'Well, maman, are you perfectly well?' he repeated, turning to his mother.
'Everything has been delightful. Alexander has been very good, and Marie has grown very pretty. She's very interesting.'
And she began telling him again of what interested her most--the christening of her grandson, for which she had been staying in Petersburg, and the special favor shown her elder son by the Tsar.
'Here's Lavrenty,' said Vronsky, looking out of the window; 'now we can go, if you like.'
The old butler who had traveled with the countess, came to the carriage to announce that everything was ready, and the countess got up to go.
'Come; there's not such a crowd now,' said Vronsky.
The maid took a handbag and the lap dog, the butler and a porter the other baggage. Vronsky gave his mother his arm; but just as they were getting out of the carriage several men ran suddenly by with panic-stricken faces. The station-master, too, ran by in his extraordinary colored cap. Obviously something unusual had happened. The crowd who had left the train were running back again.
'What?... What?... Where?... Flung himself!... Crushed!...' was heard among the crowd. Stepan Arkadyevitch, with his sister on his arm, turned back. They too looked scared, and stopped at the carriage door to avoid the crowd.
The ladies go in, while Vronsky and Stepan Arkadyevitch followed the crowd to find out details of the disaster.
A guard, either dunk or too much muffled up in the bitter frost, had not heard the train moving back, and had been crushed.
Before Vronsky and Oblonsky came back the ladies heard the facts from the butler.
Oblonsky and Vronsky had both seen the mutilated corpse. Oblonsky was evidently upset. He frowned and seemed ready to cry.
'Ah, how awful! Ah, Anna, if you had seen it! Ah, how awful!' he said.
Vronsky did not speak; his handsome face was serious, but perfectly composed.
'Oh, if you had seen it, countess,' said Stepan Arkadyevitch. 'And his wife was there.... It was awful to see her!.... She flung herself on the body. They say he was the only support of an immense family. How awful!'
'Couldn't one do anything for her?' said Madame Karenina in an agitated whisper.
Vronsky glanced at her, and immediately got out of the carriage.
'I'll be back directly, maman,' he remarked, turning round in the doorway.
When he came back a few minutes later, Stepan Arkadyevitch was already in conversation with the countess about the new singer, while the countess was impatiently looking towards the door, waiting for her son.
'Now let us be off,' said Vronsky, coming in. They went out together. Vronsky was in front with his mother. Behind walked Madame Karenina with her brother. Just as they were going out of the station the station-master overtook Vronsky.
'You gave my assistant two hundred roubles. Would you kindly explain for whose benefit you intend them?'
'For the widow,' said Vronsky, shrugging his shoulders. 'I should have thought there was no need to ask.'
'You gave that?' cried Oblonsky, behind, and, pressing his sister's hand, he added: 'Very nice, very nice! Isn't he a splendid fellow? Good-bye, countess.'
And he and his sister stood still, looking for her maid.
When they went out the Vronsky's carriage had already driven away. People coming in were still talking of what happened.
'What a horrible death!' said a gentleman, passing by. 'They say he was cut in two pieces.'
'On the contrary, I think it's the easiest--instantaneous,' observed another.
'How is it they don't take proper precautions?' said a third.
Madame Karenina seated herself in the carriage, and Stepan Arkadyevitch saw with surprise that her lips were quivering, and she was with difficulty restraining her tears.
'What is it, Anna?' he asked, when they had driven a few hundred yards.
'It's an omen of evil,' she said.
'What nonsense!' said Stepan Arkadyevitch. 'You've come, that's the chief thing. You can't conceive how I'm resting my hopes on you.'
'Have you known Vronsky long?' she asked.
'Yes. You know we're hoping he will marry Kitty.'
'Yes?' said Anna softly. 'Come now, let us talk of you,' she added, tossing her head, as though she would physically shake off something superfluous oppressing her. 'Let us talk of your affairs. I got your letter, and here I am.'
'Yes, all my hopes are in you,' said Stepan Arkadyevitch.
'Well, tell me all about it.'
And Stepan Arkadyevitch began to tell his story.
