"Oh! these things are felt instantly," said Dolly,
"I should be in despair if I felt that there was anything serious on his part," interrupted Anna; "but I am convinced that all this will be quickly forgotten, and that Kitty will not long be angry with me."
"In the first place, Anna, to tell the truth, I should not be very sorry if this marriage fell through. It would be vastly better for it to stop right here if Vronsky can fall in love with you in a single day."
"Oh heavens! that would be so idiotic!" said Anna, and again an intense blush of satisfaction overspread her face at hearing the thought that occupied her expressed in words. "And that is why I go away, after making an enemy of Kitty, whom I loved so dearly. Akh! how sweet she is! But you will arrange that, Dolly? Won't you?"
Dolly could hardly refrain from smiling. She loved Anna, but it was pleasant to her to discover that she also had her weaknesses.
"An enemy? That cannot be!"
"And I should have been so glad to have you all love me as I love you; but now I love you all more than ever," said Anna, with tears in her eyes. "Akh! how absurd I am to-day!"
She passed her handkerchief over her eyes, and began to get ready.
At the very moment of her departure came Stepan Arkadyevitch with rosy, happy face, and an odor of wine and cigars.
Anna's tender-heartedness had communicated itself to Dolly, and, when she kissed her for the last time, she whispered:—
"Think, Anna! what you have done for me! I shall never forget. And remember that I love you, and always shall love you as my best friend!"
"I don't understand why," replied Anna, kissing her, and struggling with her tears.
"You have understood me, and you do understand me. Farewell, my dearest!"[1]
- ↑ Proshchaï, moya prelest!
