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 and say all manner of foolish things, everybody whom he met was disposed to side with him. He clearly saw, and others recognized the fact, that he had very largely contributed to Nevyedovsky's success. And now, as he sat at the head of his own table celebrating Nevyedovsky's election, he experienced a pleasant feeling of triumphant pride in his choice. He was so much interested in the election that he determined that, if he should be married at the end of the next three years, he would run as a candidate, just as once when, after having won a prize by means of his jockey, he had decided to run a race himself.

Now he was celebrating the triumph of his jockey. Vronsky sat at the head of the table, but he placed the young governor at his right. Vronsky saw that all looked upon him as the khozyaïn of the government, who had triumphantly opened the elections, who had gained by his speech great consideration and even worship; but for Vronsky he was nothing more than Katka Maslof,—such was his nickname at the Corps of Pages,—who used to be confused in his presence, and whom he tried to put at his ease.

At his left he placed Nevyedovsky, a young man with a sarcastic and impenetrable face. Toward him Vronsky showed respectful consideration.

Sviazhsky accepted his own failure gayly; indeed, as he said, lifting his glass to Nevyedovsky, he could not call it a failure; it would be impossible to find a better representative of the new tendencies which the nobility was to follow. And therefore, as he said, everything that was honorable stood on the side of the success just won, and triumphed with it.

Stepan Arkadyevitch also was gay, because he was having such a good time and because every one else was so happy.

During the admirable dinner they reviewed the various episodes of the elections. Sviazhsky gave a comical travesty of the former marshal's tearful discourse, and, turning to Nevyedovsky, he advised his excellency to choose a more complicated manner of verifying his ac-