صفحة 591 من 2288

She took her seat in her husband's carriage in silence, and in

silence drove out of the crowd of carriages. In spite of all he

had seen, Alexey Alexandrovitch still did not allow himself to

consider his wife's real condition. He merely saw the outward

symptoms. He saw that she was behaving unbecomingly, and

considered it his duty to tell her so. But it was very difficult

for him not to say more, to tell her nothing but that. He opened

his mouth to tell her she had behaved unbecomingly, but he could

not help saying something utterly different.

"What an inclination we all have, though, for these cruel

spectacles," he said. "I observe...."

"Eh? I don't understand," said Anna contemptuously.

He was offended, and at once began to say what he had meant to

say.

"I am obliged to tell you," he began.

"So now we are to have it out," she thought, and she felt

frightened.

"I am obliged to tell you that your behavior has been unbecoming

today," he said to her in French.