Chapter 160 — Anna Karenina

Kitty welcomes a walk alone with Levin because she noticed the shade of mortification on his face when the terrace went silent at his question. On the dusty road she clings to his arm. He forgets the slight and feels pure bliss near her in pregnancy, loving the changed softness in her voice and eyes.

She tells him they discussed how men make offers and Sergey with Varenka. Levin says Sergey lives a spiritual life only, too exalted to reconcile himself with actual fact, and Varenka is after all fact. Kitty understands from hints; they speak of Nikolay and Levin's envy of Sergey's duty-driven calm. Kitty smiles knowing her husband abases himself while happy.

Levin admits he is happy but dissatisfied with himself: work on the estate and book now feels like a task set him compared with love for her. Kitty asks if he would trade places with Sergey; he says of course not, then wonders again if Sergey will propose. She picks wild camomile: he does propose, he does not. They pluck petals until the wagonette catches up and all walk on together toward the mushroom wood.

The camomile game cheats fate as Levin plucks two petals; pregnancy softens everything except his honest envy of Sergey's duty-driven calm before the forest proposal scene.