“He’s much more than very nice. I don’t know a better man.”

“Ah, how glad I am! I’m so glad! Much more than very nice,” she repeated.

Dolly smiled.

“But tell me about yourself. We’ve a great deal to talk about. And I’ve had a talk with...” Dolly did not know what to call him. She felt it awkward to call him either the count or Alexey Kirillovitch.

“With Alexey,” said Anna, “I know what you talked about. But I wanted to ask you directly what you think of me, of my life?”

“How am I to say like that straight off? I really don’t know.”

“No, tell me all the same.... You see my life. But you mustn’t