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Anna had not had time to drink her coffee when the Countess Lidia

Ivanovna was announced. The Countess Lidia Ivanovna was a tall,

stout woman, with an unhealthily sallow face and splendid,

pensive black eyes. Anna liked her, but today she seemed to be

seeing her for the first time with all her defects.

"Well, my dear, so you took the olive branch?" inquired Countess

Lidia Ivanovna, as soon as she came into the room.

"Yes, it's all over, but it was all much less serious than we had

supposed," answered Anna. "My belle-soeur is in general too

hasty."

But Countess Lidia Ivanovna, though she was interested in

everything that did not concern her, had a habit of never

listening to what interested her; she interrupted Anna:

"Yes, there's plenty of sorrow and evil in the world. I am so

worried today."

"Oh, why?" asked Anna, trying to suppress a smile.