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‘Yes!’ she said meaningly and slowly. ‘I’m so happy!’

Without letting go of his hand, she went into the drawing room. The princess, seeing them, began breathing quickly and immediately broke down in tears, then immediately burst out laughing and, running to them with energetic strides that Levin would never have expected of her, embraced his head, kissed him and wetted his cheeks with tears.

‘So it’s all settled! I’m glad. Love her. I’m glad ... Kitty!’

‘That was quick work!’ said the old prince, trying to be indifferent; but Levin noticed that his eyes were moist when he addressed him.

‘I’ve long, I’ve always wished for this!’ he said, taking Levin’s hand and drawing him to him. ‘Even then, when this flighty one took a notion ...’

‘Papa!’ Kitty cried and covered his mouth with her hand.

‘Well, all right!’ he said. ‘I’m very, very ... hap ... Ah! how stupid I am...’

He embraced Kitty, kissed her face, her hand, her face again, and made the sign of the cross over her.

And Levin was overcome by a new feeling of love for this man previously a stranger to him, the old prince, when he saw how long and tenderly Kitty kissed his fleshy hand.

XVI

The princess sat in an armchair, silent and smiling; the prince sat beside her. Kitty stood by her father’s chair, still holding his hand. Everyone was silent.

The princess was the first to put names to things and translate all thoughts and feelings into questions of life. And it seemed equally strange and even painful to them all in the first moment.

‘So, when? We must bless you and announce it. And when will the wedding be? What do you think, Alexandre?’

‘He’s the one,’ said the old prince, pointing at Levin, ‘he’s the chief person here.’

‘When?’ said Levin, blushing. ‘Tomorrow. If you ask me, in my opinion, the blessing today and the wedding tomorrow.’

‘Come, come, mon cher, that’s foolishness!’

‘Well, in a week, then.’

‘He’s quite mad.’

‘No, why?’

‘Mercy!’ said the mother, smiling joyfully at his haste. ‘And the trousseau?’

‘Will there really be a trousseau and all that?’ Levin thought with horror. ‘And yet, can the trousseau, and the blessing, and all that - can it spoil my happiness? Nothing can spoil it!’ He glanced at Kitty and noticed that she was not the least bit offended at the thought of a trousseau. ‘So it’s necessary,’ he thought.

‘I really don’t know anything, I only said what I wish,’ he said, apologizing.

‘Then we’ll decide. We can give the blessing and make the announcement now. That’s so.’

The princess went up to her husband, kissed him and was about to leave; but he held her back, embraced her and tenderly, like a young lover, smiling, kissed her several times. The old folk evidently got confused for a moment and could not quite tell whether it was they who were in love again, or only their daughter. When the prince and princess left, Levin went up to his fiancée and took her hand. He had now gained control of himself and could speak, and there was much that he needed to tell her. But he said not at all what he meant to.

‘How I knew it would be so! I never hoped, but in my soul I was always sure,’ he said. ‘I believe it was predestined.’

‘And I.’ she said. ‘Even when ...’ she stopped and then went on, looking at him resolutely with her truthful eyes, ‘even when I pushed my happiness away from me. I always loved you alone, but I was infatuated. I must tell ... Can you forget it?’

‘Maybe it was for the better. You must forgive me many things. I must tell you ...’

This was one of the things he had resolved to tell her. He had resolved to tell her two things in the very first days - one, that he was not as pure as she was, and the other, that he was an unbeliever. It was painful, but he considered that he ought to tell her both the one and the other.

‘No, not now, later!’ he said.

‘Very well, later, but you absolutely must tell me. I’m not afraid of anything. I must know everything. It’s settled now.’

He finished the phrase:

‘Settled that you’ll take me however I used to be, that you won