Читать книгу Anna Karenina (Maude Translation, Unabridged and Annotated) - Leo Tolstoy - Страница 15

WHEN the professor had gone, Koznyshev turned to his stepbrother.

‘I am very glad you have come. Are you here for long? How do you get on with your farming?’

Levin knew that farming did not interest his elder brother and that the question was merely a concession; therefore he replied generally as to the sale of wheat and money matters. He wanted to tell his brother of his intended marriage and to ask his advice. He had even firmly made up his mind to do so, but when he saw his brother and heard his conversation with the professor, and afterward noticed the involuntarily patronizing tone in which he asked him about the business of their estate (this estate which they had jointly inherited from their mother had not been divided, and Levin was managing the whole of it), he felt that something prevented him from beginning to speak to his brother about his intention to marry. He felt that his brother would not look at the matter as he wished him to.

‘Well, and how is your Zemstvo getting on?’ asked Koznyshev, who took a keen interest in the rural administration and attached great importance to it.

‘I really don’t know.’

‘What? But you are a Member?’

‘No, I am no longer on it. I resigned,’ answered Levin, ‘and don’t attend the Meetings any more.’

‘That’s a pity!’ said Koznyshev, and frowned. To justify himself Levin began to relate what used to happen at the Meetings in his district.

‘There now! It’s always the same,’ interrupted Koznyshev. ‘We Russians are always like that. It may be a good trait in us — this capacity to see our own faults — but we overdo it, and comfort ourselves with sarcasm, which is always ready on our tongues. I can only tell you, that with such rights as we have in our rural institutions, any other European nation — the English or the Germans — would have secured their freedom, while we only jeer at our Zemstvos!’

‘But what is to be done?’ said Levin guiltily. ‘That was my last attempt. And I tried with my whole soul… . But I can’t do it! I’m incapable.’

‘Incapable!’ said Koznyshev. ‘No, you don’t look at it from the right point of view.’

‘That may be,’ said Levin mournfully.

‘Do you know that our brother Nicholas is here again?’

Nicholas was Constantine Levin’s elder brother, and Koznyshev’s half-brother. He was a ruined man who had squandered the greater part of his fortune, mixed with the strangest and worst society, and quarrelled with his brothers.

‘You don’t mean to say so!’ cried Levin, horror-struck. ‘How do you know?’

‘Prokofy met him in the street.’

‘Here, in Moscow? Where is he? Do you know?’ Levin rose from his chair as if meaning to go at once.

‘I am sorry I told you,’ said Koznyshev, shaking his head at his brother’s excitement. ‘I sent to find out where he is living, and forwarded him a note of hand he had given to Trubin, which I had paid. And this is the answer I received.’

Koznyshev took a note from under a paper-weight and handed it to his brother.

Levin read the note, written in a curious but familiar hand:

‘I humbly beg you to leave me alone. That is all I demand of my dear brothers. — NICHOLAS LEVIN.’

When Levin had read the note, holding it in his hand, he remained standing in front of Koznyshev without lifting his head.

A struggle was going on within him between the desire to forget his unfortunate brother for the present, and the consciousness that this would be wrong.

‘He evidently wants to offend me,’ continued Koznyshev, ‘but he cannot do that. I wish with all my heart I could help him, but I know it can’t be done.’

‘Yes, yes,’ said Levin, ‘I understand, and appreciate your attitude toward him; but personally I shall go to see him.’

‘Go if you like, but I don’t advise it,’ said Koznyshev. ‘That’s to say, I’m not afraid of it on my own account, he will not make mischief between us, but on your account I don’t advise it. You had better not go. It’s impossible to help him. However, do as you please!’

‘It may be impossible to help him, but I feel — especially at this moment … but that’s a different matter — I feel that I cannot be at peace… .’

‘Well, I don’t understand that,’ said Koznyshev. ‘But what I do understand is a lesson in humility. I have begun to look differently, more leniently, at what is called rascality, since brother Nicholas became what he is. Do you know what he has done?’

‘Ah, it’s dreadful, dreadful!’ Levin repeated.

Having got the address from Koznyshev’s footman Levin thought of going at once to see his brother; but, on reflection, decided to put off the visit till the evening. To obtain peace of mind it was necessary first of all to decide the business that had brought him to Moscow. He therefore went to Oblonsky’s office, and having received news of the Shcherbatskys he drove to the place where he was told he could see Kitty.