He knew very well that in their eyes, the role of the disappointed lover of a maiden or of any single woman might be ridiculous; but the role of a man who was pursuing a married woman, and who made it the purpose of his life at all cost to draw her into adultery, was one which had in it something beautiful and dignified and could never be ridiculous; so it was with a proud, glad smile lurking under his moustache that he put down the opera-glasses and looked at his cousin.
Pero el papel de cortejar a una mujer casada, persiguiendo como fin llevarla al adulterio, aparecía ante todos, y Vronsky no lo ignoraba, como algo magnífico, grandioso, nunca ridículo. Así, dibujando bajo su bigote una sonrisa orgullosa y alegre, bajó los gemelos y miró a su prima: