Chapter 24

“Well,wasitnice?”sheasked,comingouttomeethimwithapenitentandmeekexpression.

“Justasusual,”heanswered,seeingataglancethatshewasinoneofhergoodmoods.Hewasusedbynowtothesetransitions,andhewasparticularlygladtoseeittoday,ashewasinaspeciallygoodhumorhimself.

“WhatdoIsee?Come,that’sgood!”hesaid,pointingtotheboxesinthepassage.

“Yes,wemustgo.Iwentoutforadrive,anditwassofineIlongedtobeinthecountry.There’snothingtokeepyou,isthere?”

“It’stheonethingIdesire.I’llbebackdirectly,andwe’lltalkitover;Ionlywanttochangemycoat.Ordersometea.”

Andhewentintohisroom.

Therewassomethingmortifyinginthewayhehadsaid“Come,that’sgood,”asonesaystoachildwhenitleavesoffbeingnaughty,andstillmoremortifyingwasthecontrastbetweenherpenitentandhisself-confidenttone;andforoneinstantshefeltthelustofstriferisingupinheragain,butmakinganeffortsheconqueredit,andmetVronskyasgood-humoredlyasbefore.

Whenhecameinshetoldhim,partlyrepeatingphrasesshehadpreparedbeforehand,howshehadspenttheday,andherplansforgoingaway.

“Youknowitcametomealmostlikeaninspiration,”shesaid.“Whywaithereforthedivorce?Won’titbejustthesameinthecountry?Ican’twaitanylonger!Idon’twanttogoonhoping,Idon’twanttohearanythingaboutthedivorce.Ihavemadeupmyminditshallnothaveanymoreinfluenceonmylife.Doyouagree?”