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88
ANNA KARENINA

pulled her hair with both hands, not knowing what she did, so great was her mental anguish, she took leave, and went.


CHAPTER XIX

Vronsky, in spite of his worldly life and his apparent frivolity, was a man who detested confusion. Once, when still a lad in the School of Pages, he found himself short of money, and met with a humiliating refusal when he tried to borrow. He vowed that henceforth he would not expose himself to such a humiliation again, and he kept his word. In order to keep his affairs in order, he made, more or less often, according to circumstances, but at least five times a year, an examination of his affairs. He called this "straightening his affairs," or, in French, faire sa lessive.

The morning after the races Vronsky woke late, and without stopping to shave, or take his bath, put on his kitel, or soldier's linen frock, and, placing his money and bills and paper on the table, proceeded to the work of settling his accounts. Petritsky, knowing that his comrade was likely to be irritable when engaged in such occupation, quietly got up, and slipped out without disturbing him.

Every man acquainted, even to the minutest details, with all the complications of his surroundings, involuntarily supposes that the complications and tribulations of his life are a personal and private grievance peculiar to himself, and never thinks that others are subjected to the same complications of their personal troubles he himself is. Thus it seemed to Vronsky. And not without inward pride, and not without reason, he felt that, until the present time, he had done well in avoiding the embarrassments to which every one else would have succumbed. But he felt that now it was necessary for him to examine into his affairs, so as not to be embarrassed.

First, because it was the easiest to settle, Vronsky investigated his pecuniary status. He wrote in his