Part One: Chapter 8

by Leo Tolstoy

　　When the professor had gone, Sergey Ivanovitch turned to hisbrother.

　　"Delighted that you've come. For some time, is it? How's yourfarming getting on?"

　　Levin knew that his elder brother took little interest infarming, and only put the question in deference to him, and so heonly told him about the sale of his wheat and money matters.

　　Levin had meant to tell his brother of his determination to getmarried, and to ask his advice; he had indeed firmly resolved todo so. But after seeing his brother, listening to hisconversation with the professor, hearing afterwards theunconsciously patronizing tone in which his brother questionedhim about agricultural matters (their mother's property had notbeen divided, and Levin took charge of both their shares), Levinfelt that he could not for some reason begin to talk to him ofhis intention of marrying. He felt that his brother would notlook at it as he would have wished him to.

　　"Well, how is your district council doing?" asked SergeyIvanovitch, who was greatly interested in these local boards andattached great importance to them.

　　"I really don't know."

　　"What! Why, surely you're a member of the board?"

　　"No, I'm not a member now; I've resigned," answered Levin, "and Ino longer attend the meetings."

　　"What a pity!" commented Sergey Ivanovitch, frowning.

　　Levin in self-defense began to describe what took place in themeetings in his district.

　　"That's how it always is!" Sergey Ivanovitch interrupted him."We Russians are always like that. Perhaps it's our strongpoint, really, the faculty of seeing our own shortcomings; but weoverdo it, we comfort ourselves with irony which we always haveon the tip of our tongues. All I say is, give such rights as ourlocal self-government to any other European people--why, theGermans or the English would have worked their way to freedomfrom them, while we simply turn them into ridicule."

　　"But how can it be helped?" said Levin penitently. "It was mylast effort. And I did try with all my soul. I can't. I'm nogood at it."

　　"It's not that you're no good at it," said Sergey Ivanovitch; "itis that you don't look at it as you should."

　　"Perhaps not," Levin answered dejectedly.

　　"Oh! do you know brother Nikolay's turned up again?"

　　This brother Nikolay was the elder brother of Konstantin Levin,and half-brother of Sergey Ivanovitch; a man utterly ruined, whohad dissipated the greater part of his fortune, was living in thestrangest and lowest company, and had quarreled with hisbrothers.

　　"What did you say?" Levin cried with horror. "How do you know?"

　　"Prokofy saw him in the street."

　　"Here in Moscow? Where is he? Do you know?" Levin got up fromhis chair, as though on the point of starting off at once.

　　"I am sorry I told you," said Sergey Ivanovitch, shaking his headat his younger brother's excitement. "I sent to find out wherehe is living, and sent him his IOU to Trubin, which I paid. Thisis the answer he sent me."

　　And Sergey Ivanovitch took a note from under a paper-weight andhanded it to his brother.

　　Levin read in the queer, familiar handwriting: "I humbly beg youto leave me in peace. That's the only favor I ask of my graciousbrothers.--Nikolay Levin."

　　Levin read it, and without raising his head stood with the notein his hands opposite Sergey Ivanovitch.

　　There was a struggle in his heart between the desire to forgethis unhappy brother for the time, and the consciousness that itwould be base to do so.

　　"He obviously wants to offend me," pursued Sergey Ivanovitch;"but he cannot offend me, and I should have wished with all myheart to assist him, but I know it's impossible to do that."

　　"Yes, yes," repeated Levin. "I understand and appreciate yourattitude to him; but I shall go and see him."

　　"If you want to, do; but I shouldn't advise it," said SergeyIvanovitch. "As regards myself, I have no fear of your doing so;he will not make you quarrel with me; but for your own sake, Ishould say you would do better not to go. You can't do him anygood; still, do as you please."

　　"Very likely I can't do any good, but I feel--especially at sucha moment--but that's another thing--I feel I could not be atpeace."

　　"Well, that I don't understand," said Sergey Ivanovitch. "Onething I do understand," he added; "it's a lesson in humility. Ihave come to look very differently and more charitably on what iscalled infamous since brother Nikolay has become what he is...youknow what he did..."

　　"Oh, it's awful, awful!" repeated Levin.

　　After obtaining his brother's address from Sergey Ivanovitch'sfootman, Levin was on the point of setting off at once to seehim, but on second thought he decided to put off his visit tillthe evening. The first thing to do to set his heart at rest wasto accomplish what he had come to Moscow for. From his brother'sLevin went to Oblonsky's office, and on getting news of theShtcherbatskys from him, he drove to the place where he had beentold he might find Kitty.