Levin did not get into the carriage, but walked behind. He was rather vexed at the nonarrival of the old Prince, whom he liked more and more the more he saw him, and also the arrival of this Vassenka Veslovsky, a quite alien and superfluous person. He seemed to him still more alien and superfluous when, on approaching the steps where the whole party, children and grownups, were gathered together in much animation, Levin saw Vassenka Veslovsky, with a particularly warm and gallant air, kissing Kitty's hand.

`Your wife and I are cousins and very old friends,' said Vassenka Veslovsky, once more shaking Levin's hand with great warmth.

`Well, are there plenty of birds?' Stepan Arkadyevich said to Levin, hardly leaving time for everyone to exchange greetings. `We've come with the most savage intentions. Why, maman, they've not been in Moscow since! Look, Tania, here's something for you! Get it, please, it's in the carriage, behind!' he talked in all directions. `How pretty you've grown, Dollenka,' he said to his wife, once more kissing her hand, holding it in one of his, and patting it with the other.

Levin, who a minute before had been in the happiest frame of mind, now looked darkly at everyone, and everything displeased him.

`Who was it he kissed yesterday with these lips?' he thought, looking at Stepan Arkadyevich's tender demonstrations to his wife. He looked at Dolly, and he did not like her either.

`She doesn't believe in his love. So what is she pleased about? Revolting!' thought Levin.

He looked at the Princess, who had been so dear to him a minute before, and he did not like the manner in which she welcomed this Vassenka, with his ribbons, just as though she were in her own house.

Even Sergei Ivanovich, who had come out too on the steps, seemed to him unpleasant with the show of cordiality with which he met Stepan Arkadyevich, though Levin knew that his brother neither liked nor respected Oblonsky.

And Varenka - even she seemed hateful, with her air sainte nitouche making the acquaintance of this gentleman, while all the while she was thinking of nothing but getting married.

And more hateful than anyone was Kitty, for falling in with the tone of gaiety with which this gentleman regarded his visit in the country, as though it were a holiday for himself and everyone else. And, more unpleasant than everything else, was that peculiar smile with which she responded to his smile.

Noisily talking, they all went into the house; but as soon as they were all seated, Levin turned and went out.

Kitty saw something was wrong with her husband. She tried to seize a moment to speak to him alone, but he made haste to get away from her, saying he was wanted at the countinghouse. It was long since his own work on the estate had seemed to him so important as at that moment. `It's all holiday for them,' he thought; `but these are no holiday matters, they won't wait, and there's no living without them.'