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he’s over head and ears in love with Kitty, and you know that her
mother...”
“Excuse me, but I know nothing,” said Levin, frowning gloomily.
And immediately he recollected his brother Nikolay and how hateful
he was to have been able to forget him.
“You wait a bit, wait a bit,” said Stepan Arkadyevitch, smiling and
touching his hand. “I’ve told you what I know, and I repeat that in this
delicate and tender matter, as far as one can conjecture, I believe the
chances are in your favor.”
Levin dropped back in his chair; his face was pale.
“But I would advise you to settle the thing as soon as may be,”
pursued Oblonsky, filling up his glass.
“No, thanks, I can’t drink any more,” said Levin, pushing away his
glass. “I shall be drunk.... Come, tell me how are you getting on?” he
went on, obviously anxious to change the conversation.
“One word more: in any case I advise you to settle the question
soon. Tonight I don’t advise you to speak,” said Stepan Arkadyevitch.
“Go round tomorrow morning, make an offer in due form, and God
bless you...”
“Oh, do you still think of coming to me for some shooting? Come
next spring, do,” said Levin.
Now his whole soul was full of remorse that he had begun this
conversation with Stepan Arkadyevitch. A feeling such as his was
prefaced by talk of the rivalry of some Petersburg officer, of the suppo-
sitions and the counsels of Stepan Arkadyevitch.
Stepan Arkadyevitch smiled. He knew what was passing in Levin’s
soul.
“I’ll come some day,” he said. “But women, my boy, they’re the
pivot everything turns upon. Things are in a bad way with me, very
bad. And it’s all through women. Tell me frankly now,” he pursued,
picking up a cigar and keeping one hand on his glass; “give me your
advice.”
“Why, what is it?”
“I’ll tell you. Suppose you’re married, you love your wife, but you’re
fascinated by another woman...”
“Excuse me, but I’m absolutely unable to comprehend how...just
as I can’t comprehend how I could now, after my dinner, go straight to a
baker’s shop and steal a roll.”
Stepan Arkadyevitch’s eyes sparkled more than usual.
“Why not? A roll will sometimes smell so good one can’t resist it.”“Himmlisch ist’s, wenn ich bezwungen
Meine irdische Begier;
Aber doch wenn’s nich gelungen
Hatt’ ich auch recht huebsch Plaisir!”As he said this, Stepan Arkadyevitch smiled subtly. Levin, too,
could not help smiling.
“Yes, but joking apart,” resumed Stepan Arkadyevitch, “you must
understand that the woman is a sweet, gentle loving creature, poor and
lonely, and has sacrificed everything. Now, when the thing’s done, don’t
you see, can one possibly cast her off? Even supposing one parts from
her, so as not to break up one’s family life, still, can one help feeling for
her, setting her on her feet, softening her lot?”
“Well, you must excuse me there. You know to me all women are
divided into two classes...at least no...truer to say: there are women
and there are...I’ve never seen exquisite fallen beings, and I never
shall see them, but such creatures as that painted Frenchwoman at the