“You know it came to me almost like an inspiration,” she said.  “Why wait here for the divorce?  Won’t it be just the same in the country?  I can’t wait any longer!  I don’t want to go on hoping, I don’t want to hear anything about the divorce.  I have made up my mind it shall not have any more influence on my life.  Do you agree?”

“Oh, yes!” he said, glancing uneasily at her excited face.

“What did you do?  Who was there?” she said, after a pause.

Vronsky mentioned the names of the guests.  “The dinner was first rate, and the boat race, and it was all pleasant enough, but in Moscow they can never do anything without something ridicule.  A lady of a sort appeared on the scene, teacher of swimming to the Queen of Sweden, and gave us an exhibition of her skill.”

“How? did she swim?” asked Anna, frowning.

“In an absurd red costume de natation; she was old and hideous too.  So when shall we go?”

“What an absurd fancy!  Why, did she swim in some special way, then?” said Anna, not answering.

“There was absolutely nothing in it.  That’s just what I say, it was awfully stupid.  Well, then, when do you think of going?”

Anna shook her head as though trying to drive away some unpleasant idea.

“When?  Why, the sooner the better!  By tomorrow we shan’t be ready.  The day after tomorrow.”

“Yes...oh, no, wait a minute!  The day after to-morrow’s Sunday, I have to be at maman’s,” said Vronsky, embarrassed, because as soon as he uttered his mother’s name he was aware of her intent, suspicious eyes.  His embarrassment confirmed her suspicion.  She flushed hotly and drew away from him.  It was now not the Queen of Sweden’s swimming-mistress who filled Anna’s imagination, but the young Princess Sorokina.  She was staying in a village near Moscow with Countess Vronskaya.

“Can’t you go tomorrow?” she said.

“Well, no!  The deeds and the money for the business I’m going there for I can’t get by tomorrow,” he answered.

“If so, we won’t go at all.”

“But why so?”

“I shall not go later.  Monday or never!”

“What for?” said Vronsky, as though in amazement.  “Why, there’s no meaning in it!”

“There’s no meaning in it to you, because you care nothing for me.  You don’t care to understand my life.  The one thing that I cared for here was Hannah.  You say it’s affectation.  Why, you said yesterday that I don’t love my daughter, that I love this English girl, that it’s unnatural.  I should like to know what life there is for me that could be natural!”

For an instant she had a clear vision of what she was doing, and was horrified at how she had fallen away from her resolution.  But even though she knew it was her own ruin, she could not restrain herself, could not keep herself from proving to him that he was wrong, could not give way to him.