speeches, in honor of the new marshal, and of the governor, and of the director of the bank, and of "our beloved host."
Vronsky was contented. He had never expected to find in the provinces such distinguished society.
Toward the end of dinner the gayety redoubled, and the governor asked Vronsky to attend a concert arranged for the benefit of our brothers by his wife, who wanted to make his acquaintance.
"There will be a ball afterward, and you shall see our beauty. In fact, she is remarkable."
"Not in my line," answered Vronsky in English; he liked the phrase, but he smiled and promised to go.
Just before they left the table, and while they were lighting their cigars, Vronsky's valet approached him, bringing a note on a tray.
"From Vozdvizhenskoye, by a special messenger," said the man, with a significant expression.
"It is remarkable how much he looks like the colleague of the prokuror Sventitsky," said one of the guests in French, referring to the valet, while Vronsky, with a frown on his brow, was reading the note.
The note was from Anna, and Vronsky knew, before he read it through, what was in it. He had promised, as the elections were to last five days, to return on Friday; but it was now Saturday, and he knew that the letter would be full of reproaches because he had not fulfilled his promise. The one he had sent off the afternoon before had evidently not been received.
The tenor of the note was what he expected; but its form was a great surprise, and extremely unpleasant to him.
Ani is very sick, and the doctor says it may be pneumonia.
I shall go wild, here all alone. The Princess Varvara is only a hindrance instead of a help. I expected you day before yesterday, and now I send a messenger to know where you are and what you are doing. I wanted to come myself, but hesitated, knowing that it would be disagreeable to you. Send some answer, that I may know what to do.
