Emma Watson Pussy
Books:
Anna Karenina
War And Peace
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a peaceful
shore after the noise and jolting of a steamer. And so you
maintain that the laborer himself is an element to be studied and
to regulate the choice of methods in agriculture. Of course, Im
an ignorant outsider; but I should fancy theory and its
application will have its influence on the laborer too."
"Yes, but wait a bit. Im not talking of political economy, Im
talking of the science of agriculture. It ought to be like the
natural sciences, and to observe given phenomena and the laborer
in his economic, ethnographical..."
At that instant Agafea Mihalovna came in with jam.
"Oh, Agafea Mihalovna," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, kissing the
tips of his plump fingers, "what salt goose, what herb
brandy!...What do you think, isnt it time to start, Kostya?" he
added.
Levin looked out of the window at the sun sinking behind the bare
tree-tops of the forest.
"Yes, its time," he said. "Kouzma, get ready the trap," and he
ran downstairs.
Stepan Arkadyevitch, going down, carefully took the canvas cover
off his varnished gun case with his own hands, and opening it,
began to get ready his expensive new-fashioned gun. Kouzma, who
already scented a big tip, never left Stepan Arkadyevitchs side,
and put on him both his stockings and boots, a task which Stepan
Arkadyevitch readily left him.
"Kostya, give orders that if the merchant Ryabinin comes...I told
him to come today, hes to be brought in and to wait for me..."
"Why, do you mean to say youre selling the forest to Ryabinin?"
"Yes. Do you know him?"
"To be sure I do. I have had to do business with him,
positively and conclusively."
Stepan Arkadyevitch laughed. "Positively and conclusively" were
the merchants favorite words.
"Yes, its wonderfully funny the way he talks. She knows where
her masters going!" he added, patting Laska, who hung about
Levin, whining and licking his hands, his boots, and his gun.
The trap was already at the steps when they went out.
"I told them to bring the trap round; or would you rather walk?"
"No, wed better drive," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, getting into
the trap. He sat down, tucked the tiger-skin rug round him, and
lighted a cigar. "How is it you dont smoke? A cigar is a sort
of thing, not exactly a pleasure, but the crown and outward sign
of pleasure. Come, this is life! How splendid it is! This is
how I should like to live!"
"Why, who prevents you?" said Levin, smiling.
"No, youre a lucky man! Youve got everything you like. You
like horses--and you have them; dogs--you have them; shooting--
you have it; farming--you have it."
"Perhaps because I rejoice in what I have, and dont fret for
what I havent," said Levin, thinking of Kitty.
Stepan Arkadyevitch comprehended, looked at him, but said
nothing.
Levin was grateful to Oblonsky for noticing, with his
never-failing tact, that he dreaded conversation about the
Shtcherbatskys, and so saying nothing about them. But now Levin
was longing to find out what was tormenting him so, yet he had
not the courage to begin.
"Come, tell me how things are going with you," said Levin,
bethinking himself that it was not nice of him to think only of
himself.
Stepan Arkadyevitchs eyes sparkled merrily.
"You dont admit, I know, that one can be fond of new rolls when
one has had ones rations of bread--to your mind its a crime;
but I dont count life as life without love," he said, taking
Levins question his own way. "What am I to do? Im made that
way. And really, one does so little harm to anyone, and gives
oneself so much pleasure..."
"What! is there something new, then?" queried Levin.
"Yes, my boy, there is! There, do you see, you know the type of
Ossians women.... Women, such as one sees in dreams.... Well,
these women are sometimes to be met in reality...and these women
are terrible. Woman, dont you know, is such a subject that
however much you study it, its always perfectly new."
"Well, then, it would be better not to study it."
"No. Some mathematician has said that enjoyment lies in the
search for truth, not in the finding it."
Levin listened in silence, and in spite of all the efforts he
made, he could not in the least enter into the feelings of his
friend and understand his sentiments and the charm of studying
such women.
Chapter 15
The place fixed on for the stand-shooting was not far above a
stream in
Anna Karenina page 91 Anna Karenina page 93
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