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cross-examined him, and only agreed to his suggestions when the
implement to be ordered or constructed was the very newest, not yet
known in Russia, and likely to excite wonder. Apart from such excep-
tions, he resolved upon an increased outlay only where there was a
surplus, and in making such an outlay he went into the minutest de-
tails, and insisted on getting the very best for his money; so that by the
method on which he managed his affairs, it was clear that he was not
wasting, but increasing his substance.
In October there were the provincial elections in the Kashinsky
province, where were the estates of Vronsky, Sviazhsky, Koznishev,
Oblonsky, and a small part of Levin’s land.
These elections were attracting public attention from several cir-
cumstances connected with them, and also from the people taking part
in them. There had been a great deal of talk about them, and great
preparations were being made for them. Persons who never attended
the elections were coming from Moscow, from Petersburg, and from
abroad to attend these. Vronsky had long before promised Sviazhsky
to go to them. Before the elections Sviazhsky, who often visited
Vozdvizhenskoe, drove over to fetch Vronsky. On the day before there
had been almost a quarrel between Vronsky and Anna over this pro-
posed expedition. It was the very dullest autumn weather, which is so
dreary in the country, and so, preparing himself for a struggle, Vronsky,
with a hard and cold expression, informed Anna of his departure as he
had never spoken to her before. But, to his surprise, Anna accepted
the information with great composure, and merely asked when he
would be back. He looked intently at her, at a loss to explain this
composure. She smiled at his look. He knew that way she had of
withdrawing into herself, and knew that it only happened when she
had determined upon something without letting him know her plans.
He was afraid of this; but he was so anxious to avoid a scene that he
kept up appearances, and half sincerely believed in what he longed to
believe in—her reasonableness.
“I hope you won’t be dull?”
“I hope not,” said Anna. “I got a box of books yesterday from
Gautier’s. No, I shan’t be dull.”
“She’s trying to take that tone, and so much the better,” he thought,
“or else it would be the same thing over and over again.”
And he set off for the elections without appealing to her for a
candid explanation. It was the first time since the beginning of their
intimacy that he had parted from her without a full explanation. From
one point of view this troubled him, but on the other side he felt that it
was better so. “At first there will be, as this time, something undefined
kept back, and then she will get used to it. I any case I can give up
anything for her, but not my masculine independence,” he thought.