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Vronsky had several times already, though not so resolutely as

now, tried to bring her to consider their position, and every

time he had been confronted by the same superficiality and

triviality with which she met his appeal now. It was as though

there were something in this which she could not or would not

face, as though directly she began to speak of this, she, the

real Anna, retreated somehow into herself, and another strange

and unaccountable woman came out, whom he did not love, and whom

he feared, and who was in opposition to him. But today he was

resolved to have it out.

"Whether he knows or not," said Vronsky, in his usual quiet and

resolute tone, "that's nothing to do with us. We cannot ... you

cannot stay like this, especially now."

"What's to be done, according to you?" she asked with the same

frivolous irony. She who had so feared he would take her

condition too lightly was now vexed with him for deducing from it

the necessity of taking some step.