h he had not the
key.

A moment's silence followed, after which Countess Lidia Ivanovna,
as though approaching the main topic of conversation, said with a
fine smile to Oblonsky:

"I've known you for a long while, and am very glad to make a
closer acquaintance with you. _Les amis de nos amis sont nos
amis._ But to be a true friend, one must enter into the spiritual
state of one's friend, and I fear that you are not doing so in
the case of Alexey Alexandrovitch. You understand what I mean?"
she said, lifting her fine pensive eyes.

"In part, countess, I understand the position of Alexey
Alexandrovitch..." said Oblonsky. Having no clear idea what they
were talking about, he wanted to confine himself to generalities.

"The change is not in his external position," Countess Lidia
Ivanovna said sternly, following with eyes of love the figure of
Alexey Alexandrovitch as he got up and crossed over to Landau;
"his heart is changed, a new heart has been vouchsafed him, and
I fear you don't fully apprehend the change that has taken place
in him."

"Oh, well, in general outlines I can conceive the change. We
have always been friendly, and now..." said Stepan Arkadyevitch,
responding with a sympathetic glance to the expression of the
countess, and mentally balancing the question with which of the
two ministers she was most intimate, so as to know about which to
ask her to speak for him.

"The change that has taken place in him cannot lessen his love
for his neighbors; on the contrary, that change can only
intensify love in his heart. But I am afraid you do not
understand me. Won't you have some tea?" she said, with her eyes
indicating the footman, who was handing round tea on a tray.

"Not quite, countess. Of course, his misfortune..."

"Yes, a misfortune which has proved the highest happiness, when
his heart was made new, was filled full of it," she said, gazing
with eyes full of love at Stepan Arkadyevitch.

"I do believe I might ask her to speak to both of them," thought
Stepan Arkadyevitch.

"Oh, of course, countess," he said; "but I imagine such changes
are a matter so private that no one, even the most intimate
friend, would care to speak of them."

"On the contrary! We ought to speak freely and help one
another."

"Yes, undoubtedly so, but there is such a difference of
convictions, and besides..." said Oblonsky with a soft smile.

"There can be no difference where it is a question of holy
truth."