In the carriage, there was silence.
Generally speaking, Anna is always the first to break the silence, but not today.
After the carriage walked for a short distance, Karenin said, "Did I scare you?"
"No." Anna said quickly, and then looked at her husband for the first time after tonight. Then he lowered his eyes, sighed, and looked at Karenin again.
"Well, a little bit. I can ask about this, can't I?"
"Yes, you can." Karenin nodded, and Anna knew that if she was upset by this incident, so was Karenin. So, he wasn't really not worried at all.
Thinking of this, she showed a gentle smile.
Anna stretched out her hand, and held the other's hand on his knee as usual, it was dry and warm. In contrast to the coolness of the knees.
"I thought, it's not going to be a week or two, is it?"
"To be precise, since you went to Mr. Gorman's shop," said Karenin, "I have been looking for them alone. Mr. Gorman is a wise man. As for Mr. Prokhov, I just said that he must know He obviously misunderstood something. But after comprehensive consideration, I don’t think there is any need to explain.”
"What about Miss Alina?"
"Miss Alina, I found her last week. After you came home late that time, I investigated Miss Elisa. This kind of thing is not uncommon, Anna."
"I can't believe Miss Eliza is a bad person."
"There is never a good guy or a bad guy. A good guy is just not bad enough, and a bad guy is just not good enough. So that's why sometimes we meet someone who does something that you can't accept, but You will be miserable and puzzled."
Karenin took his wife's hand and rubbed the pad of his thumb lightly against her index finger.
"Everyone has their own reasons for their identities. Sometimes what you see and hear is not necessarily true. Don't forget, apart from politicians, they are the most able to pretend. But in general It is said that there is no one in the world who can pretend to be perfect. Why are you deceived? Because human nature is greedy, as long as you observe carefully, everyone has their own weaknesses."
"Miss Alina has a crippled older sister who needs to be taken care of, and Miss Eliza, who is married in the country, escaped. Krasko used this to get her to frame you."
Karenin looked at his wife with calm blue eyes, but his words were as firm as a rock.
"Anna, if you want to do this. It's not just my wife, you need to face more than just gossip."
"I can survive in the upper circles of Petersburg, have untold wealth than the poor, and have more rights than businessmen, not just because of my family name. Regardless of my previous intentions in politics, this road There are no clean people."
"In Petersburg, any peace and prosperity you can see is because of what we want to show you. Early preparation is the armor to survive in this circle, but it is not always foolproof. Just Like tonight."
"Honestly, do you think I've arranged all this?"
Anna nodded.
Karenin smiled. This smile was completely different from what Anna was used to seeing. The smile did not reach the bottom of the eyes, and it was different from the sham smile Karenin greeted with his colleagues.
Anna couldn't tell.
However, if she is just a stranger who has had a few face-to-face chats with Karenin at this moment, she is not sure whether she will take the initiative to approach him.
But there are always no ifs in the world.
He was her chosen husband, so instead of running away, she put her other hand on his, wrapping that warm hand tightly.
"You saved me like a knight."
Anna laughed. She didn't know that she was so charming when she smiled.
When their owner is meditating quietly, the eyelashes are lowered, and the outer circle of the pupil is a thick dark gray tone. Most men will fall in love with this look, but only Karenin understands that smiling is Anna's charm .
When she laughed, it was as if something full of vitality broke the sexy dark gray into a faint but brilliant light. The tails of the long eyes were kissed like sideburns, as if the thing called happiness was about to evaporate from the air.
Much later, when Anna accidentally learned of this, she began to understand.
Even though most men in the world love the mystery and beauty of women, and eagerly pursue their sensuality and melancholy, but only the one who truly loves you more than himself loves your smiling appearance.
And now, although she still can't understand this matter, Anna's lovely instinct has made Anna know how to speak out the most true feelings and the most beautiful words to praise her husband.
"The prince belongs to everyone, but the knight belongs to me only." She said with deep meaning.
Yes, a prince is the best dream in every girl's heart.
He's handsome, handsome, and upright.
Knights are brave and heroic, but not so orthodox.
Knights do not belong to the light, and the end of the story is always princes and princesses, and no one will remember that knights opened up the road first.
They are just doing what they are told, they are dispensable.
But Anna knew that she had to reward the knight. After all, the prince will be with the princess, and the knight needs someone to love him!
"Thank you, Alexei." Anna hugged her husband and whispered in his ear.
"Thank you for everything you've done for me."
"Thank you for presenting the beauty of this world to me."
"Thank you for making me feel that the world is a better place because of you."
"Thank you, too, for giving me the opportunity to choose."
In the end, she smiled softly, and left slightly, gently holding her husband's face in both hands, smiling at him with eyes shining like stars.
She tilted her head, confident and cheerful.
"You forgot that the Karenin family still has a rule. Since you have chosen, you will only go forward bravely instead of timidly evading. Dear Mr. Karenin, it seems that you have no choice but to treat me well in the future. After all, now I fully understand your little secret!"
After listening to these words, Anna saw the man's deep blue eyes half covered by eyelashes slowly bend, shallow, as if changing from the sea to the blue sky again.
so gentle. Just the way Anna likes it the most. Well, unique...
"With pleasure, my dear Madame Karenin."
A kiss landed between her slender eyebrows, and then slid gently to her lips.
Anna thought: I really, really, really love him. It doesn't matter whether I once thought he was a good guy with integrity or now he claims he is a bad guy with hypocrisy. Because from now on, I know what he looks like better than anyone.
I just want to be with him and face all the difficulties together.
Therefore, I solemnly swear that in the future, no matter what my eyes see, my ears hear, or my hands touch, I will choose to believe in my husband unconditionally.
We'll be happy till the end of our lives...
Since that night, Anna has become a well-known figure in Petersburg, even in Moscow.
Except for those courtesans without husbands, decent ladies, very few people are famous in this circle except for their beauty.
"Who is Anna Arkadyevna?"
"Oh, that's the one! That Mrs. Karenin!"
Betsy taught Anna the talk, laughing now and then.
"I didn't expect you to do that, dear."
Anna just smiled and didn't answer, and Betsy brushed her hair back. She didn't come here today for fun, but wanted Anna to help her design a dress.
Of course, after all, they were relatives.
"Of course, dear Betsy." Anna told the other party that she would help, and Betsy was very happy to hear that.
Her main purpose today has been accomplished, and finally, when she left, she said something inexplicable: "I think now I understand why you don't come to our small circle more often."
"I'll visit you when the turmoil calms down, Betsy." Anna said pretending not to understand.
Betsy blinked and kissed Anna on the cheek one last time.
"Smart girl."
After sending Betsy away, Annushka took another stack of visiting letters and said: "At least let yourself rest, madam."
"I'll have a lot of time to rest in the future. Now, everyone is watching." Anna said, pouring another cup of black tea.
Even now she can't say she likes it, but if you want to stay in this circle, you can't be too independent.
Black tea is not always a matter of principle.
The last visitors were Mr. Goldman, Miss Oria, and Mr. Prokhov.
Anna rearranged the reception room.
"I feel very stupid," said Mr. Prokhov, lightly.
Anna laughed: "You are too upright." After speaking, she looked at Miss Oria, "I'm sorry for hiding you, Oria."
Miss Oria shook her head: "Don't take it to heart, everything is fine now."
Finally, Anna looked at Mr. Goldman.
"Then, you really ought to say something to me, Mr. Goldman."
Mr. Goldman took a sip of black tea, stretched his eyebrows, and smiled slightly on his thin lips.
"I don't think I should say anything."
Anna shook her head: "Well, I can't count on that."
"Father, she is happy for you too, Anna." Miss Oria said, and they had reached an agreement to address each other in a more intimate tone.
Despite the six-year age difference between the two ladies, Miss Oria never behaved like a twelve-year-old girl. If one ignores her appearance, one might even think that she has the wisdom and tranquility of a mature woman in her twenties.
"Don't speak for me, Oria," said Mr. Goldman.
Miss Oria chuckled, and blinked at Anna.
Anna took out a contract and handed it to Mr. Goldman, who took it and looked at it.
Anna said: "You have talents and skills that I can't reach at present. If you don't think I will annoy you so much that you want to drive me out, then I hope to continue to learn from you."
"The rent in this place is very high, Pa..." Prokhov said, and then stopped after habitually calling out the name.
"So I drew up this contract."
Mr. Goldman looked away, and then said lightly: "But this time I won't accept interference any more."
Of course Mr. Goldman understood the disturbing element Anna, she laughed and blinked: "I try to let the disturbing element give us more space."
Mr. Goldman snorted coldly.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, someone called the distracting element came back on time as usual.
Anna put down the black tea in her hand, and walked briskly to meet her husband.
"Alexis, I have some ideas for the new storefront..."
The originally spacious and lonely mansion, as usual, became lively and warm because of the happiness of the hostess.
A man is on his way to a telegraph office in Moscow.
"Where are you going?"
"Petersburg..."