Anna Karenina by graf Leo Tolstoy
Chapter 227
824 words | Chapter 227
While the train was stopping at the provincial town, Sergey Ivanovitch
did not go to the refreshment room, but walked up and down the
platform.
The first time he passed Vronsky’s compartment he noticed that the
curtain was drawn over the window; but as he passed it the second time
he saw the old countess at the window. She beckoned to Koznishev.
“I’m going, you see, taking him as far as Kursk,” she said.
“Yes, so I heard,” said Sergey Ivanovitch, standing at her window and
peeping in. “What a noble act on his part!” he added, noticing that
Vronsky was not in the compartment.
“Yes, after his misfortune, what was there for him to do?”
“What a terrible thing it was!” said Sergey Ivanovitch.
“Ah, what I have been through! But do get in.... Ah, what I have been
through!” she repeated, when Sergey Ivanovitch had got in and sat down
beside her. “You can’t conceive it! For six weeks he did not speak to
anyone, and would not touch food except when I implored him. And not
for one minute could we leave him alone. We took away everything he
could have used against himself. We lived on the ground floor, but
there was no reckoning on anything. You know, of course, that he had
shot himself once already on her account,” she said, and the old lady’s
eyelashes twitched at the recollection. “Yes, hers was the fitting end
for such a woman. Even the death she chose was low and vulgar.”
“It’s not for us to judge, countess,” said Sergey Ivanovitch; “but I
can understand that it has been very hard for you.”
“Ah, don’t speak of it! I was staying on my estate, and he was with me.
A note was brought him. He wrote an answer and sent it off. We hadn’t
an idea that she was close by at the station. In the evening I had only
just gone to my room, when my Mary told me a lady had thrown herself
under the train. Something seemed to strike me at once. I knew it was
she. The first thing I said was, he was not to be told. But they’d told
him already. His coachman was there and saw it all. When I ran into his
room, he was beside himself—it was fearful to see him. He didn’t say a
word, but galloped off there. I don’t know to this day what happened
there, but he was brought back at death’s door. I shouldn’t have known
him. _Prostration complète,_ the doctor said. And that was followed
almost by madness. Oh, why talk of it!” said the countess with a wave
of her hand. “It was an awful time! No, say what you will, she was a
bad woman. Why, what is the meaning of such desperate passions? It was
all to show herself something out of the way. Well, and that she did
do. She brought herself to ruin and two good men—her husband and my
unhappy son.”
“And what did her husband do?” asked Sergey Ivanovitch.
“He has taken her daughter. Alexey was ready to agree to anything at
first. Now it worries him terribly that he should have given his own
child away to another man. But he can’t take back his word. Karenin
came to the funeral. But we tried to prevent his meeting Alexey. For
him, for her husband, it was easier, anyway. She had set him free. But
my poor son was utterly given up to her. He had thrown up everything,
his career, me, and even then she had no mercy on him, but of set
purpose she made his ruin complete. No, say what you will, her very
death was the death of a vile woman, of no religious feeling. God
forgive me, but I can’t help hating the memory of her, when I look at
my son’s misery!”
“But how is he now?”
“It was a blessing from Providence for us—this Servian war. I’m old,
and I don’t understand the rights and wrongs of it, but it’s come as a
providential blessing to him. Of course for me, as his mother, it’s
terrible; and what’s worse, they say, _ce n’est pas très bien vu à
Pétersbourg_. But it can’t be helped! It was the one thing that could
rouse him. Yashvin—a friend of his—he had lost all he had at cards and
he was going to Servia. He came to see him and persuaded him to go. Now
it’s an interest for him. Do please talk to him a little. I want to
distract his mind. He’s so low-spirited. And as bad luck would have it,
he has toothache too. But he’ll be delighted to see you. Please do talk
to him; he’s walking up and down on that side.”
Sergey Ivanovitch said he would be very glad to, and crossed over to
the other side of the station.
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