yet he had accepted public office, and attended faithfully to his duties. He never even went out without donning his official cap, with its red border and cockade. He declared that human existence was endurable only abroad, where he was going to Hve at the first opportunity; but at the same time he carried on in Russia a very complicated estate[1] in the most perfect style, and was interested in all that was going on in Russia, and was fully up with the times. The Russian muzhik, in his eyes, stood between man and monkey; but, when the elections came, he gave his hand to the peasants by preference, and listened to them with the utmost attention. He believed neither in God nor in the devil; but he showed great concern in the questions concerning ameliorating the condition of the clergy, and the diminution of the revenues, and moreover he labored with especial zeal to have his village church kept in repair.
In regard to the complete emancipation of woman and especially her right to work, he sided with the most extreme supporters of this doctrine, but he lived with his wife in such perfect harmony that though they had no children every one admired them, and he took entire direction of the family affairs, so that his wife did nothing, and could do nothing, except in cooperation with him, in order to pass the time as agreeably as possible.
If Levin had not been naturally disposed to see the best side of people the analysis of Sviazhsky's character would have caused him no trouble or question; he would have said to himself: "Fool or Good-for-nothing," and that would have been the end of it. But he could not say fool—durak—because Sviazhsky was undoubtedly not only very clever, but also a very cultivated and an extraordinarily simple-hearted man, entirely free from conceit; there was no subject which he did not know; but he displayed his knowledge only when it was needed. Still less could he say that he was a good-for-nothing, be-
- ↑ Khozyaïstvo includes household economy, the outside interests, farming, mills,—everything connected with an estate. The master of an estate is called khozyaïn, the mistress khozyaïka,—terms often used for host and hostess.
