第405页 / 共2288页

"This is what I meant to say to you," he went on coldly and

composedly, "and I beg you to listen to it. I consider jealousy,

as you know, a humiliating and degrading feeling, and I shall

never allow myself to be influenced by it; but there are certain

rules of decorum which cannot be disregarded with impunity. This

evening it was not I observed it, but judging by the impression

made on the company, everyone observed that your conduct and

deportment were not altogether what could be desired."

"I positively don't understand," said Anna, shrugging her

shoulders-"He doesn't care," she thought. "But other people

noticed it, and that's what upsets him."-"You're not well, Alexey

Alexandrovitch," she added, and she got up, and would have gone

towards the door; but he moved forward as though he would stop

her.

His face was ugly and forbidding, as Anna had never seen him. She

stopped, and bending her head back and on one side, began with

her rapid hand taking out her hairpins.