Anna Karenina — Chapter 151 in French
By Leo Tolstoy
Vronskï et Anna s’étaient arrêtés dans le meilleur hôtel de Pétersbourg : Vronskï se logea au rez-de-chaussée, et Anna au premier, dans un grand appartement de quatre pièces, avec l’enfant, la nourrice et la femme de chambre. When Vronsky and Anna reached Petersburg, they stopped at one of the best hotels. Vronsky had a room to himself on the ground floor; Anna, up one flight of stairs, with her baby, the nurse, and her maid, occupied a suite of four rooms.
Dès le premier jour de son arrivée, Vronskï alla voir son frère ; il rencontra chez celui-ci sa mère venue de Moscou pour ses affaires. On the day of his return, Vronsky went to see his brother; he there found his mother, who had come down from Moscow on business. Sa mère et sa belle-sœur le reçurent comme d’habitude, le questionnèrent sur son voyage à l’étranger, causèrent d’amis communs, mais ne soufflèrent mot de sa liaison avec Anna. His mother and sister-in-law received him as usual, asked him about his travels, spoke of common friends, but not by a word did they make any allusion to Anna. Son frère, en venant le voir le lendemain matin, lui demanda des nouvelles d'elle et d'Alexis. His brother, however, who returned his call the next morning, asked him about her and Alekseï. Son frère, en venant le voir le lendemain matin, fut le premier à parler d’elle, et Alexis Vronskï en profita pour lui déclarer nettement qu’il considérait sa liaison avec madame Karénine comme un mariage, ayant l’espoir qu’il obtiendrait le divorce et qu’il l’épouserait, ajoutant qu’il la regardait comme sa femme aussi bien que n’importe quel époux légitime ; et il le chargea de dire cela à sa femme et à leur mère. Vronsky declared in no equivocal terms that he considered the bond which united him to Madame Karenin the same as marriage, that he hoped a divorce would be obtained, and then he should marry her, but till that time, he should regard her the same as his wife; and he asked him to explain this to his mother and sister-in-law.
— Le monde peut ne pas m’approuver, cela m’est indifférent, ajouta Vronskï, mais si ma famille tient à rester en bons termes avec moi, il est nécessaire qu’elle entretienne des relations convenables avec ma femme. "The world may not approve of me; that is all one to me," he added; "but if my family wish to remain on good terms with me, they must show proper respect for my wife."
Le frère aîné, toujours respectueux des opinions de son cadet, ne sachant trop s’il avait raison ou non, laissa le monde résoudre cette question délicate. Personnellement il n’y trouvait rien à redire et, avec Alexis, alla voir Anna. The elder brother, always very respectful of his brother's opinions, was not very certain in his own mind whether he was doing right or not, and resolved to let society settle this question; but, as far as he himself was concerned, he saw nothing objectionable in this, and he went with Alekseï to call on Anna.