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you read the last circular in the Journal de St. Petersbourg? I think it’s
excellent,” he said with a slight French accent.
Levin told him what he had heard from Katavasov was being said
in Petersburg, and after talking a little about politics, he told him of his
interview with Metrov, and the learned society’s meeting. To Lvov it
was very interesting.
“That’s what I envy you, that you are able to mix in these interest-
ing scientific circles,” he said. And as he talked, he passed as usual into
French, which was easier to him. “It’s true I haven’t the time for it. My
official work and the children leave me no time; and then I’m not
ashamed to own that my education has been too defective.”
“That I don’t believe,” said Levin with a smile, feeling, as he always
did, touched at Lvov’s low opinion of himself, which was not in the
least put on from a desire to seem or to be modest, but was absolutely
sincere.
“Oh, yes, indeed! I feel now how badly educated I am. To educate
my children I positively have to look up a great deal, and in fact simply
to study myself. For it’s not enough to have teachers, there must be
someone to look after them, just as on your land you want laborers and
an overseer. See what I’m reading”—he pointed to Buslaev’s Gram-
mar on the desk—”it’s expected of Misha, and it’s so difficult.... Come,
explain to me.... Here he says...”
Levin tried to explain to him that it couldn’t be understood, but
that it had to be taught; but Lvov would not agree with him.
“Oh, you’re laughing at it!”
“On the contrary, you can’t imagine how, when I look at you, I’m
always learning the task that lies before me, that is the education of
one’s children.”
“Well, there’s nothing for you to learn,” said Lvov.
“All I know,” said Levin, “is that I have never seen better brought-
up children than yours, and I wouldn’t wish for children better than
yours.”
Lvov visibly tried to restrain the expression of his delight, but he
was positively radiant with smiles.
“If only they’re better than I! That’s all I desire. You don’t know yet
all the work,” he said, “with boys who’ve been left like mine to run wild
abroad.”
“You’ll catch all that up. They’re such clever children. The great
thing is the education of character. That’s what I learn when I look at
your children.”
“You talk of the education of character. You can’t imagine how
difficult that is! You have hardly succeeded in combating one ten-
dency when others crop up, and the struggle begins again. If one had
not a support in religion—you remember we talked about that—no
father could bring children up relying on his own strength alone with-
out that help.”
This subject, which always interested Levin, was cut short by the
entrance of the beauty Natalia Alexandrovna, dressed to go out.
“I didn’t know you were here,” she said, unmistakably feeling no
regret, but a positive pleasure, in interrupting this conversation on a
topic she had heard so much of that she was by now weary of it. “Well,
how is Kitty? I am dining with you today. I tell you what, Arseny,” she
turned to her husband, “you take the carriage.”
And the husband and wife began to discuss their arrangements
for the day. As the husband had to drive to meet someone on official
business, while the wife had to go to the concert and some public
meeting of a committee on the Eastern Question, there was a great
deal to consider and settle. Levin had to take part in their plans as one