This boy was more often than anyone else a check upon their freedom.

When he was present, both Vronsky and Anna did not merely avoid speaking of anything that they could not have repeated before everyone; they did not even allow themselves to refer by hints to anything the boy did not understand.

They had made no agreement about this, it had settled itself.

They would have felt it wounding themselves to deceive the child.

In his presence they talked like acquaintances.