第89章

She did not understand either that Alexei Alexandrovich's peculiar loquacity that day, so exasperating to her, was merely the expression of his inward distress and uneasiness. As a child that has been hurt hops about, putting all his muscles into movement to drown the pain, in the same way Alexei Alexandrovich needed mental exercise to drown the thoughts of his wife, that in her presence and in Vronsky's, and with the continual iteration of his name, would force themselves on his attention. And it is as natural for a child to hop about, as it was natural for him to talk well and cleverly.

He was saying:

`Danger in the races to officers, to cavalrymen, is an essential element in the race. If England can point to the most brilliant feats of cavalry in military history, it is simply owing to the fact that she has historically developed this force both in beasts and in men. Sport has, in my opinion, a great value, and, as is always the case, we see nothing but what is most superficial.'

`It's not superficial,' said Princess Tverskaia. `One of the officers, they say, has broken two ribs.'

Alexei Alexandrovich smiled his smile, which uncovered his teeth, but revealed nothing more.

`We'll admit, Princess, that that's not superficial,' he said, `but internal. But that's not the point,' and he turned again to the general with whom he talked seriously; `we mustn't forget that those who are taking part in the race are military men, who have chosen that career, and one must allow that every calling has its disagreeable side. It forms an integral part of the duties of an officer. Low sports, such as prize fighting or Spanish bullfights, are a sign of barbarity. But specialized trials of skill are a sign of development.'

`No, I shan't come another time; it's too upsetting,' said Princess Betsy. `Isn't it, Anna?'

`It is upsetting, but one can't tear oneself away,' said another lady. `If I'd been a Roman woman I should never have missed a single circus.'

Anna said nothing, and, keeping her opera glass up, gazed always at the same spot.

At that moment a tall general walked through the pavilion. Breaking off what he was saying, Alexei Alexandrovich got up hurriedly, though with dignity, and bowed low to the general.

`You're not racing?' the officer asked, chaffing him.

`My race is a harder one,' Alexei Alexandrovich responded deferentially.

And though the answer meant nothing, the general looked as though he had heard a witty remark from a witty man, and fully relished la pointe de la sauce .

`There are two aspects,' Alexei Alexandrovich resumed: `those who take part and those who look on; and love for such spectacles is an unmistakable proof of a low degree of development in the spectator, I admit, but...'

`Any bets, Princess?' sounded Stepan Arkadyevich's voice from below, addressing Betsy. `Who's your favorite?'

`Anna and I are for Kuzovlev,' replied Betsy.

`I'm for Vronsky. A pair of gloves?'

`Done!'

`But it is a pretty sight, isn't it?'

Alexei Alexandrovich paused while the others were talking near him, but he began again directly.

`I admit that manly sports do not...' he made an attempt to continue.

But at that moment the racers started, and all conversation ceased.

Alexei Alexandrovich also fell silent, and everyone stood up and turned toward the stream. Alexei Alexandrovich took no interest in the race, and so he did not watch the racers, but fell listlessly to scanning the spectators with his weary eyes. His eyes rested upon Anna.

Her face was white and stern. She was obviously seeing nothing and no one but one man. Her hand had convulsively clutched her fan, and she held her breath. He looked at her and hastily turned away, scrutinizing other faces.

`But here's this lady too, and others very much moved as well;it's very natural,' Alexei Alexandrovich told himself He tried not to look at her, but unconsciously his eyes were drawn to her. He examined that face again, trying not to read what was so plainly written on it, and against his own will, with horror, read in it what he did not want to know.

The first fall - Kuzovlev's, at the stream - agitated everyone, but Alexei Alexandrovich saw distinctly on Anna's pale, triumphant face that the man she was watching had not fallen. When, after Makhotin and Vronsky had cleared the worst barrier, the next officer had been thrown straight on his head at it and fatally injured, and a shudder of horror passed over the whole public, Alexei Alexandrovich saw that Anna did not even notice it, and had some difficulty in realizing what they were saying around her. But more and more often, and with greater persistence, he watched her. Anna, wholly engrossed as she was with the sight of Vronsky racing, became aware of her husband's cold eyes fixed upon her from aside.

She glanced round for an instant, looked inquiringly at him, and with a slight frown turned away again.

`Ah, I don't care!' she seemed to say to him, and she did not once glance at him again.

The race was an unlucky one, and of the seventeen officers who rode in it more than half had been thrown and hurt. Toward the end of the race everyone was in a state of agitation, which was intensified by the fact that the Czar was displeased.

[Next Chapter] [Table of Contents]TOLSTOY: Anna Karenina Part 2, Chapter 29[Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] Chapter 29 Everyone was loudly expressing disapprobation, everyone was repeating a phrase someone had uttered: `The lions and gladiators will be the next thing,' and everyone was feeling horrified; so that when Vronsky fell to the ground, and Anna moaned aloud, there was nothing very much out of the way in it. But afterward a change came over Anna's face which really went beyond decorum. She utterly lost her head. She began fluttering like a caged bird, at one moment wanting to get up and move away, and at the next turning to Betsy.

`Let us go, let us go!' she said.

But Betsy did not hear her. She was bending down, talking to a general who had come up to her.