When Kitty heard that Anna was there, she had not wished to appear; but Dolly had persuaded her. Controlling her repugnance, she went to the parlor, and, blushing as she approached Anna, she held out her hand.
"I am very glad," said she, in a trembling voice.
Kitty was confused by the struggle between her dislike of this wicked woman and her desire to be polite to her; but, as soon as she saw Anna's beautiful, attractive face, all her unfriendliness vanished.
"I should not have been surprised if you had refused to see me; I am used to everything," said Anna. "You have been very ill; yes, you have changed."
Kitty felt that Anna looked at her with dislike, and she attributed her unfriendliness to the awkward position in which she stood in regard to herself, having once been her especial favorite. Her heart was filled with compassion.
They talked of Kitty's illness, about her baby, and of Stiva; but evidently nothing interested Anna.
"I came to bid you good-by," she said to Dolly, as she rose.
"When do you go?"
But, without answering her, Anna turned to Kitty.
"Well, I am very glad to have seen you again," said she, with a smile. "I've heard so much about you from every one, and especially from your husband. He came to see me, and I liked him very much," she added, with a wicked emphasis. "Where is he?"
"He has gone to the country," answered Kitty, blushing.
"Give my love to him; now don't forget!"
"I will do it, certainly," said Kitty, simply, with a compassionate look.
"So, prashchaï, Dolly, good-by," said Anna, kissing her; and, shaking hands with Kitty, she hastened away.
"She is as fascinating as ever," remarked Kitty, to her sister, when Dolly rejoined Kitty. "And how beautiful she is! But there is something very painful about her.... terribly painful."
