of calming him so as to cure him of the suffering which he was enduring.
"Try to understand all the horrible absurdity of my position," he went on to say, in a whisper of despair. "He is my guest, and if it were not for his silly gallantry, and his habit of sitting on his leg, he has certainly done nothing unbecoming; he certainly thinks himself irreproachable, and so I am obliged to seem polite."
"But, Kostia, you exaggerate things," said Kitty, glad at heart to see the force of his love for her, which now was expressed in his jealousy.
"But more terrible to me than all this is that, when you are an object of worship to me, and we are so happy, so peculiarly happy, this trashy fellow, .... but why should I call him names? He has done nothing to me. But why should our happiness...."
"Listen, Kostia; I believe I know what has offended you."
"Why is it, why is it?"
"I saw how you were looking when we were at supper."
"Well, well?" asked Levin, excitedly.
She told him what they were talking about. And as she recounted it, she sighed with her emotion. Levin was silent; then, observing his wife's pale, excited face, he clutched his head again.
"Katya," cried he, "I have tired you! Galubchik, forgive me! This is sheer craziness. I am a burden to you, Katya! I am a fool! How could I torture myself over such a trifle!"
"I am sorry for you."
"For me, for me? that I am insane! .... but still it is horrible to think that any stranger might destroy our happiness!"
"Of course, this is outrageous ...."
"No, to disprove this, I will keep him with us all summer, and I'll spread myself in heaping favors on him," said Levin, kissing his wife's hands. "You'll see. And to-morrow—yes, certainly to-morrow, we will go!"
