Anna had at first avoided as far as she could Princess Tverskaya’s world, because it necessitated an expenditure beyond her means, and besides in her heart she preferred the first circle.  But since her visit to Moscow she had done quite the contrary.  She avoided her serious-minded friends, and went out into the fashionable world.  There she met Vronsky, and experienced an agitating joy at those meetings.  She met Vronsky specially often at Betsy’s for Betsy was a Vronsky by birth and his cousin.  Vronsky was everywhere where he had any chance of meeting Anna, and speaking to her, when he could, of his love.  She gave him no encouragement, but every time she met him there surged up in her heart that same feeling of quickened life that had come upon her that day in the railway carriage when she saw him for the first time.  She was conscious herself that her delight sparkled in her eyes and curved her lips into a smile, and she could not quench the expression of this delight.

At first Anna sincerely believed that she was displeased with him for daring to pursue her.  Soon after her return from Moscow, on arriving at a soiree where she had expected to meet him, and not finding him there, she realized distinctly from the rush of disappointment that she had been deceiving herself, and that this pursuit was not merely not distasteful to her, but that it made the whole interest of her life.

A celebrated singer was singing for the second time, and all the fashionable world was in the theater.  Vronsky, seeing his cousin from his stall in the front row, did not wait till the entr’acte, but went to her box.

“Why didn’t you come to dinner?” she said to him.  “I marvel at the second sight of lovers,” she added with a smile, so that no one but he could hear; “she wasn’t there.  But come after the opera.”

Vronsky looked inquiringly at her.  She nodded.  He thanked her by a smile, and sat down beside her.

“But how I remember your jeers!” continued Princess Betsy, who took a peculiar pleasure in following up this passion to a successful issue.  “What’s become of all that?  You’re caught, my dear boy.”

“That’s my one desire, to be caught,” answered Vronsky, with his serene, good-humored smile.  “If I complain of anything it’s only that I’m not caught enough, to tell the truth.  I begin to lose hope.”

“Why, whatever hope can you have?” said Betsy, offended on behalf of her friend. “Enendons nous....” But in her eyes there were gleams of light that betrayed that she understood perfectly and precisely as he did what hope he might have.

“None whatever,” said Vronsky, laughing and showing his even rows of teeth.  “Excuse me,” he added, taking an opera glass out of her hand, and proceeding to scrutinize, over her bare shoulder, the row of boxes facing them.  “I’m afraid I’m becoming ridiculous.”