oldest daughter, Dolly, who was thinking of leaving her husband, agitation regarding the decision of her youngest daughter's fate completely absorbed her thoughts.
Levin's arrival to-day gave her a new anxiety. She feared lest her daughter, who, as she thought, had at one time felt drawn toward Levin, might, out of excessive delicacy, refuse Vronsky, and she feared more than anything else that his arrival would complicate everything and postpone a long-desired consummation.
"Has he been here long?" asked the princess of her daughter, when they reached home after their meeting with Levin.
"Since yesterday, maman."
"I have one thing that I want to say to you .... "the princess began, and, at the sight of her serious and agitated face, Kitty knew what was coming.
"Mamma," said she, blushing, and turning quickly to her, "please, please don't speak about this. I know, I know all!"
She wished the same thing that her mother wished, but the motives of her mother's desires were repugnant to her.
"I only wish to say that as you have given hope to one...."
"Mamma, galubchik,[1] don't speak. It's so terrible to speak about this."
"I will not," replied her mother, seeing the tears in her daughter's eyes; "only one word, moya dusha[2]: you have promised to have no secrets from me. Have you any?"
"Never, mamma, not one!" replied Kitty, looking her mother full in the face and blushing; "but I have nothing to tell now. I .... I .... even if I wanted to, I don't know what to say and how.... I don't know ...."
"No, with those eyes she cannot speak a falsehood," said the mother to herself, smiling at her emotion and happiness. The princess smiled to think how momentous appeared to the poor girl what was passing in her heart.
