Landau, do you see, was a commis in a shop in Paris, and he went to a doctor's; and in the doctor's waiting room he fell asleep, and in his sleep he began giving advice to all the patients. And wonderful advice it was! Then the wife of Iury Meledinsky - you know, the invalid? - heard of this Landau , and had him to see her husband. And he cures her husband, though I can't say that I see he did him much good, for he's just as feeble a creature as ever he was, but they believed in him, and took him along with them, and brought him to Russia. Here there's been a general rush to him, and he's begun doctoring everyone. He cured Countess Bezzubova, and she took such a fancy to him that she adopted him.'
`Adopted him?'
`Yes, as her son. He's not Landau any more now, but Count Bezzubov.
That's neither here nor there, though; but Lidia - I'm very fond of her, but she has a screw loose somewhere - has lost her heart to this Landau now, and nothing is settled now in her house or Alexei Alexandrovich's without him, and so your sister's fate is now in the hands of Landau, alias Count Bezzubov.'
[Next Chapter] [Table of Contents]
TOLSTOY: Anna Karenina Part 7, Chapter 21[Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] Chapter 21 After a capital dinner and a great deal of cognac drunk at Bartniansky's, Stepan Arkadyevich, only a little later than the appointed time, went in to Countess Lidia Ivanovna's.
`Who else is with the countess? A Frenchman?' Stepan Arkadyevich asked the hall porter, as he glanced at the familiar overcoat of Alexei Alexandrovich and a queer, rather naïve-looking overcoat with clasps.
`Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin and Count Bezzubov,' the porter answered austerely.
`Princess Miaghkaia guessed right,' thought Stepan Arkadyevich, as he went upstairs. `Curious! It would be quite as well, though, to get on friendly terms with her. She has immense influence. If she would say a word to Pomorsky, the thing would be a certainty.'
It was still quite light out-of-doors, but in Countess Lidia Ivanovna's little drawing room the blinds were drawn and the lamps lighted.
At a round table under a lamp sat the Countess and Alexei Alexandrovich, talking softly. A short, thinnish man, very pale and handsome, with feminine hips and knock-kneed legs, with fine brilliant eyes and long hair lying on the collar of his coat, was standing at the other end of the room gazing at the portraits on the wall. After greeting the lady of the house and Alexei Alexandrovich, Stepan Arkadyevich could not resist glancing once more at the unknown man.
`Monsieur Landau!' the Countess addressed him with a suavity and circumspection that impressed Oblonsky. And she introduced them.
Landau looked round hurriedly, came up, and, smiling, laid his moist, lifeless hand in Stepan Arkadyevich's outstretched hand and immediately walked away, and fell to gazing at the portraits again. The Countess and Alexei Alexandrovich looked at each other significantly.
`I am very glad to see you, particularly today,' said Countess Lidia Ivanovna, pointing out to Stepan Arkadyevich a seat beside Karenin.
`I introduced you to him as Landau,' she said in a soft voice, glancing at the Frenchman and again immediately after at Alexei Alexandrovich, `but he is really Count Bezzubov, as you're probably aware. Only he does not like the title.'
`Yes, I heard so,' answered Stepan Arkadyevich; `they say he completely cured Countess Bezzubova.'
`She was here today, poor thing!' the Countess said, turning to Alexei Alexandrovich. `This separation is awful for her. It's such a blow to her!'
`And he positively is going?' queried Alexei Alexandrovich.
`Yes, he's going to Paris. He heard a voice yesterday,' said Countess Lidia Ivanovna, looking at Stepan Arkadyevich.
`Ah, a voice!' repeated Oblonsky, feeling that he must be as circumspect as he possibly could in this society, where something peculiar was happening, or was about to happen, to which he had not the key.
A moment's silence followed, after which Countess Lidia Ivanovna, as though approaching the main topic of conversation, said with a fine smile to Oblonsky:
`I've known you for a long while, and am very glad to make a closer acquaintance with you. Les amis de nos amis sont nos amis . But to be a true friend, one must enter into the spiritual state of one's friend, and I fear that you are not doing so in the case of Alexei Alexandrovich.
You understand what I mean?' she said, lifting her fine pensive eyes.
`In part, Countess, I understand the position of Alexei Alexandrovich...'
said Oblonsky. Having no clear idea what they were talking about, he wanted to confine himself to generalities.
`The change is not in his external position,' Countess Lidia Ivanovna said sternly, following with eyes of love the figure of Alexei Alexandrovich as he got up and crossed over to Landau; `his heart is changed, a new heart has been vouchsafed him, and I fear you don't fully apprehend the change that has taken place in him.'
`Oh, well, in general outlines I can conceive the change. We have always been friendly, and now...' said Stepan Arkadyevich, responding with a sympathetic glance to the expression of the Countess, and mentally balancing the question with which of the two ministers she was more intimate, so as to know which to have her speak to.
`The change that has taken place in him cannot lessen his love for his neighbors; on the contrary, that change can only intensify love in his heart. But I am afraid you do not understand me. Won't you have some tea?' she said, with her eyes indicating the footman, who was handing round tea on a tray.
`Not quite, Countess. Of course, his misfortune...'
`Yes, a misfortune which has proved the highest happiness, when his heart was made new, was filled to the full with it,' she said, gazing with eyes full of love at Stepan Arkadyevich.
`I do believe I might ask her to speak to both of them,' thought Stepan Arkadyevich.