Страница 848 из 2288

"That's the best way," Stremov put in. Stremov was a man of

fifty, partly gray, but still vigorous-looking, very ugly, but

with a characteristic and intelligent face. Liza Merkalova was

his wife's niece, and he spent all his leisure hours with her. On

meeting Anna Karenina, as he was Alexey Alexandrovitch's enemy in

the government, he tried, like a shrewd man and a man of the

world, to be particularly cordial with her, the wife of his

enemy.

"'Nothing,'" he put in with a subtle smile, "that's the very best

way. I told you long ago," he said, turning to Liza Merkalova,

"that if you don't want to be bored, you mustn't think you're

going to be bored. It's just as you mustn't be afraid of not

being able to fall asleep, if you're afraid of sleeplessness.

That's just what Anna Arkadyevna has just said."

"I should be very glad if I had said it, for it's not only clever

but true," said Anna, smiling.

"No, do tell me why it is one can't go to sleep, and one can't

help being bored?"