9. 'Vera Tushkevitch! Can you hear me?'

'Yes, I'm here. No need to shout. You will deafen me, I'm sure!'

'I don't trust these strange footnoterphone devices. I'm sure I'll catch some nasty proletarian disease. Where did we last meet? At that party with the Schuetzburgs? The one where they served apples Benedict?'

'No, Sofya, my husband and I were not invited. He voted against Count Schuetzburg at the last election.'

'Then it must have been at Bolshaia Marskaia with Princess Betsy. Whatever did happen to that Karenin girl, have you any idea?'

'Anna? Yes indeed – but you must not tell a soul! Alexei Vronsky was smitten by her from the moment he saw her at the station.'

'The station? Which station?'

'St Petersburg; you remember when a guard fell beneath the train and was crushed?'

'Anna and Vronsky met there? How terribly unsophisticated!'

'There is more, my dear Vera. Wait – the doorbell! I must leave you; not a word to anyone and I will call again soon!'