Chapter 31

           Itwasawetday;ithadbeenrainingallthemorning,andtheinvalids,withtheirparasols,hadflockedintothearcades.

           KittywaswalkingtherewithhermotherandtheMoscowcolonel,smartandjauntyinhisEuropeancoat,boughtready-madeatFrankfort.Theywerewalkingononesideofthearcade,tryingtoavoidLevin,whowaswalkingontheotherside.Varenka,inherdarkdress,inablackhatwithaturn-downbrim,waswalkingupanddownthewholelengthofthearcadewithablindFrenchwoman,and,everytimeshemetKitty,theyexchangedfriendlyglances.

           “Mamma,couldn’tIspeaktoher?”saidKitty,watchingherunknownfriend,andnoticingthatshewasgoinguptothespring,andthattheymightcometheretogether.

           “Oh,ifyouwanttosomuch,I’llfindoutaboutherfirstandmakeheracquaintancemyself,”answeredhermother.“Whatdoyouseeinheroutoftheway?Acompanion,shemustbe.Ifyoulike,I’llmakeacquaintancewithMadameStahl;Iusedtoknowherbelle-sœur,”addedtheprincess,liftingherheadhaughtily.

           KittyknewthattheprincesswasoffendedthatMadameStahlhadseemedtoavoidmakingheracquaintance.Kittydidnotinsist.

           “Howwonderfullysweetsheis!”shesaid,gazingatVarenkajustasshehandedaglasstotheFrenchwoman.“Lookhownaturalandsweetitallis.”

           “It’ssofunnytoseeyourengouements,”saidtheprincess.“No,we’dbettergoback,”sheadded,noticingLevincomingtowardsthemwithhiscompanionandaGermandoctor,towhomhewastalkingverynoisilyandangrily.