On that day of the week and at that time of day people of one set, all acquainted with one another, used to meet on the ice.

There were crack skaters there, showing off their skill, and learners clinging to chairs with timid, awkward movements, boys, and elderly people skating with hygienic motives.

They seemed to Levin an elect band of blissful beings because they were here, near her.

All the skaters, it seemed, with perfect self-possession, skated towards her, skated by her, even spoke to her, and were happy, quite apart from her, enjoying the capital ice and the fine weather.