him; he is very sick, and dissatisfied with his doctor. I am quite used to this kind of invalids."
"Oh, yes. I have heard that you live at Mentone with your aunt, Madame Stahl. I used to know her belle-soeur."
"No, Madame Stahl is not my aunt. I call her maman, but I am no relation to her. I was brought up by her," replied Varenka, again blushing.
All this was said with perfect simplicity; and the expression of her pleasing face was so frank and sincere, that the princess began to understand why Kitty was so charmed by this Varenka.
"Well, what is this Levin going to do?" she asked.
"He is going away."
At this moment, Kitty, radiant with pleasure because her mother had made the acquaintance of her unknown friend, came in from the spring.
"See here! Kitty, your ardent desire to know Mademoiselle...."
"Varenka," said the girl, smiling. "Every one calls me so."
Kitty was flushed with delight, and without speaking long pressed her new friend's hand, which gave no answering pressure, but lay passive in hers. Her hand gave no answering pressure, but Mademoiselle Varenka's face shone with a quiet, joyous, though melancholy smile, which showed her large but handsome teeth.
"I have been longing to know you," she said.
"But you are so busy...."
"Oh! on the contrary, I have n't anything to do," replied Varenka; but at the same instant she had to leave her new acquaintances because two little Russian girls, the daughters of an invalid, ran to her.
"Varenka, mamma is calling," they cried.
And Varenka followed them.
