Part Six: Chapter 13

by Leo Tolstoy

　　The sportsman's saying, that if the first beast or the first birdis not missed, the day will be lucky, turned out correct.

　　At ten o'clock Levin, weary, hungry, and happy after a tramp oftwenty miles, returned to his night's lodging with nineteen headof fine game and one duck, which he tied to his belt, as it wouldnot go into the game bag. His companions had long been awake,and had had time to get hungry and have breakfast.

　　"Wait a bit, wait a bit, I know there are nineteen," said Levin,counting a second time over the grouse and snipe, that looked somuch less important now, bent and dry and bloodstained, withheads crooked aside, than they did when they were flying.

　　The number was verified, and Stepan Arkadyevitch's envy pleasedLevin. He was pleased too on returning to find the man sent byKitty with a note was already there.

　　"I am perfectly well and happy. If you were uneasy about me, youcan feel easier than ever. I've a new bodyguard, MaryaVlasyevna,"-- this was the midwife, a new and important personagein Levin's domestic life. "She has come to have a look at me.She found me perfectly well, and we have kept her till you areback. All are happy and well, and please, don't be in a hurry tocome back, but, if the sport is good, stay another day."

　　These two pleasures, his lucky shooting and the letter from hiswife, were so great that two slightly disagreeable incidentspassed lightly over Levin. One was that the chestnut tracehorse, who had been unmistakably overworked on the previous day,was off his feed and out of sorts. The coachman said he was"Overdriven yesterday, Konstantin Dmitrievitch. Yes, indeed!driven ten miles with no sense!"

　　The other unpleasant incident, which for the first minutedestroyed his good humor, though later he laughed at it a greatdeal, was to find that of all the provisions Kitty had providedin such abundance that one would have thought there was enoughfor a week, nothing was left. On his way back, tired and hungryfrom shooting, Levin had so distinct a vision of meat-pies thatas he approached the hut he seemed to smell and taste them, asLaska had smelt the game, and he immediately told Philip to givehim some. It appeared that there were no pies left, nor even anychicken.

　　"Well, this fellow's appetite!" said Stepan Arkadyevitch,laughing and pointing at Vassenka Veslovsky. "I never sufferfrom loss of appetite, but he's really marvelous!..."

　　"Well, it can't be helped," said Levin, looking gloomily atVeslovsky. "Well, Philip, give me some beef, then."

　　"The beef's been eaten, and the bones given to the dogs,"answered Philip.

　　Levin was so hurt that he said, in a tone of vexation, "You mighthave left me something!" and he felt ready to cry.

　　"Then put away the game," he said in a shaking voice to Philip,trying not to look at Vassenka, "and cover them with somenettles. And you might at least ask for some milk for me."

　　But when he had drunk some milk, he felt ashamed immediately athaving shown his annoyance to a stranger, and he began to laughat his hungry mortification.

　　In the evening they went shooting again, and Veslovsky hadseveral successful shots, and in the night they drove home.

　　Their homeward journey was as lively as their drive out had been.Veslovsky sang songs and related with enjoyment his adventureswith the peasants, who had regaled him with vodka, and said tohim, "Excuse our homely ways," and his night's adventures withkiss-in-the-ring and the servant-girl and the peasant, who hadasked him was he married, and on learning that he was not, saidto him, "Well, mind you don't run after other men's wives--you'dbetter get one of your own." These words had particularly amusedVeslovsky.

　　"Altogether, I've enjoyed our outing awfully. And you, Levin?"

　　"I have, very much," Levin said quite sincerely. It wasparticularly delightful to him to have got rid of the hostilityhe had been feeling towards Vassenka Veslovsky at home, and tofeel instead the most friendly disposition to him.