with a book in his hand, turned toward the bridal couple:—
"O God Eternal, who unitest by an indissoluble bond those who are separate," he read, in a strong melodious voice, "Thou who didst bless Isaac and Rebecca, and showest Thy mercy to their descendants, bless also these Thy servants, Konstantin and Yekaterina, and pour forth Thy benefits upon them. Because Thou art a merciful and beneficent God, we offer Thee the glory! To the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be ...."
"Amen," again chanted the invisible choir.
"'Who unitest by an indissoluble bond those who are separate!' How those profound words respond to what one feels at such a time! Does she understand it as I do?" thought Levin.
And looking down he gazed into her eyes.
From the expression of Kitty's face he concluded that she did feel it as he did; but he was mistaken: she scarcely comprehended the words of the service, and during the time of the espousal did not even hear them. She could not hear them or comprehend them, so powerful was the single feeling which filled her heart and kept increasing all the time. This feeling was one of delight at the perfect fulfilment of what had been taking place in her heart during the past month and a half, and during those six weeks had made her happy and restless by turns.
From that day when, in her cinnamon-colored gown, in the "hall" of their house on the Arbatsky, she had silently approached Levin to give herself wholly to him, from that day, from that moment, she felt a complete rupture had been made with all her past life, and another existence, new and unknown, without, however, changing her outward life, had begun. These six weeks had been at once a very happy and very trying time. Her whole life, her hopes and desires, were all concentrated on this man, whom she did not even yet fully understand, to whom she was united by a sentiment which
