“Will anyone bear arms tomorrow? Is anyone bearing arms tonight?”

“Nobody! No one!” the crowd shouts in unison.

Aleksandra goes along, feeling the crowd’s contagious fervor, she’s caught it, too, she’s possessed like everyone else. Without even realizing she’s doing it, she begins shouting in unison with the feverish crowd, “We’ll give our lives!” “We swear!” “We curse them! We curse them!”

19. The Karenins Take Dinner

19. The Karenins Take Dinner

The Karenins continue their discussion into the wee hours. It has nothing to do with the extraordinary quality of an oil painting that is exceedingly lifelike in its depiction of one human being. The canvas is brave and compelling in its expression of the conflicts and contradictions of an individual, uniting them all in one image. There are a number of reasons why it’s such a pleasure to look at, as was its model. It has the gift of beauty, just like Anna. But Anna’s beauty provoked a desire to possess it; it was irresistible to anyone susceptible to its charms. Although the canvas is scrupulously faithful to its model, that’s not why it’s so mesmerizing. Delicate, it invites contemplation of the color, the fabric, the craftsmanship of a hypothetical creature, capturing her beauty without her sensual magnetism, making the viewer introspective. It’s a classic. Its creator, Mikhailov, had no idea what he would achieve when he painted it. He exceeded his ambitions, and how. He knew he had done a good job, and he was well paid in return. That’s all—but all is nothing compared to this vertiginously beautiful painting.

During their conversation, Sergei lays out all the reasons why he can’t stand to have the portrait of his mother on view for all and sundry to see. Claudia argues otherwise. At some point during the night, Sergei says it would be acceptable if the picture were exhibited as Portrait of a Woman, without disclosing the identity of the model. Claudia argues that it will cause a scandal no matter what. “People will gossip one way or another. They’re idle and lazy, they don’t have anything better to do. They neglect their children, loll about in messy rooms, and keep themselves busy with slanderous rumors.”

On the other hand, they could sell the portrait and buy something big…. “A boat? Or a motorcar like Prince Orlov’s?” She’s trying to distract him. “Land in Texas? An Italian villa?”

The painting could fetch a price that would make many a dream possible. Then they would gain the tsar’s good graces by allowing the portrait to be part of the exhibition, and in noticing them, he might grant Sergei the government post he’s been wanting for some time. And from that post, many decorations would follow. The painting would help Sergei’s career, not hinder it.