her something very flattering to himself about this affair, and, by means of questions, she led him up to the story. And he, with the same self-satisfied smile, began to tell her of the congratulations which he had received on account of this measure, which had been passed.
"I was very, very glad. This proves that at last reasonable and serious views about this question are beginning to be formed among us."
After he had taken his second glass of tea, with cream and bread, Alekseï Aleksandrovitch arose to go to his library.
"But you did not go out; was it very tiresome for you?" he said.
"Oh, no!" she replied, rising with her husband, and going with him through the hall to the library.
"What are you reading now?" she asked.
"Just now I am reading the Duc de Lille — Poésie des enfers",he replied, "a very remarkable book."
Anna smiled, as one smiles at the weaknesses of those we love, and, passing her arm through her husband's, accompanied him to the library door. She knew that his habit of reading in the evening had become inexorable, and that, notwithstanding his absorbing duties, which took so much of his time at the council, he felt it his duty to follow all that seemed remarkable in the sphere of literature. She also knew that while he felt a special interest in works on political economy, philosophy, and religion, art was quite foreign to his nature; and notwithstanding this, or better, for that very reason, Alekseï Aleksandrovitch allowed nothing that was attracting attention in that field to escape his notice, but considered it his duty to read everything. She knew that in the province of political economy, philosophy, religion, Alekseï Aleksandrovitch had doubts, and tried to solve them; but in questions of art or poetry, particularly in music, the comprehension of which was utterly beyond him, he had the most precise and definite opinions. He loved to talk of Shakespeare, Raphael, and Beethoven; of the importance of the new school
