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 acepted a position in the department of the palace in Moscow, so that he might be able to give a better education to his two sons.

In spite of very different opinions and habits, and the fact that Lvof was considerably older than Levin, they had seen much of each other this autumn, and had become great friends.

Levin found his brother-in-law at home, and went in without ceremony.

Lvof, in a house-coat with a belt, and in chamois-skin slippers, was sitting in an arm-chair, and with blue glasses was reading a book which rested on a stand, while he held a half-burned cigar in his shapely hand. His handsome, delicate, and still youthful face, to which his shining, silvery hair gave an expression of aristocratic dignity, lighted up with a smile as he saw Levin.

"Good! I was just going to send to find out about you all. How is Kitty?" said he; and, rising, he pushed forward a rocking-chair, "Sit down here: you 'll find this better. Have you read the last circular in the journal de St. Pétersbourg? I find it excellent," said he, with a slight French accent.

Levin informed him of what he had heard as to the reports in circulation at Petersburg; and, after having spoken of politics, he told about his acquaintance with Metrof and the session at the university. This greatly interested Lvof.

"There! I envy you your intimacy in that learned society," said he, and he went on speaking, not in Russian, but in French, which was far more familiar to him. "True, I could not meet them very well. My public duties, and my occupation with the children, would prevent it; and then, I do not feel ashamed to say that my own education is too faulty."

"I can't think that," said Levin, with a smile, and, as always, touched by his modest opinion of himself, expressed not for the sake of bringing out a flattering contradiction, but genuine and honest.

"Oh, dear! I now feel how little I know. Now that I am educating my sons, I am obliged to refresh my