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the exalted position of Karenin, and the consequent publicity of their
connection in society.
The greater number of the young women, who envied Anna and
had long been weary of hearing her called virtuous, rejoiced at the
fulfillment of their predictions, and were only waiting for a decisive
turn in public opinion to fall upon her with all the weight of their scorn.
They were already making ready their handfuls of mud to fling at her
when the right moment arrived. The greater number of the middle-
aged people and certain great personages were displeased at the pros-
pect of the impending scandal in society.
Vronsky’s mother, on hearing of his connection, was at first pleased
at it, because nothing to her mind gave such a finishing touch to a
brilliant young man as a liaison in the highest society; she was pleased,
too, that Madame Karenina, who had so taken her fancy, and had
talked so much of her son, was, after all, just like all other pretty and
well-bred women,—at least according to the Countess Vronskaya’s
ideas. But she had heard of late that her son had refused a position
offered him of great importance to his career, simply in order to remain
in the regiment, where he could be constantly seeing Madame Karenina.
She learned that great personages were displeased with him on this
account, and she changed her opinion. She was vexed, too, that from
all she could learn of this connection it was not that brilliant, graceful,
worldly liaison which she would have welcomed, but a sort of Wertherish,
desperate passion, so she was told, which might well lead him into
imprudence. She had not seen him since his abrupt departure from
Moscow, and she sent her elder son to bid him come to see her.
This elder son, too, was displeased with his younger brother. He
did not distinguish what sort of love his might be, big or little, passion-
ate or passionless, lasting or passing (he kept a ballet girl himself, though
he was the father of a family, so he was lenient in these matters), but he
knew that this love affair was viewed with displeasure by those whom
it was necessary to please, and therefore he did not approve of his
brother’s conduct.
Besides the service and society, Vronsky had another great inter-
est—horses; he was passionately fond of horses.
That year races and a steeplechase had been arranged for the
officers. Vronsky had put his name down, bought a thoroughbred
English mare, and in spite of his love affair, he was looking forward to
the races with intense, though reserved, excitement...
These two passions did not interfere with one another. On the
contrary, he needed occupation and distraction quite apart from his
love, so as to recruit and rest himself from the violent emotions that
agitated him.