"Yes, I knew your idea of the solution of the labor question."

"Not a bit: in Russia there can be no labor question. In Russia

the question is that of the relation of the working people to the

land; though the question exists there too--but there it's a

matter of repairing what's been ruined, while with us..."

Stepan Arkadyevitch listened attentively to Levin.

"Yes, yes!" he said, "it's very possible you're right. But I'm

glad you're in good spirits, and are hunting bears, and working,

and interested. Shtcherbatsky told me another story--he met

you--that you were in such a depressed state, talking of nothing

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but death...."

"Well, what of it? I've not given up thinking of death," said

Levin. "It's true that it's high time I was dead; and that all

this is nonsense. It's the truth I'm telling you. I do value

my idea and my work awfully; but in reality only consider this:

all this world of ours is nothing but a speck of mildew, which

has grown up on a tiny planet. And for us to suppose we can have

something great--ideas, work--it's all dust and ashes."

"But all that's as old as the hills, my boy!"

"It is old; but do you know, when you grasp this fully, then

somehow everything becomes of no consequence. When you

understand that you will die tomorrow, if not today, and nothing

will be left, then everything is so unimportant! And I consider

my idea very important, but it turns out really to be as

unimportant too, even if it were carried out, as doing for that

bear. So one goes on living, amusing oneself with hunting, with

work--anything so as not to think of death!"

Stepan Arkadyevitch smiled a subtle affectionate smile as he

listened to Levin.

"Well, of course! Here you've come round to my point. Do you

remember you attacked me for seeking enjoyment in life? Don't be

so severe, O moralist!"

"No; all the same, what's fine in life is..." Levin hesitated--

"oh, I don't know. All I know is that we shall soon be dead."

"Why so soon?"

"And do you know, there's less charm in life, when one thinks of

death, but there's more peace."

"On the contrary, the finish is always the best. But I must be

going," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, getting up for the tenth time.

"Oh, no, stay a bit!" said Levin, keeping him. "Now, when shall

we see each other again? I'm going tomorrow."




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