Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 18.djvu/332

 noticing that he was the only person whose voice was heard, he interrupted his speech, and addressed himself to the old man. Such things did not happen in olden times, did they?" he said, with a pleasant smile.

The old man wanted to make a reply, but just then the train started, and the old man took off his cap and began to make the sign of the cross and to whisper a prayer. The lawyer turned his eyes away and waited respectfully. Having finished his prayer and the threefold sign of the cross, the old man pulled his cap down over his head, adjusted himself in his seat, and began to speak:

"It used to happen, sir, only not so often," he said. "It could not be different considering the times we are living in. People are too much educated nowadays."

The train moved faster and faster, rumbling over the rail ends, so that I could not hear them well. As I was interested in what they were saying, I seated myself nearer to them. My neighbour, the nervous gentleman with the sparkling eyes, was apparently interested himself: he listened attentively, without getting up.

"What makes education bad?" the lady said, with a scarcely perceptible smile. "Do you think it is better to marry as of old, when bridegroom and bride did not see each other?" she continued, replying, as is the habit with women, not to the words of her interlocutor, but to the words which she supposed he would utter.

"They did not know whether they loved each other or could love each other, and married by chance, and then suffered all their lives. In your opinion this is better?" she said, obviously directing her remarks to me and to the lawyer, and least of all to the old man, with whom she was speaking.

"People are too much educated," repeated the merchant, looking contemptuously at the lady and leaving her question unanswered.

"It would be desirable to know how you explain the