Sviazhsky took Levin's arm, and went with him to his own friends.

This time there was no avoiding Vronsky. He was standing with

Stepan Arkadyevitch and Sergey Ivanovitch, and looking straight

at Levin as he drew near.

"Delighted! I believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you...at

Princess Shtcherbatskaya's," he said, giving Levin his hand.

"Yes, I quite remember our meeting," said Levin, and blushing

crimson, he turned away immediately, and began talking to his

brother.

With a slight smile Vronsky went on talking to Sviazhsky,

obviously without the slightest inclination to enter into

conversation with Levin. But Levin, as he talked to his brother,

was continually looking round at Vronsky, trying to think of

something to say to him to gloss over his rudeness.

"What are we waiting for now?" asked Levin, looking at Sviazhsky

and Vronsky.

"For Snetkov. He has to refuse or to consent to stand," answered

Sviazhsky.

"Well, and what has he done, consented or not?"

"That's the point, that he's done neither," said Vronsky.

"And if he refuses, who will stand then?" asked Levin, looking at

Vronsky.

"Whoever chooses to," said Sviazhsky.

"Shall you?" asked Levin.

"Certainly not I," said Sviazhsky, looking confused, and turning

an alarmed glance at the malignant gentleman, who was standing

beside Sergey Ivanovitch.

"Who then? Nevyedovsky?" said Levin, feeling he was putting his

foot into it.

But this was worse still. Nevyedovsky and Sviazhsky were the two

candidates.

"I certainly shall not, under any circumstances," answered the

malignant gentleman.

This was Nevyedovsky himself. Sviazhsky introduced him to Levin.

"Well, you find it exciting too?" said Stepan Arkadyevitch,

winking at Vronsky. "It's something like a race. One might bet

on it."

"Yes, it is keenly exciting," said Vronsky. "And once taking the

thing up, one's eager to see it through. It's a fight!" he said,

scowling and setting his powerful jaws.

"What a capable fellow Sviazhsky is! Sees it all so clearly."

"Oh, yes!" Vronsky assented indifferently.

A silence followed, during which Vronsky--since he had to look at

something--looked at Levin, at his feet, at his uniform, then at

his face, and noticing his gloomy eyes fixed upon him, he said,

in order to say something: "How is it that you, living constantly in the country, are not a

justice of the peace? You are not in the uniform of one."

"It's because I consider that the justice of the peace is a silly

institution," Levin answered gloomily. He had been all the time

looking for an opportunity to enter into conversation with

Vronsky, so as to smooth over his rudeness at their first

meeting.




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