" But why was it so awful?" He vividly recalled the peasant again and those incomprehensible French words the peasant had uttered, and a chill of horror ran down his spine.

"What nonsense!" thought Vronsky, and glanced at his watch.

It was half-past eight already.

He rang up his servant, dressed in haste, and went out onto the steps, completely forgetting the dream and only worried at being late.

As he drove up to the Karenins' entrance he looked at his watch and saw it was ten minutes to nine.