Anna's conduct, but the sight of the man for whom she had taken this step was unpleasant to her. Moreover, Vronsky was not congenial to her at any time; she thought him very haughty, and could see no reason except his wealth to justify his haughtiness. But in spite of all her will-power, there in his own establishment he more than ever impressed her with a sense of his importance and she could not feel at ease with him; she felt just as she had felt when the maid took the nightgown from her valise. Just as before the maid she had felt, not exactly ashamed, but awkward, on account of the patches, so now with Vronsky she felt all the time, not exactly ashamed, but uncomfortable.
Dolly felt confused and cast about in her mind for something to talk about.
Although she felt sure that he with his pride might be displeased if she praised his house and park, nevertheless, finding no other topic of conversation, she remarked that she liked his house very much.
"Yes, it is a very handsome building, and in good old style," replied the count.
"I liked the court in front of the steps; was it always so?"
"Oh, no!" said he, and his face shone with satisfaction. "If you had only seen it in the spring!"
And at first coldly, but warming as he went on, he pointed out to Dolly the many improvements he had made in the house and park. It was evident that Vronsky, having consecrated much labor to the improvement and beautification of his establishment, really felt the need of appreciation from some new person, and that he was not a little gratified at Darya Aleksandrovna's praise.
"If you would like to look into the hospital and are not tired, we might go that way. It is not far. Come, let us go! Shall we, Anna?"
"Yes—shall we not?" she said, turning to Sviazhsky; "mais il ne faut pas laisser le pauvre Veslovsky et Tushkiévitch se morfondre là dans le bateau![1] We
- ↑ But we must not leave these gentlemen to wait in vain for us in the boat.
