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"Yes, especially as I can't stay very long with you. I'm forced

to go on to old Madame Vrede. I've been promising to go for a

century," said Anna, to whom lying, alien as it was to her

nature, had become not merely simple and natural in society, but

a positive source of satisfaction. Why she said this, which she

had not thought of a second before, she could not have explained.

She had said it simply from the reflection that as Vronsky would

not be here, she had better secure her own freedom, and try to

see him somehow. But why she had spoken of old Madame Vrede, whom

she had to go and see, as she had to see many other people, she

could not have explained; and yet, as it afterwards turned out,

had she contrived the most cunning devices to meet Vronsky, she

could have thought of nothing better.