Part Seven: Chapter 4

by Leo Tolstoy

　　Lvov, the husband of Natalia, Kitty's sister, had spent all hislife in foreign capitals, where he had been educated, and hadbeen in the diplomatic service.

　　During the previous year he had left the diplomatic service, notowing to any "unpleasantness" (he never had any "unpleasantness"with anyone), and was transferred to the department of the courtof the palace in Moscow, in order to give his two boys the besteducation possible.

　　In spite of the striking contrast in their habits and views andthe fact that Lvov was older than Levin, they had seen a greatdeal of one another that winter, and had taken a great liking toeach other.

　　Lvov was at home, and Levin went in to him unannounced.

　　Lvov, in a house coat with a belt and in chamois leather shoes,was sitting in an armchair, and with a pince-nez with blueglasses he was reading a book that stood on a reading desk, whilein his beautiful hand he held a half-burned cigarette daintilyaway from him.

　　His handsome, delicate, and still youthful-looking face, to whichhis curly, glistening silvery hair gave a still more aristocraticair, lighted up with a smile when he saw Levin.

　　"Capital! I was meaning to send to you. How's Kitty? Sit here,it's more comfortable." He got up and pushed up a rocking chair."Have you read the last circular in the Journal de St.Petersbourg? I think it's excellent," he said with a slightFrench accent.

　　Levin told him what he had heard from Katavasov was being said inPetersburg, and after talking a little about politics, he toldhim of his interview with Metrov, and the learned society'smeeting. To Lvov it was very interesting.

　　"That's what I envy you, that you are able to mix in theseinteresting scientific circles," he said. And as he talked, hepassed as usual into French, which was easier to him. "It's trueI haven't the time for it. My official work and the childrenleave me no time; and then I'm not ashamed to own that myeducation has been too defective."

　　"That I don't believe," said Levin with a smile, feeling, as healways did, touched at Lvov's low opinion of himself, which wasnot in the least put on from a desire to seem or to be modest,but was absolutely sincere.

　　"Oh, yes, indeed! I feel now how badly educated I am. Toeducate my children I positively have to look up a great deal,and in fact simply to study myself. For it's not enough to haveteachers, there must be someone to look after them, just as onyour land you want laborers and an overseer. See what I'mreading"--he pointed to Buslaev's Grammar on the desk--"it'sexpected of Misha, and it's so difficult.... Come, explain tome.... Here he says..."

　　Levin tried to explain to him that it couldn't be understood, butthat it had to be taught; but Lvov would not agree with him.

　　"Oh, you're laughing at it!"

　　"On the contrary, you can't imagine how, when I look at you, I'malways learning the task that lies before me, that is theeducation of one's children."

　　"Well, there's nothing for you to learn," said Lvov.

　　"All I know," said Levin, "is that I have never seen betterbrought-up children than yours, and I wouldn't wish for childrenbetter than yours."

　　Lvov visibly tried to restrain the expression of his delight, buthe was positively radiant with smiles.

　　"If only they're better than I! That's all I desire. You don'tknow yet all the work," he said, "with boys who've been left likemine to run wild abroad."

　　"You'll catch all that up. They're such clever children. Thegreat thing is the education of character. That's what I learnwhen I look at your children."

　　"You talk of the education of character. You can't imagine howdifficult that is! You have hardly succeeded in combating onetendency when others crop up, and the struggle begins again. Ifone had not a support in religion--you remember we talked aboutthat--no father could bring children up relying on his ownstrength alone without that help."

　　This subject, which always interested Levin, was cut short by theentrance of the beauty Natalia Alexandrovna, dressed to go out.

　　"I didn't know you were here," she said, unmistakably feeling noregret, but a positive pleasure, in interrupting thisconversation on a topic she had heard so much of that she was bynow weary of it. "Well, how is Kitty? I am dining with youtoday. I tell you what, Arseny," she turned to her husband, "youtake the carriage."

　　And the husband and wife began to discuss their arrangements forthe day. As the husband had to drive to meet someone on officialbusiness, while the wife had to go to the concert and some publicmeeting of a committee on the Eastern Question, there was a greatdeal to consider and settle. Levin had to take part in theirplans as one of themselves. It was settled that Levin should gowith Natalia to the concert and the meeting, and that from therethey should send the carriage to the office for Arseny, and heshould call for her and take her to Kitty's; or that, if he hadnot finished his work, he should send the carriage back and Levinwould go with her.

　　"He's spoiling me," Lvov said to his wife, "he assures me thatour children are splendid, when I know how much that's bad thereis in them."

　　"Arseny goes to extremes, I always say," said his wife. "If youlook for perfection, you will never be satisfied. And it's true,as papa says,-- that when we were brought up there was oneextreme--we were kept in the basement, while our parents lived inthe best rooms; now it's just the other way--the parents are inthe wash house, while the children are in the best rooms.Parents now are not expected to live at all, but to existaltogether for their children."

　　"Well, what if they like it better?" Lvov said, with hisbeautiful smile, touching her hand. "Anyone who didn't know youwould think you were a stepmother, not a true mother."

　　"No, extremes are not good in anything," Natalia said serenely,putting his paper knife straight in its proper place on thetable.

　　"Well, come here, you perfect children," Lvov said to the twohandsome boys who came in, and after bowing to Levin, went up totheir father, obviously wishing to ask him about something.

　　Levin would have liked to talk to them, to hear what they wouldsay to their father, but Natalia began talking to him, and thenLvov's colleague in the service, Mahotin, walked in, wearing hiscourt uniform, to go with him to meet someone, and a conversationwas kept up without a break upon Herzegovina, PrincessKorzinskaya, the town council, and the sudden death of MadameApraksina.

　　Levin even forgot the commission intrusted to him. Herecollected it as he was going into the hall.

　　"Oh, Kitty told me to talk to you about Oblonsky," he said, asLvov was standing on the stairs, seeing his wife and Levin off.

　　"Yes, yes, maman wants us, les beaux-freres, to attack him," hesaid, blushing. "But why should I?"

　　"Well, then, I will attack him," said Madame Lvova, with a smile,standing in her white sheepskin cape, waiting till they hadfinished speaking. "Come, let us go."