(no subject)
"She heard Vronsky's peremptory ring and hastened to wipe away her tears; she not only wiped them away but sat down by the lamp and opened up a book, pretending to be calm. She had to show him that she was displeased at his not having returned when he had promised to, though merely displeased, and on no account to show him her distress and least of all her self-pity.
She might pity herself, but he must not. She did not want any strife; though she reproached him for wanting to quarrel, it was she who willy-nilly took up a truculent attitude.
"Well, have you been bored?" he said, going over to her with cheerful animation...
"No, I haven't been bored, it's a long time since I learned not to be....
"Then what was the point of staying on there?" she asked, suddenly looking up at him. Her face looked cold and hostile. "You told Stiva you were staying on to bring Yashvin away, and now you've left him."
The same cold look-of readiness for a fight-came over his face.
"In the first place I didn't ask him to tell you anything; secondly, I never say anything untrue. And the main thing is that I wanted to stay on and I did," he said scowling.
"Anna-why? Why d'you do this?" he said after a moment's pause, leaning toward her and opening his hand, hoping she would place her own in it.
She was glad of this appeal for tenderness. But some strange force of evil did not allow her to yield to her own impulse, as though the rules of warfare would not allow her to submit.
She might pity herself, but he must not. She did not want any strife; though she reproached him for wanting to quarrel, it was she who willy-nilly took up a truculent attitude.
"Well, have you been bored?" he said, going over to her with cheerful animation...
"No, I haven't been bored, it's a long time since I learned not to be....
"Then what was the point of staying on there?" she asked, suddenly looking up at him. Her face looked cold and hostile. "You told Stiva you were staying on to bring Yashvin away, and now you've left him."
The same cold look-of readiness for a fight-came over his face.
"In the first place I didn't ask him to tell you anything; secondly, I never say anything untrue. And the main thing is that I wanted to stay on and I did," he said scowling.
"Anna-why? Why d'you do this?" he said after a moment's pause, leaning toward her and opening his hand, hoping she would place her own in it.
She was glad of this appeal for tenderness. But some strange force of evil did not allow her to yield to her own impulse, as though the rules of warfare would not allow her to submit.