Chapter 14 (1/2)
At first, Anna was a little nervous when she heard Karenin say this, but after a while, when she understood it, the uneasiness turned into a smile. Finally, when she went back, she giggled.
”What's the matter?” Karenin looked at his wife in disbelief.
Anna reached out and took each other's little arms and said softly, ”she likes you.”
”That Madame de Marelle.”
Anna was a little surprised to see Karenin, but soon recovered.
”You don't have to worry about it, Anna.”
”That's not true, Alexis. If a wife doesn't mind at all that a woman is liking her husband, I think it must be because she doesn't care about him.”
”Madame de Marelle is elegant, beautiful and intelligent. She has qualities that every man loves. She is a perfect model.” Anna calmly stated the fact, and then looked at Karenin to get his reply.
”It's true, but it has nothing to do with me. There are all kinds of people in the world, and there are many more perfect than you and me, but that doesn't mean that we need to change something about it
Karenin's face was calm and indifferent. Although he had no idea of Mrs. Yude malelle's love for him before, but now he knew it, he did not avoid it or show any joy. No matter how good the world is, it has nothing to do with him. What is in front of us is where we cherish.
But these words are too sentimental, sincere also appears to be vulgar, lost precious.
”I like it when you tell the truth so seriously. It's sweet.” Anna whispered, pinching each other's pinkie with her fingers. The intimacy made Karenin's muscles tense for a moment, and then relaxed again, because his little wife was leaning against his shoulder.
”I don't think it's proper to be out there.” Karenin said.
”Oh.”
Anna, sit down a little bit.
After a while, Karenin's calm voice came again: ”but I think it is allowed to hold hands now.”
Then, a white and delicate hand, moving fingers, gently rubbed each other's big hand, and then was wrapped in the palm.
Outside the carriage came the sound of Mr. Binoche coughing.
In the evening, Anna was ready to fall asleep contentedly on a pillow that was not very soft but warm, but obviously Karenin was still the one with clear organization and good memory, and liked the end of the day.
”The happiness of the two, Anna, we haven't discussed it yet.”
Karenin was sitting at the desk reading a book. When Anna came out of the bathroom, he raised the question again.
Anna laughed, almost dancing to Karenin, standing in a cheerful position, bending slightly, and saying, ”I like to see you jealous.”
His wife's hair was close to Karenin's skin, and his nose smelled with water vapor.
Karenin returned to the problem.
”It's not jealous, it's just a question.” He said.
”Husband and wife should be honest with each other. If you ask me, I will tell you everything. ”
Anna stood up straight, giggling and playing with her fingers around her curly hair.
”You can't ask me to be honest with you in everything, Alexis. If so, life will always be boring. A woman without secrets is unattractive. ” She said so on purpose, and winked her eyes with a feigned charm.
”You are charming.” Said Karenin in a low voice.
Anna stopped for a moment, and after a moment she said dryly, ”I was referring to Mr. de Marelle, who, though not clever, could see that he was a good man.”
”You don't have to worry about him, Anna.” Karenin said, ”if you want serious arguments, Mr. de Marelle's achievements today are partly due to the reputation accumulated by his ancestors and the other half by his wife.”
”Yes, but obviously his wife doesn't like her husband. She likes you better.”
When Anna said this, Karenin felt a little uncomfortable, as if it was his fault.
”I don't know.” Once again, he said, he recalled whether there was anything inappropriate in his conversation with Madame de Marelle.
Karenin regarded marriage as very sacred and solemn. Although he lived in this circle, he always kept clean.
In his opinion, once married is a lifetime thing, only God and death can separate husband and wife. To fall in love with another person in a marriage is really puzzling.
”All in all, Anna, your happiness has nothing to do with the happiness of Mr. de Marelle. If you insist, as a wife, your happiness should be related to me. ”
Anna looked down at her husband's lip line, which she would not curl up in a solemn statement, and came to a happy conclusion that he was jealous.Instead of answering her husband immediately, Anna gave him a kiss on the forehead.
”My God, I'm so happy!” She said brightly.
”You're right, Alexis.”
Anna gave affirmation and praise, but she was laughing in her heart.
Karenin felt a little strange. His words were affirmed by his wife, but he felt that he wanted to cover his forehead in a defensive way.
It's not supposed to be the place where the wife kisses. For a grown man, kissing on the forehead is not supposed to happen.
When a man is a boy, he can get this kind of kiss, which means comforting, loving and joyful. But when he grows up, he can get it again, just like a grown-up man playing coquetry on his mother. It's shameful.
Karenin stood up and whispered, ”I'm going to wash.”
Anna looked at the figure in a hurry and blinked her eyes suspiciously. But soon, she was singing and dancing for joy.
In the next half month, Karenin's work was not so busy. They went to many places together. Surprisingly, Karenin was very good at explaining. He knew a lot about landscape and painting.
”I didn't know you liked art.”