Having become greedy for Tolstoy after a few appetising short stories, but not feeling quite hungry enough to stomach all 560,000 words of War and Peace , I settled on Anna Karenina as a middle course. I'm about halfway through, and there's this scene which nicely sets the, er, scene for my latest attempt at some calendar-specific reflection: Country land-owner Levin is preparing for his long longed-for marriage to Kitty. He has cheerfully parried all of his bachelor friends' jibes about the hindrances and botherments of wives, and, left alone, muses peacefully on his future happiness, until... 'But do I know her ideas, her wishes, her feelings?’ some voice suddenly whispered to him. The smile died away from his face, and he grew thoughtful. And suddenly a strange feeling came upon him. There came over him a dread and doubt—doubt of everything. ‘What if she does not love me? What if she’s marrying me simply to be married? What if ...