"Possibly you didn't wish to see me," said Sergey Ivanovitch, "but couldn't I be of use to you?" "There's no one I should less dislike seeing than you," said Vronsky.

" Excuse me; and there's nothing in life for me to like.

" "I quite understand, and I merely meant to offer you my services," said Sergey Ivanovitch, scanning Vronsky's face, full of unmistakable suffering.

" Wouldn't it be of use to you to have a letter to Ristitch--to Milan?" "Oh, no!" Vronsky said, seeming to understand him with difficulty.

" If you don't mind, let's walk on.