Pagina 499 van 2288

"Why, are you gaining weight? All right, then we must have it

alone. Give us the seltzer water and lemon."

"Vronsky!" shouted someone when he was already outside.

"Well?"

"You'd better get your hair cut, it'll weigh you down, especially

at the top."

Vronsky was in fact beginning, prematurely, to get a little bald.

He laughed gaily, showing his even teeth, and pulling his cap

over the thin place, went out and got into his carriage.

"To the stables!" he said, and was just pulling out the letters

to read them through, but he thought better of it, and put off

reading them so as not to distract his attention before looking

at the mare. "Later!"

Chapter 21

The temporary stable, a wooden shed, had been put up close to the

race course, and there his mare was to have been taken the

previous day. He had not yet seen her there.