"Well, so you're content with your day. And so am I. First, I

solved two chess problems, and one a very pretty one--a pawn

opening. I'll show it you. And then--I thought over our

conversation yesterday."

"Eh! our conversation yesterday?" said Levin, blissfully dropping

his eyelids and drawing deep breaths after finishing his dinner,

and absolutely incapable of recalling what their conversation

yesterday was about.

"I think you are partly right. Our difference of opinion amounts

to this, that you make the mainspring self-interest, while I

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suppose that interest in the common weal is bound to exist in

every man of a certain degree of advancement. Possibly you are

right too, that action founded on material interest would be more

desirable. You are altogether, as the French say, too

_primesautière_ a nature; you must have intense, energetic action,

or nothing."

Levin listened to his brother and did not understand a single

word, and did not want to understand. He was only afraid his

brother might ask him some question which would make it evident

he had not heard.

"So that's what I think it is, my dear boy," said Sergey

Ivanovitch, touching him on the shoulder.

"Yes, of course. But, do you know? I won't stand up for my

view," answered Levin, with a guilty, childlike smile. "Whatever

was it I was disputing about?" he wondered. "Of course, I'm

right, and he's right, and it's all first-rate. Only I must go

round to the counting house and see to things." He got up,

stretching and smiling. Sergey Ivanovitch smiled too.

"If you want to go out, let's go together," he said, disinclined

to be parted from his brother, who seemed positively breathing

out freshness and energy. "Come, we'll go to the counting house,

if you have to go there."

"Oh, heavens!" shouted Levin, so loudly that Sergey Ivanovitch

was quite frightened.

"What, what is the matter?"

"How's Agafea Mihalovna's hand?" said Levin, slapping himself on

the head. "I'd positively forgotten her even."

"It's much better."

"Well, anyway I'll run down to her. Before you've time to get

your hat on, I'll be back."

And he ran downstairs, clattering with his heels like a

spring-rattle.




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