“—‘Because God knows when or in what place I shall find him, or by what means I shall reach him. You would only hinder me,’ said he, doing his best to retain his self-control.
“‘Not at all, I don’t need anything. Where you can go, I can go, too, and’—
“‘Well! If it were only because of this woman, with whom you cannot come in contact.’—
“‘Why not? I know nothing about all that, and don’t want to know. I know that my husband’s brother is dying; that my husband is going to see him; and I am going too’—
“‘Kitty! don’t be angry! and remember that in such a serious time it is painful for me to have you add to my grief by showing your weakness,—the fear of being alone. If you are lonely, go to Moscow’—
“‘You always ascribe to me that I have such miserable sentiments,’ she cried, choking with tears of vexation. ‘I am not so weak.... I know it is my duty to be with my husband when he is in sorrow, and you want to wound me on purpose. You don’t want to take me’—
“‘Ah! this is frightful! to be such a slave!’ cried Levin, rising from the table, no longer able to hide his anger.
“‘Why, then, did you get married? You might have been free. Why—if you repent already?’—and Kitty fled from the room.
“When he went to find her, she was sobbing.
“He began to speak, striving to find words, not to persuade her, but to calm her. She would not listen, and did not allow one of his arguments. He bent over her, took one of her recalcitrant hands, kissed it, kissed her hair, and then her hands again; but still she refused to speak. But when, at length, he took her head between his two hands and called her, ‘Kitty,’ she softly wept, and the reconciliation was complete.”