"Oh, then you don"t believe in it?"
"I can"t believe in it, Countess."
"But if I"ve seen them myself?"
"The peasant women, too, tell us they have seen goblins."
"Then you think I tell a lie?"
"Oh, no, Masha, Konstantin Dmitrich said he could not believe in it," said Kitty, blushing for Levin. Levin saw this, and, still more exasperated, would have answered, but Vronsky with his bright, frank smile rushed to the support of the conversation, which was threatening to become disagreeable.
"You do not admit the conceivability at all?" he queried. "But why not? We admit the existence of groznium, a wondrous alloy unimagined before the time of Tsar Ivan. Why should there not be some new beings, still unknown to us, which . . ."
"When groznium groznium was discovered," Levin countered hotly, "it was found, after careful experimentation over many years, to hold all those useful qualities originally claimed of it by its champions. Far from being the stuff of parlor games and hopeful acolytes, it has revolutionized every sphere of Russian life!" was discovered," Levin countered hotly, "it was found, after careful experimentation over many years, to hold all those useful qualities originally claimed of it by its champions. Far from being the stuff of parlor games and hopeful acolytes, it has revolutionized every sphere of Russian life!"
Vronsky listened attentively to Levin, as he always did listen, obviously interested in his words.
"Yes, but the xenotheologists such as the Countess only say we don"t know at present what these beings are, are, only that such beings do exist," he argued mildly, "And these are the conditions in which they might appear to us." only that such beings do exist," he argued mildly, "And these are the conditions in which they might appear to us."
As if to reinforce Vronsky"s point, the sky just then began to rumble with thunder, and a bolt of lightning leapt forth from the clouds outside the Shcherbatskys" big front window.
"Let the scientific men find out what these aliens might be," Vronsky continued. "No, I don"t see why there should not be a new race somewhere in the universe, if we found a new metal metal. . ."
"Why, because with groznium," Levin interrupted again, "all the promises of its potential have been proven! proven! It has allowed for every positive change in our society! Every easeful thing, every moment of leisure we enjoy thanks to the helpful machines that do such work for us-all this we owe to groznium: the Grav, the transports, the robots-!" He gestured with energy at the ring of quiet and attentive Cla.s.s IIIs, who stood in a respectful semicircle at the outskirts of the room. It has allowed for every positive change in our society! Every easeful thing, every moment of leisure we enjoy thanks to the helpful machines that do such work for us-all this we owe to groznium: the Grav, the transports, the robots-!" He gestured with energy at the ring of quiet and attentive Cla.s.s IIIs, who stood in a respectful semicircle at the outskirts of the room.
But the conversation had ended, and the ceremony, so nonsensical to Levin, began. It took more than an hour of chanting and elaborate prayers before the ceremony was concluded-abruptly, and to Levin"s secret pleasure-when Countess Nordston threw open the parlor window to urge the Honored Guests to be swift in blessing us with their presence, but all that entered the Shcherbatskys" magnificent front room was rain.
CHAPTER 13.
VRONSKY SAT UP that night, viewing Memories in the monitor of his Cla.s.s III, which was located in a smooth, furless patch of the animal"s exterior, where the "soft underbelly" of a real that night, viewing Memories in the monitor of his Cla.s.s III, which was located in a smooth, furless patch of the animal"s exterior, where the "soft underbelly" of a real Canis lupus Canis lupus would be found. would be found.
Alexei Kirillovich had never had a real home life. His mother had been in her youth a brilliant society woman, who had had during her married life, and still more afterward, many love affairs notorious in the whole fashionable world. His father he scarcely remembered, and he had been educated in the Regimental Underschool, where he was a.s.signed and instructed in his special military issue Cla.s.s III, soon growing to cherish the ersatz hunting wolf with its thick collar of bristling metal "fur" and menacing voice-box growl.
Leaving the school very young as a brilliant officer, after a distinguished six-month tour along the border, Vronsky had at once gotten into the circle of wealthy Petersburg army men. Although he did go more or less into Petersburg society, his love affairs had always. .h.i.therto been outside it. In Moscow he had for the first time felt, after his luxurious and coa.r.s.e life at Petersburg, all the charm of intimacy with a sweet and innocent girl of his own rank, who cared for him. It never even entered his head that there could be any harm in his relations with Kitty. At the floats he danced princ.i.p.ally with her. He was a constant visitor at their house. He talked to her as people commonly do talk in society-all sorts of nonsense, but nonsense to which he could not help attaching a special meaning in her case. Although he said nothing to her that he could not have said before everybody, he felt that she was becoming more and more dependent upon him, and the more he felt this, the better he liked it, and the more tender was his feeling for her. He did not know that his mode of behavior in relation to Kitty had a definite character, that of courting young girls with no intention of ever marrying, and that such courting is one of the evil actions common among brilliant young men such as he was. It seemed to him that he was the first who had discovered this pleasure, and he was enjoying his discovery.
If he could have put himself at the point of view of the family and have heard that Kitty would be unhappy if he did not marry her, he would have been greatly astonished, and would not have believed it. He could not believe that what gave such great and delicate pleasure to him, and above all to her, could be wrong. Still less could he have believed that he ought to marry.
Marriage had never presented itself to him as a possibility. He not only disliked family life, but the very idea of starting a family was, in accordance with the general views in the bachelor world in which he lived, as alien and ridiculous as the so-called Honored Guests so fervently awaited by Countess Nordstron and her set.
Lupo finished the Memory and, before cuing the next one, chased a I/Mouse/9 across the floor. The beasts had recently become decommed, and Vronsky had begged a box of them from his friend Stepan Arkadyich, in the Ministry, as a source of amus.e.m.e.nt and exercise for Lupo. The fierce animal machine, having caught the unfortunate little Cla.s.s I in his jaws and efficiently cracked its groznium spine, rolled again onto his back to reveal his monitor and the next Memory.
Vronsky felt on coming away from the Shcherbatskys" that the secret spiritual bond which existed between him and Kitty had grown so much stronger that evening that some step must be taken. But what step could and ought to be taken, he could not imagine.
"What is so exquisite," he mused to Lupo, "is that not a word has been said by me or by her, but we understand each other so well in this unseen language of looks and tones, that this evening more clearly than ever she told me she loves me. And how secretly, simply, and most of all, how trustfully! I feel myself better, purer, like I have exited Earth"s atmosphere, and am moon-bound. I feel that I have a heart, and that there is a great deal of good in me. Those sweet, loving eyes! When she said: "Indeed I do . . .""
He trailed off, whereupon Lupo tilted his head and barked inquiringly.
"Well, what then? Oh, nothing. It"s good for me, and good for her." And he began wondering where to finish the evening.
He pa.s.sed in review the places he might go to. "The Blasting Club? A game of Flickerfly champagne with Ignatov? No, I"m not going. Chateau des Fleurs; there I shall find Oblonsky, songs, the cancan. No, I"m sick of it. That"s why I like the Shcherbatskys", because I"m growing . . . better better." Instead of going out, he ordered supper, and then undressed, and as soon as his head touched the pillow and he felt the rea.s.suring weight of Lupo"s warm, gently thrumming metal snout curled against his chest, he fell into a sound sleep.
CHAPTER 14.
NEXT DAY AT ELEVEN o"clock in the morning Vronsky drove to the station of the Petersburg-Moscow Grav to meet his mother, and the first person he came across on the great flight of steps was Oblonsky, who was expecting his sister by the same train. o"clock in the morning Vronsky drove to the station of the Petersburg-Moscow Grav to meet his mother, and the first person he came across on the great flight of steps was Oblonsky, who was expecting his sister by the same train.
"Ah! Your Excellency!" cried Oblonsky. "Whom are you meeting?"
"My mother," Vronsky responded, smiling, as everyone did who met Oblonsky and his funny little Cla.s.s III. "She is to be here from Petersburg today." Vronsky shook hands with Stiva, patted Small Stiva amiably on his hemispheric head-dome, and together they all ascended, Lupo prowling along at the rear, nose down, examining the steps with his keen scent sensors as they went.
"I was looking out for you till two o"clock last night. Where did you go after the Shcherbatskys"?"
"Home," answered Vronsky. "I must own I felt so content yesterday after the Shcherbatskys" that I didn"t care to go anywhere."
"I know a gallant steed by tokens sure, And by his eyes I know a youth in love,"
declaimed Stepan Arkadyich, just as he had done before to Levin.
Vronsky smiled with a look that seemed to say that he did not deny it, but he promptly changed the subject.
"Look there: Our tireless protectors are out in force today. I hope there are not koschei along the lines. Mother so hates to be discomfited."
Even as he spoke, the distinct heavy thud of the 77s in their metal boots echoed through the station. Dozens of the elite bots, bulbed heads performing their endless all-seeing rotations, roamed through all corners of the vast terminus, magnifying sensors clipped to their end-effectors, searching for the monstrous little bugs known and feared as koschei "And whom are you meeting?" Vronsky asked of Oblonsky.
"I? I"ve come to meet a pretty woman," said Oblonsky, and maintained a sly, elusive expression, even as he raised his arms in the air to allow a 77 swiftly to scan his entire body. Even members of the n.o.bility, when traveling by rail, had to submit to this relative indignity, and Oblonsky took it, like most all inconveniences, with ease and good humor.
"A pretty woman?" Vronsky replied meanwhile. "You don"t say so!"
"Honi soit qui mal y pense! My sister Anna." My sister Anna."
"Ah! That"s Madame Karenina," said Vronsky. The 77 leveled his physiometer at Count Vronsky, who, with an officious scowl, whistled to the accompanying Caretaker and directed the man"s attention to a small pin he wore on his lapel, identifying him as an officer of the Border Regiments.
"If you need a.s.sistance, I am here," he with quiet arrogance to the gold-uniformed soldier, who, mollified, gestured curtly to the 77 and departed.
"You know my sister Anna, no doubt?" Stepan Arkadyich was saying as together they approached the platform.
"I think I do. Or perhaps not . . . I really am not sure," Vronsky answered heedlessly, with a vague recollection of something stiff and tedious evoked by the name Karenina.
"But Alexei Alexandrovich, my celebrated brother-in-law, you surely must know. All the world knows him. He is in the Higher Branches."
"Ah, yes," said Vronsky. "And . . . he is, enhanced, yes?"
Oblonsky nodded with mock gravity. "Oh, that he most certainly is."
"I know him by reputation and by sight," Vronsky continued. "I know that he"s clever, learned, religious somewhat. . . . But you know that"s not . . . not in my line" not in my line" said Vronsky in English. said Vronsky in English.
"Yes, he"s a very remarkable man; rather a conservative, but a splendid man," observed Stepan Arkadyich, "a splendid man."
A chorus of shrill beeps erupted from the center of the station, as a dozen of the bioscanners rang out as one. The 77s and their Caretaker converged around a fat peasant with a battered rucksack, who stood wide-eyed and trembling as one of the ma.s.sive machine-men snaked a winding, pincer-tipped cord from a slot on his lower-mid-torso and plucked a tiny koschei from the pocket of his vest.
"They"ve got one," said Vronsky with evident enjoyment. He and Oblonsky watched as the 77 held the wriggling, roach-like koschei aloft. The fat peasant recoiled in horror from the twitching little bug-machine, its armor-plated back lined with quivering antennae, that had been playing stowaway in his shirtfront, while the fearsome 77 held the tiny thing carefully by the tip of its tail, carried it to a rubbish bin, and flicked it inside. While Vronsky and Oblonsky watched approvingly, a second 77 tossed a miniature I-bomb in after it, and slammed down the lid.
With one motion, everyone in the station covered their ears, and Small Stiva and Lupo dampened their auditory sensors. A moment later came the deafening explosion, followed by silence, as the station filled with heavy, acrid smoke. A child burst into tears and was comforted by the heavy mechanical arms of a II/Governess/646.
"Good show." Oblonsky clapped, waving appreciatively at the 77s. "That will teach UnConSciya to trifle with the power of the Ministry. Nothing sneaks past us."
Vronsky shook his head and sighed. "Yes, yes. Though the Grav will be delayed, and Mother will be agitated."
"Of course," Stepan Arkadyich agreed. "This is the price we pay for happiness," he added, parroting one of the popular slogans which together comprised his political opinions.
"By the way, did you make the acquaintance of my friend Levin?" asked Stepan Arkadyich of Count Vronsky, as the station"s normal hum of activity resumed and they waited at the platform"s edge for the Grav to arrive.
"Yes; but he left rather early."
"He"s a capital fellow," pursued Oblonsky. "Isn"t he?"
"I don"t know why it is," responded Vronsky, "in all Moscow people-present company of course excepted," he put in jestingly, "there"s something uncompromising. They are all on the defensive, lose their tempers, as though they all want to make one feel something. . . ."
"Yes, that"s true, it is so," said Stepan Arkadyich, laughing good-humoredly.
"Are the tracks cleared? Will the Grav soon be in?" Vronsky asked a II/Station Agent/L26, when the last of the 77s had marched away. the tracks cleared? Will the Grav soon be in?" Vronsky asked a II/Station Agent/L26, when the last of the 77s had marched away.
"Grav has signaled," answered the Cla.s.s II, a green light glowing affirmatively in the dead center of his faceplate. answered the Cla.s.s II, a green light glowing affirmatively in the dead center of his faceplate.
The approach of the magnificent Moscow-St. Petersburg High-Speed Antigravitational Ma.s.sive Transport, was more and more evident by the preparatory bustle in the station, the rush of II/Porter/7e62s, the movement of II/Policeman/R47s, and people meeting the train. Through the frosty vapor could be seen II/GravWorker/X99s in their impregnable groznium outer-sheaths and soft, felt-lined roller wheels crossing the magnetized rails of the curving line.
"No," said Stepan Arkadyich, who felt a great inclination to tell Vronsky of Levin"s intentions in regard to Kitty. "No, you"ve not got a true impression of Levin. He"s a very nervous man, and is sometimes out of humor, it"s true, and his Cla.s.s III is an odd duck indeed, but then he is often very nice. He has such a true, honest nature, and a heart of gold. But yesterday there were special reasons," pursued Stepan Arkadyich, with a meaningful smile, totally oblivious of the genuine sympathy he had felt the day before for his friend, and feeling the same sympathy now, only for Vronsky. "Yes, there were reasons why he could not help being either particularly happy or particularly unhappy."
Vronsky stood still and asked directly: "How so? Do you mean he made your belle-soeur belle-soeur an offer yesterday?" an offer yesterday?"
This moment of exchanged confidences was interrupted by Lupo, who sat back on his haunches, flattened his ears against his head, and howled. Vronsky looked down at his beloved-companion inquiringly, but in the next moment the rest heard what Lupo had sensed: The gentle pulse of the Grav shooshing shooshing forward could be both heard and felt reverberating along the magnet bed. forward could be both heard and felt reverberating along the magnet bed.
"Maybe," said Stepan Arkadyich. "I fancied something of the sort yesterday. Yes, if he went away early, and was out of humor too, it must mean it . . . He"s been so long in love, and I"m very sorry for him."
"So that"s it! I should imagine, though, she might reckon on a better match," said Vronsky, "though I don"t know him, of course," he added. "Yes, that is a hateful position! That"s why most fellows prefer to have to do with II/Klara/X14s. If you don"t succeed with them it only proves that you"ve not enough cash, but in this case one"s dignity"s at stake. But here"s the Grav."
Now the platform was quivering, and with visible lines of electric force quivering above the magnet bed, the great hovering ma.s.sive transport eased magnificently forward into the station, the stern figure of the II/Engineer/L42 covered with frost. Behind the tender, setting the platform more and more slowly swaying, came the luggage van with a dog whining in it. At last the pa.s.senger carriages whooshed in, de-oscillating for a full three minutes after the circuits were switched off and the Grav came to a standstill.
A II/GravGuard/FF9 appeared, emitted a high whistle from a slanting slot in his groznium torso, and after him one by one the impatient pa.s.sengers began to get down: an officer of the Border Regiments, holding himself erect in his silver uniform, and looking severely about him; a nimble little merchant with a Cla.s.s II suitcase tucked under his arm, smiling gaily; a whistling peasant with a sack over his shoulder.
Vronsky, standing beside Oblonsky, watched the carriages and the pa.s.sengers, totally oblivious of his mother. What he had just heard about Kitty excited and delighted him. Unconsciously he swelled his chest, and his eyes flashed. He stooped to run his hand through Lupo"s bristling metallic fur. He drew himself erect and stood with his hand on the handle of the hot-whip that curled along his thigh. He felt himself a conqueror.
"Countess Vronskaya is in that compartment," said the Border Officer, going up to Vronsky.
The officer"s words roused him, and forced him to think of his mother and his approaching meeting with her.
CHAPTER 15.
VRONSKY FOLLOWED HIS FELLOW officer to the carriage, and at the door of the compartment he stopped short to make room for a lady getting out, followed by a tall, elegant Cla.s.s III. officer to the carriage, and at the door of the compartment he stopped short to make room for a lady getting out, followed by a tall, elegant Cla.s.s III.
As the woman and her beloved-companion stepped from the carriage, Lupo, uncharacteristically, narrowed his eyes to slits and growled in the back of his throat. Alexei Kirillovich, horrified at the implied insult, gestured sharply to his Cla.s.s III for silence and then stood back from the door of the compartment to allow the woman and her android to pa.s.s. But for a long moment they simply stood in this tableau at the door of the carriage: Vronsky with his head bowed, Lupo back on his haunches, the stranger and her striking robot standing regally in the doorway.
With the insight of a man of the world, it was clear to Vronsky that this woman belonged to the best society. When at last the tableau broke, and she and her Cla.s.s III exited, and Vronsky was finally getting into the carriage, he felt he must glance at her once more; not because she was very beautiful, not on account of the elegance and modest grace which were apparent in her whole figure, but because in the expression of her charming face, as she pa.s.sed close by him, there was something peculiarly caressing and soft. As he looked round, she too turned her head. Her shining gray eyes, which looked dark from the thick lashes, rested with friendly attention on his face, as though she were recognizing him, and then promptly turned away to the pa.s.sing crowd, as though seeking someone. In that brief look Vronsky had time to notice the suppressed eagerness that played over her face, and flitted between the brilliant eyes and the faint smile that curved her red lips. It was as though her nature were so br.i.m.m.i.n.g over with something that, against her will, it showed itself now in the flash of her eyes, and now in her smile. Deliberately she shrouded the light in her eyes, but it shone against her will in the faintly perceptible smile. The android, walking a half step behind the woman, glowed a deep and regal indigo, allowing no expression, only accenting all that was remarkable about her mistress as she traveled at her side.
SHE SHROUDED THE LIGHT IN HER EYES, BUT IT SHONE AGAINST HER WILL; THE ANDROID, WALKING BEHIND, GLOWED A REGAL INDIGO.
Vronsky stepped into the carriage. His mother, a dried-up old lady with black eyes and ringlets, screwed up her eyes, scanning her son, and smiled slightly with her thin lips. Getting up from the seat and handing her robot a bag, she gave her little wrinkled hand to her son to kiss, and lifting his head from her hand, kissed him on the cheek.
"You got my communique? Quite well? Thank G.o.d."
"You had a good journey?" said her son, sitting down beside her, and involuntarily listening to a woman"s voice outside the door. He knew it was the voice of the lady he had met at the door.
In the next moment, the mysterious woman and her robot appeared again in the door of the Grav. "Could you see if Stepan Arkadyich Oblonsky is here, and send him to me?" she said politely to a II/Porter/7e62, who scuttled off obligingly. Vronsky understood now that this was Madame Karenina, and this her Cla.s.s III, Android Karenina.
"Your brother is here," he said, standing up. "Excuse me, I did not know you, and, indeed, our acquaintance was so slight," said Vronsky, bowing, "that no doubt you do not remember me."
"Oh, no," she said, "I should have known you because your mother and I have been talking, I think, of nothing but you all the way." As she spoke she let the eagerness that would insist on coming out show itself in her smile. "And still no sign of my brother."
"Do call him, Alexei," said the old countess. Vronsky stepped out onto the platform, and shouted, "Oblonsky! Here!" Lupo let out a corresponding howl, long and low.
Madame Karenina, meanwhile, did not wait for her brother, but catching sight of him she stepped out with her light, resolute step. And as soon as her brother had reached her, with a gesture that struck Vronsky by its decision and its grace, she flung her left arm around his neck, drew him rapidly to her, and kissed him warmly. Vronsky gazed, never taking his eyes from her, and smiled; he could not have said why. But recollecting that his mother was waiting for him, he went back again into the carriage.
"She"s very sweet, isn"t she?" said the countess of Madame Karenina. "Her husband put her with me, and I was delighted to have her." Madame Karenina entered the carriage again to say good-bye to the countess.
"Well, Countess, you have met your son, and I my brother," she said. "And all my gossip is exhausted. I should have nothing more to tell you."
"Oh, no," said the countess, taking her hand. "I could go all around the world with you and never be dull. You are one of those delightful women in whose company it"s sweet to be silent as well as to talk. Now please don"t fret over your son; you can"t expect never to be parted."
Madame Karenina stood quite still, holding herself very erect, and her eyes were smiling. Vronsky noted with interest how his mother"s beloved-companion, a wiry gray machine-woman called Tunisia, looked distractedly about the carriage during this exchange, while Android Karenina"s careful and attentive posture mimicked that of her mistress precisely.