Page:Anna Karenina.djvu/907

 been sent to him in honor of the occasion by the poet Mient, of whose work he spoke eulogistically. Then Katavasof read in his loud, harsh voice a sketch of the work of Svintitch. When Katavasof had finished, Levin looked at his watch and found that it was already two o'clock; he realized that he should lose the concert if he should read his treatise to Metrof, and, moreover, he no longer cared to do it.

During the reading of the papers he had come to a conclusion regarding the conversation he had just had. It was clear to his own mind that, though Metrof's ideas very likely had some value, yet his own ideas also had value, and that ideas could be made clear and profitable only when every person should work separately in his chosen path, but that the communication of these ideas was perfectly profitless.

And, having decided to decline Metrof's invitation. Levin at the end of the session went up to him. Metrof introduced Levin to the chairman, with whom he was talking about the political news. Thereupon Metrof told the chairman what he had already told Levin, and Levin made the same remarks as he had made that morning, but for the sake of variety he also told his new theory which had just come into his mind. After this the conversation again turned on the university question. As Levin had already heard as much as he cared to about this, he made haste to tell Metrof that he regretted that he could not accept his invitation, bade him good-by, and hastened to Lvof's.

CHAPTER IV

, who had married Natalie, Kitty's sister, had spent his life in the European capitals, where he had not only received his education, but had also pursued his diplomatic career.

The year before he had resigned his diplomatic appointment, not because it was distasteful to him,—for he never found anything distasteful to him,—and had