Chapter 2

“Go,please,gothenandcallontheBols,”Kittysaidtoherhusband,whenhecameintoseeherateleveno’clockbeforegoingout.“Iknowyouarediningattheclub;papaputdownyourname.Butwhatareyougoingtodointhemorning?”

“IamonlygoingtoKatavasov,”answeredLevin.

“Whysoearly?”

“HepromisedtointroducemetoMetrov.Iwantedtotalktohimaboutmywork.He’sadistinguishedscientificmanfromPetersburg,”saidLevin.

“Yes;wasn’tithisarticleyouwerepraisingso?Well,andafterthat?”saidKitty.

“Ishallgotothecourt,perhaps,aboutmysister’sbusiness.”

“Andtheconcert?”shequeried.

“Ishan’tgothereallalone.”

“No?dogo;therearegoingtobesomenewthings....Thatinterestedyouso.Ishouldcertainlygo.”

“Well,anyway,Ishallcomehomebeforedinner,”hesaid,lookingathiswatch.

“Putonyourfrockcoat,sothatyoucangostraighttocallonCountessBola.”

“Butisitabsolutelynecessary?”

“Oh,absolutely!Hehasbeentoseeus.Come,whatisit?Yougoin,sitdown,talkforfiveminutesoftheweather,getupandgoaway.”

“Oh,youwouldn’tbelieveit!I’vegotsooutofthewayofallthisthatitmakesmefeelpositivelyashamed.It’ssuchahorriblethingtodo!Acompleteoutsiderwalksin,sitsdown,staysonwithnothingtodo,wastestheirtimeandworrieshimself,andwalksaway!”