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his hungry mortification.
In the evening they went shooting again, and Veslovsky had sev-
eral successful shots, and in the night they drove home.
Their homeward journey was as lively as their drive out had been.
Veslovsky sang songs and related with enjoyment his adventures with
the peasants, who had regaled him with vodka, and said to him, “Ex-
cuse our homely ways,” and his night’s adventures with kiss-in-the-
ring and the servant-girl and the peasant, who had asked him was he
married, and on learning that he was not, said to him, “Well, mind you
don’t run after other men’s wives—you’d better get one of your own.”
These words had particularly amused Veslovsky.
“Altogether, I’ve enjoyed our outing awfully. And you, Levin?”
“I have, very much,” Levin said quite sincerely. It was particularly
delightful to him to have got rid of the hostility he had been feeling
towards Vassenka Veslovsky at home, and to feel instead the most
friendly disposition to him.
Chapter 14.
Next day at ten o’clock Levin, who had already gone his rounds,
knocked at the room where Vassenka had been put for the night.
“Entrez!” Veslovsky called to him. “Excuse me, I’ve only just fin-
ished my ablutions,” he said, smiling, standing before him in his under-
clothes only.
“Don’t mind me, please.” Levin sat down in the window. “Have
you slept well?”
“Like the dead. What sort of day is it for shooting?”
“What will you take, tea or coffee?”
“Neither. I’ll wait till lunch. I’m really ashamed. I suppose the
ladies are down? A walk now would be capital. You show me your
horses.”
After walking about the garden, visiting the stable, and even doing
some gymnastic exercises together on the parallel bars, Levin returned
to the house with his guest, and went with him into the drawing room.
“We had splendid shooting, and so many delightful experiences!”
said Veslovsky, going up to Kitty, who was sitting at the samovar. “What
a pity ladies are cut off from these delights!”
“Well, I suppose he must say something to the lady of the house,”
Levin said to himself. Again he fancied something in the smile, in the
all-conquering air with which their guest addressed Kitty....