in order to attract as little attention as possible, and, not driving across the little bridge, got out and went to the house on foot. He did not go to the front entrance, but went through the court.
"Has the barin come?" he asked of a gardener.
"Not yet; but the baruinya is at home. Go to the front door; there are servants there; if you ring, they will open the door."
"No; I will go in through the garden."
Having satisfied himself that she was alone, and wishing to surprise her, as he had not promised that he was coming that day, and on account of the races she would not be looking for him, he walked cautiously along the sandy paths, bordered with flowers, lifting up his saber so that it should make no noise. In this way he reached the terrace which led down to the garden. Vronsky had by this time forgotten all the thoughts which had oppressed him on the way about the difficulties of his situation; he thought only of the pleasure of shortly seeing her, not in imagination only, but alive, in person, as she was in reality.
He was mounting the steep steps as gently as possible, when he suddenly remembered what he was always forgetting, and what constituted the most painful feature of his relations with her,—her son, with his inquisitive and, as it seemed to him, repulsive face.
This child was the principal obstacle in the way of their interviews. When he was present neither Vronsky nor Anna allowed themselves to speak of anything which the whole world might not hear, nor, what was more, did they even hint at anything which the child himself could not comprehend. There was no need of an agreement on that score, it was instinctive with them. Both of them considered it degrading to themselves to deceive the little lad; before him they talked as if they were mere acquaintances. But in spite of this circumspection Vronsky often noticed the lad's scrutinizing and rather suspicious eyes fixed on him, and a strange timidity and variability in his behavior toward him. Sometimes he seemed affectionate, and then again cold and shy. The
