Anna Karenina - Part 5

On the day of the wedding, according to the Russian custom (the

princess and Darya Alexandrovna insisted on strictly keeping all

the customs), Levin did not see his betrothed, and dined at his

hotel with three bachelor friends, casually brought together at

his rooms. These were Sergey Ivanovitch, Katavasov, a university

friend, now professor of natural science, whom Levin had met in

the street and insisted on taking home with him, and Tchirikov,

his best man, a Moscow conciliation-board judge, Levin's

companion in his bear-hunts. The dinner was a very merry one:

Sergey Ivanovitch was in his happiest mood, and was much amused

by Katavasov's originality. Katavasov, feeling his originality

was appreciated and understood, made the most of it. Tchirikov

always gave a lively and good-humored support to conversation of

any sort.

"See, now," said Katavasov, drawling his words from a habit

acquired in the lecture-room, "what a capable fellow was our

friend Konstantin Dmitrievitch. I'm not speaking of present

company, for he's absent. At the time he left the university he

was fond of science, took an interest in humanity; now one-half

of his abilities is devoted to deceiving himself, and the other

to justifying the deceit."

"A more determined enemy of matrimony than you I never saw," said

Sergey Ivanovitch.

"Oh, no, I'm not an enemy of matrimony. I'm in favor of division

of labor. People who can do nothing else ought to rear people

while the rest work for their happiness and enlightenment.

That's how I look at it. To muddle up two trades is the error of

the amateur; I'm not one of their number."

"How happy I shall be when I hear that you're in love!" said

Levin. "Please invite me to the wedding."

"I'm in love now."

"Yes, with a cuttlefish! You know," Levin turned to his brother,

"Mihail Semyonovitch is writing a work on the digestive organs of

the..."

"Now, make a muddle of it! It doesn't matter what about. And

the fact is, I certainly do love cuttlefish."

"But that's no hindrance to your loving your wife."

"The cuttlefish is no hindrance. The wife is the hindrance."

"Why so?"

"Oh, you'll see! You care about farming, hunting,--well, you'd

better look out!"

"Arhip was here today; he said there were a lot of elks in

Prudno, and two bears," said Tchirikov.

"Well, you must go and get them without me."

"Ah, that's the truth," said Sergey Ivanovitch. "And you may say

good-bye to bear-hunting for the future--your wife won't allow

it!"