkadyich added. ‘Well, and then her situation will be as definite as mine, as yours.’
‘What’s the difficulty?’ said Levin.
‘Ah, it’s a long and boring story! It’s all so indefinite in this country. But the point is that, while waiting for the divorce, she’s been living here in Moscow for three months, where everybody knows them both. She doesn’t go anywhere, doesn’t see any women except Dolly, because, you understand, she doesn’t want them to come to her out of kindness. That fool, Princess Varvara - even she found it improper and left. And so, in that situation another woman wouldn’t be able to find resources in herself. She, though, you’ll see how she’s arranged her life, how calm and dignified she is. To the left, into the lane, across from the church!’ Stepan Arkadyich shouted, leaning out of the window of the carriage. ‘Pah, what heat!’ he said, opening his already unbuttoned coat still more, though it was twelve degrees below zero.
‘But she has a daughter; mustn’t she keep her busy?’ said Levin.
