pleased at the prospect of a disgraceful scandal in society.
Vronsky's mother, when she heard of the liaison, at first was glad; because, in her opinion, nothing gave the last finish to a brilliant young man compared to an intrigue in high life; and because she was not sorry to find that this Madame Karenin, who had pleased her so much and who seemed so entirely devoted to her boy, was, after all, only like any other handsome and elegant woman. But later she learned that her son had refused an important promotion, for no other reason than that he might stay with his regiment and keep on visiting Madame Karenin, and she learned that, on account of this, persons very high in authority were dissatisfied with him, and she changed her opinion in regard to it.
There was another reason why she did not now approve of it: from all she could learn of this liaison, it was not the brilliant and fashionable flirtation, such as she approved, but a desperate tragedy, after the style of Werther, according to report, and she was afraid lest her son should be drawn into some folly. Since his unexpected departure from Moscow she had not seen him, but she sent word to him, through his elder brother, that she desired him to come to her. His elder brother was even more dissatisfied, not because he felt anxious to know whether this love-affair was to be deep or ephemeral, passionate or Platonic, innocent or guilty,—he himself, though a married man and the father of a family, had a ballet dancer for a mistress, and therefore had no right to be severe,—but because he knew that this love-affair was displeasing in quarters where it was better to be on good terms; and therefore he blamed his brother's conduct.
Vronsky, besides his society relations and his military duties, had yet another absorbing passion,—horses. The officers' handicap races were to take place this summer. He became a subscriber, and bought a pure-blood English trotter; and in spite of his love-affair, he was passionately though discreetly interested in the results of the races. ....
