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 from her, declaring that he had business to attend to at the office. Not for a long time had his affairs seemed to him so important as they did at that day.

"It may be a holiday for them," he said to himself, "but here are affairs of importance to be attended to, and they can't be delayed, and without them life could not be carried on."

CHAPTER VII

when they had sent to tell him supper was ready did Levin go back to the house again. On the stairway Kitty and Agafya Mikhaïlovna were standing holding a consultation over the wines for supper.

"But why do you make such a fuss? Give them what you usually do."

"No, Stiva doesn't drink. .... Kostia, wait, what is the matter with you?" exclaimed Kitty, hastening after him; but he, without heeding her, went with long strides into the dining-room, and immediately began to take part in the lively conversation which Vasenka Veslovsky and Stepan Arkadyevitch were enjoying.

"What do you say? Shall we go hunting to-morrow?" asked Stepan Arkadyevitch.

"Please let us go," said Veslovsky, changing his seat to another chair, and doubling his fat leg under him.

"I shall be very glad; yes, we will go. Have you had any hunting this year yet?" asked Levin, looking at Veslovsky's leg, but his cordiality was put on, as Kitty could easily see, and it did not become him. "I doubt if we find any woodcock, but snipe are abundant. We shall have to start early. You will not be too tired? Are you tired, Stiva?"

"I tired? I don't know what it is to be tired. I'm ready to stay up all night. We'll go and take a walk."

"Certainly, let us stay up all night. Capital," said Veslovsky.

"Oh, yes, we are agreed on that point, that you can