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He reached Bryansky's, spent five minutes there, and galloped

back. This rapid drive calmed him. All that was painful in his

relations with Anna, all the feeling of indefiniteness left by

their conversation, had slipped out of his mind. He was thinking

now with pleasure and excitement of the race, of his being

anyhow, in time, and now and then the thought of the blissful

interview awaiting him that night flashed across his imagination

like a flaming light.

The excitement of the approaching race gained upon him as he

drove further and further into the atmosphere of the races,

overtaking carriages driving up from the summer villas or out of

Petersburg.