• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 1182 0

that Levin laughed and wept from joy. Making a big circle along Gazetny Lane and Kislovka, he went back to his hotel again and, placing his watch in front of him, sat down to wait till twelve o‘clock. In the next room they were saying something about machines and cheating, and coughing morning coughs. They did not realize that the hand was already approaching twelve. The hand reached twelve. Levin went out to the porch. The cabbies evidently knew everything. They surrounded him with happy faces, vying among themselves and offering their services. Trying not to offend the others and promising to ride with them, too, Levin hired one cabby and told him to go to the Shcherbatskys’. The cabby was charming, with his white shirt collar sticking out from under his caftan and buttoned tightly on his full, strong, red neck. This cabby’s sleigh was high, smart, the like of which Levin never drove in again, and the horse was fine and tried to run, but did not move from the spot. The cabby knew the Shcherbatskys’ house and, with particular deference to his fare, rounded his arms and shouted ‘Whoa!’ as he pulled up at the entrance. The Shcherbatskys’ hall porter certainly knew everything. That could be seen by the smile of his eyes and the way he said:

‘Well, you haven’t been here for a long time, Konstantin Dmitrich!’

Not only did he know everything, but he was obviously exultant and was making efforts to hide his joy. Looking into his dear old eyes, Levin even understood something new in his happiness.

‘Are they up?’

‘Come in, please! You might leave it here,’ he said, smiling, as Levin was about to go back for his hat. That must have meant something.

‘To whom shall I announce you?’ asked the footman.

The footman, though young and of the new sort, a dandy, was a very kind and good man, and also understood everything.

‘The princess ... The prince ... The young princess ...’ said Levin.

The first person he saw was Mlle Linon. She passed through the room, her curls and face beaming. No sooner had he addressed her than the rustle of a dress was suddenly heard behind the door, and Mlle Linon vanished from Levin’s sight, and the joyful terror of the nearness of his happiness communicated itself to him. Mlle Linon hastened away and, leaving him, went to the other door. As soon as she went out, there came the sound of quick, quick, light steps over the parquet, and his happiness, his life, he himself - better than his own self, that which he had sought and desired for so long - was quickly approaching him. She did not walk but by some invisible force rushed towards him.

He saw only her clear, truthful eyes, frightened by the same joy of love that filled his heart. Those eyes shone nearer and nearer, blinding him by their light of love. She stopped up close to him, touching him. Her arms rose and came down on his shoulders.

She had done all she could - she had run up to him and given all of herself, timidly and joyfully. He embraced her and pressed his lips to her mouth that sought his kiss.

She, too, had not slept all night and all morning had been waiting for him. Her mother and father had consented without question and were happy in her happiness. She had been waiting for him. She had wanted to be the first to announce to him her happiness and his. She had been preparing to meet him alone and rejoiced at the thought of it, and felt timid, and bashful, and did not know herself what she would do. She had heard his footsteps and voice and had waited behind the door till Mlle Linon left. Without thinking, without asking herself how or what, she had gone up to him and done what she had done.

‘Let’s go to mama!’ she said, taking him by the hand. For a long time he could say nothing, not so much because he was afraid to spoil the loftiness of his feeling with words, as because each time he wanted to say something he felt that, instead of words, tears of happiness were about to burst out. He took her hand and kissed it.

‘Can this be true?’ he said finally in a muted voice. ‘I can’t believe you love me!’

She smiled at these words and