"Declined!" a high boyish voice replied.

Again it began, and again "Declined." And so it went on for about

an hour. Levin, with his elbows on the balustrade, looked and

listened. At first he wondered and wanted to know what it meant;

then feeling sure that he could not make it out he began to be

bored. Then recalling all the excitement and vindictiveness he

had seen on all the faces, he felt sad; he made up his mind to

go, and went downstairs. As he passed through the entry to the

galleries he met a dejected high school boy walking up and down

with tired-looking eyes. On the stairs he met a couple--a lady

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running quickly on her high heels and the jaunty deputy

prosecutor.

"I told you you weren't late," the deputy prosecutor was saying

at the moment when Levin moved aside to let the lady pass.

Levin was on the stairs to the way out, and was just feeling in

his waistcoat pocket for the number of his overcoat, when the

secretary overtook him.

"This way, please, Konstantin Dmitrievitch; they are voting."

The candidate who was being voted on was Nevyedovsky, who had so

stoutly denied all idea of standing. Levin went up to the door

of the room; it was locked. The secretary knocked, the door

opened, and Levin was met by two red-faced gentlemen, who darted

out.

"I can't stand any more of it," said one red-faced gentleman.

After them the face of the marshal of the province was poked out.

His face was dreadful-looking from exhaustion and dismay.

"I told you not to let any one out!" he cried to the doorkeeper.

"I let someone in, your excellency!"

"Mercy on us!" and with a heavy sigh the marshal of the province

walked with downcast head to the high table in the middle of the

room, his legs staggering in his white trousers.

Nevyedovsky had scored a higher majority, as they had planned,

and he was the new marshal of the province. Many people were

amused, many were pleased and happy, many were in ecstasies, many

were disgusted and unhappy. The former marshal of the province

was in a state of despair, which he could not conceal. When

Nevyedovsky went out of the room, the crowd thronged round him

and followed him enthusiastically, just as they had followed the

governor who had opened the meetings, and just as they had

followed Snetkov when he was elected.




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