Kitty was distressed, as she always was, at parting for a couple

of days from her husband, but when she saw his eager figure,

looking big and strong in his shooting-boots and his white

blouse, and a sort of sportsman elation and excitement

incomprehensible to her, she forgot her own chagrin for the sake

of his pleasure, and said good-bye to him cheerfully.

"Pardon, gentlemen!" he said, running out onto the steps. "Have

you put the lunch in? Why is the chestnut on the right? Well,

it doesn't matter. Laska, down; go and lie down!"

"Put it with the herd of oxen," he said to the herdsman, who was

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waiting for him at the steps with some question. "Excuse me,

here comes another villain."

Levin jumped out of the wagonette, in which he had already taken

his seat, to meet the carpenter, who came towards the steps with

a rule in his hand.

"You didn't come to the counting house yesterday, and now you're

detaining me. Well, what is it?"

"Would your honor let me make another turning? It's only three

steps to add. And we make it just fit at the same time. It will

be much more convenient."

"You should have listened to me," Levin answered with annoyance.

"I said: Put the lines and then fit in the steps. Now there's

no setting it right. Do as I told you, and make a new

staircase."

The point was that in the lodge that was being built the

carpenter had spoiled the staircase, fitting it together without

calculating the space it was to fill, so that the steps were all

sloping when it was put in place. Now the carpenter wanted,

keeping the same staircase, to add three steps.

"It will be much better."

"But where's your staircase coming out with its three steps?"

"Why, upon my word, sir," the carpenter said with a contemptuous

smile. "It comes out right at the very spot. It starts, so to

speak," he said, with a persuasive gesture; "it comes down, and

comes down, and comes out."

"But three steps will add to the length too...where is it to

come out?"

"Why, to be sure, it'll start from the bottom and go up and go

up, and come out so," the carpenter said obstinately and

convincingly.

"It'll reach the ceiling and the wall."

"Upon my word! Why, it'll go up, and up, and come out like

this."




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