Page 834 of 2288

"No. I'm not going to let you go for anything," answered Betsy,

looking intently into Anna's face. "Really, if I were not fond of

you, I should feel offended. One would think you were afraid my

society would compromise you. Tea in the little dining-room,

please," she said, half closing her eyes, as she always did when

addressing the footman.

Taking the note from him, she read it.

"Alexey's playing us false," she said in French; "he writes that

he can't come," she added in a tone as simple and natural as

though it could never enter her head that Vronsky could mean

anything more to Anna than a game of croquet. Anna knew that

Betsy knew everything, but, hearing how she spoke of Vronsky

before her, she almost felt persuaded for a minute that she knew

nothing.

"Ah!" said Anna indifferently, as though not greatly interested

in the matter, and she went on smiling: "How can you or your

friends compromise anyone?"