<h3>Chapter 25</h3>
<p>Vronsky and Anna spent the whole summer and part of the winter in the country,
living in just the same condition, and still taking no steps to obtain a
divorce. It was an understood thing between them that they should not go away
anywhere; but both felt, the longer they lived alone, especially in the autumn,
without guests in the house, that they could not stand this existence, and that
they would have to alter it.</p>
<p>Their life was apparently such that nothing better could be desired. They had
the fullest abundance of everything; they had a child, and both had occupation.
Anna devoted just as much care to her appearance when they had no visitors, and
she did a great deal of reading, both of novels and of what serious literature
was in fashion. She ordered all the books that were praised in the foreign
papers and reviews she received, and read them with that concentrated attention
which is only given to what is read in seclusion. Moreover, every subject that
was of interest to Vronsky, she studied in books and special journals, so that
he often went straight to her with questions relating to agriculture or
architecture, sometimes even with questions relating to horse-breeding or
sport. He was amazed at her knowledge, her memory, and at first was disposed to
doubt it, to ask for confirmation of her facts; and she would find what he
asked for in some book, and show it to him.</p>
<p>The building of the hospital, too, interested her. She did not merely assist,
but planned and suggested a great deal herself. But her chief thought was still
of herself—how far she was dear to Vronsky, how far she could make up to
him for all he had given up. Vronsky appreciated this desire not only to
please, but to serve him, which had become the sole aim of her existence, but
at the same time he wearied of the loving snares in which she tried to hold him
fast. As time went on, and he saw himself more and more often held fast in
these snares, he had an ever growing desire, not so much to escape from them,
as to try whether they hindered his freedom. Had it not been for this growing
desire to be free, not to have scenes every time he wanted to go to the town to
a meeting or a race, Vronsky would have been perfectly satisfied with his life.
The rôle he had taken up, the rôle of a wealthy landowner, one of that class
which ought to be the very heart of the Russian aristocracy, was entirely to
his taste; and now, after spending six months in that character, he derived
even greater satisfaction from it. And his management of his estate, which
occupied and absorbed him more and more, was most successful. In spite of the
immense sums cost him by the hospital, by machinery, by cows ordered from
Switzerland, and many other things, he was convinced that he was not wasting,
but increasing his substance. In all matters affecting income, the sales of
timber, wheat, and wool, the letting of lands, Vronsky was hard as a rock, and
knew well how to keep up prices. In all operations on a large scale on this and
his other estates, he kept to the simplest methods involving no risk, and in
trifling details he was careful and exacting to an extreme degree. In spite of
all the cunning and ingenuity of the German steward, who would try to tempt him
into purchases by making his original estimate always far larger than really
required, and then representing to Vronsky that he might get the thing cheaper,
and so make a profit, Vronsky did not give in. He listened to his steward,
cross-examined him, and only agreed to his suggestions when the implement to be
ordered or constructed was the very newest, not yet known in Russia, and likely
to excite wonder. Apart from such exceptions, he resolved upon an increased
outlay only where there was a surplus, and in making such an outlay he went
into the minutest details, and insisted on getting the very best for his money;
so that by the method on which he managed his affairs, it was clear that he was
not wasting, but increasing his substance.</p>
<p>In October there were the provincial elections in the Kashinsky province, where
were the estates of Vronsky, Sviazhsky, Koznishev, Oblonsky, and a small part
of Levin’s land.</p>
<p>These elections were attracting public attention from several circumstances
connected with them, and also from the people taking part in them. There had
been a great deal of talk about them, and great preparations were being made
for them. Persons who never attended the elections were coming from Moscow,
from Petersburg, and from abroad to attend these. Vronsky had long before
promised Sviazhsky to go to them. Before the elections Sviazhsky, who often
visited Vozdvizhenskoe, drove over to fetch Vronsky. On the day before there
had been almost a quarrel between Vronsky and Anna over this proposed
expedition. It was the very dullest autumn weather, which is so dreary in the
country, and so, preparing himself for a struggle, Vronsky, with a hard and
cold expression, informed Anna of his departure as he had never spoken to her
before. But, to his surprise, Anna accepted the information with great
composure, and merely asked when he would be back. He looked intently at her,
at a loss to explain this composure. She smiled at his look. He knew that way
she had of withdrawing into herself, and knew that it only happened when she
had determined upon something without letting him know her plans. He was afraid
of this; but he was so anxious to avoid a scene that he kept up appearances,
and half sincerely believed in what he longed to believe in—her
reasonableness.</p>
<p>“I hope you won’t be dull?”</p>
<p>“I hope not,” said Anna. “I got a box of books yesterday from
Gautier’s. No, I shan’t be dull.”</p>
<p>“She’s trying to take that tone, and so much the better,” he
thought, “or else it would be the same thing over and over again.”</p>
<p>And he set off for the elections without appealing to her for a candid
explanation. It was the first time since the beginning of their intimacy that
he had parted from her without a full explanation. From one point of view this
troubled him, but on the other side he felt that it was better so. “At
first there will be, as this time, something undefined kept back, and then she
will get used to it. In any case I can give up anything for her, but not my
masculine independence,” he thought.</p>
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